Tetrarch
The Ugly Side Of Me
Napalm Records
Nu metal hasn’t been able to call itself new for many years now. It hit the scene like a freight train, pulled into the sidings for a while and has recently had something of resurgence. Tetrarch are a band very much at the forefront of this ‘second wave’ boasting an underlying Korn-esque/Linkin Park like sound along with a willingness to widen the reach of the other influences they bring in. Latest record ‘The Ugly Side Of Me’ builds on previous works with an almost industrial vibe prevalent throughout. There’s a significant use of synths which adds depth while Diamond Rowe provides more than just skilful guitar licks. Her playing is nothing short of sublime. The production handles the band’s full sound excellently keeping everything sharp without undoing the wonderful layering. Josh Fore’s vocals hit the spot with a big nod to Jonathan Davis and also in places the late great Chester Bennington. The thing about Tetrarch is that for all the name dropping they have created their own identity. And they’ve just landed a new nu metal album that’s a bit of a belter.
Review by Gary Trueman