Bloom
Maybe In Another Life – Pure Noise Records
Now signed to the uber-cool Pure Noise label (for whom Maybe In Another Life is their first album), it seems that Australian melodic metalcore crew Bloom are finally starting to blossom. Although the band have been active since 2017, now feels like a moment of rebirth and indicative of this is the majestic title-track. Appearing after a brief intro, it finds this quintet in fine fettle, delivering a hard-hitting sound that’s coupled with deep, emotional lyrics, and it’s a combination that could floor even the most hardy metalhead. In fact, when it comes to Bloom, “deep” is the optimum word. Beneath the crushing beat that characterises cuts such as ‘Bound To Your Whispers’ there’s a textured sound which operates at several levels and will reward repeat spins as subtle nuances, buried in the mix, reveal themselves on successive spins. The emotive edge found on ‘Fragments Of A Dream’ provides a foil for the heavy songs that surround it and turns the album into a hall of mirrors, and one that fractures sound in every direction. Australia has a rich tradition when it comes to metalcore bands with The Amity Affliction and Parkway Drive making waves, but with Maybe In Another Life you feel it’s Bloom’s turn to flower.
Review by Peter Dennis