Allegiance

As Blood Runs Black seems to be a band that made a fairly huge impact on the deathcore genre with their debut "Allegiance", but since then, they really haven't been discussed much. This band has a reputation for pretty much being a deathcore version of The Black Dahlia Murder and is often compared to said band. That's actually a fairly accurate description. In fact, if TBDM decided to implement breakdowns in their music, I'm pretty damn sure the final result would be an album that sounds exactly like this. Be that as it may, "Allegiance" is a very influential deathcore album and has paved the way for a lot of post-2006 bands.

Most of the guitar riffs on this album are quite melodic in nature. They also don't really differentiate themselves from one another and are played in very similar ways. Because of the melodic death metal guitar riffs that plague this album, comparisons to TBDM are obvious and make a lot of sense. We can also hear a possible influence of the classic Gothenburg bands because of this, most notably At the Gates. Even though these riffs are not that original, they are still played fairly well and are quite consistent. The breakdowns are an obvious ingredient in this album. They are heard within every song, save for the melodic, clean interlude "Pouring Reign". While these breakdowns are generic and somewhat boring, making for one of the album's flaws, there are some that resonate pretty well. For example, the breakdown towards the end of "My Fears Have Become Phobias". This is a very catchy, well-played breakdown. A lot of these breakdowns, however, tend to sound ill-placed and almost inconsistent. They break up the guitar riffs at inappropriate times which can get very distracting. "Hester Prynne" is a huge offender in this regard. These breakdowns are so monotonous and really some amazing riffs become totally overshadowed, and that's very unfortunate. There are a few guitar solos throughout the album, and they help to add a little variety to the playing.

The drums are standard for the genre. Loads of blast beats, double bass, and drum patterns that follow the breakdowns to a T. Obviously there is nothing new going on here in terms of the drumming, but what it lacks in originality, it makes up for in skill and precision. It's efficient, but really nothing more, and that's okay because it gets the job done. To this day, Leche is the only original member remaining in ABRB. This band seems to go through members like a baby goes through diapers. I'm not sure why this is, but he definitely is one of the highlights on the album.

So really, while this album suffers from poorly-placed breakdowns, somewhat unoriginal guitar riffs, and even the predictable drumming, it's still a notable deathcore album and has surely influenced the bands that would come later on. It's a fun, dumb little album that I still listen to on occasion. If you're curious to hear a deathcore TBDM or At the Gates worship band, go ahead and grab this.