Walking Through Fear (2013 version)

Although they're rooted in the groovy post-thrash sound of Meshuggah, Argentinian thrashers Athkan delivers a more straightforward and biting twist on the sound. I might be reminded at times of Roots-era Sepultura or even Lamb of God, but neither of those comparisons would do any justice to the intensity and speed that is Athkan's Walking Through Fear. Although the band put together an earlier version of this album the year before, it clearly wasn't to the band's satisfaction and they decided to give it a second go. Athkan's razor-sharp musicianship and production have left a strong impression on me, although their fixation with groove and rhythm has a grim tendency of making the music feel a little too one-sided for my liking.

The first thing that should really strike the listener when first listening to Walking Through Fear is how bloody heavy the band sounds. The headbang-worthy riffs and grooving rhythms aside, Athkan really stand out for their standard of production. Even though Walking Through Fear is a self-released affair, Athkan have figured out how to bring out the most effective blend of clarity and aggression the second time around. The instrumental prelude "Symbiote" offers a rash display of their heaviness from the start; opening the performance with a bass guitar and drum pairing alone, their sound already seems to creep out of the speakers and shake whatever's around it, volume irregardless. By the time the guitars arrive, Athkan have already conjured some heavy firepower. The guitar has a sharp, biting tone to it that compliments the band's rhythmic angle. The shouted vocals feel like the least impressive part of Athkan's sound; the vocals feel garbled and muffled in the production. Otherwise, Athkan have already shown some heavy skills in the studio with this version of Walking Through Fear, and it's refreshing to hear a band that really knows how to bring out the best in their sound while recording.

The band's skill with composition and style is decidedly less engaging. Although they certainly know how to pen a steady riff- "Chemtrails" and the three-part Walking Through Fear series at the end are proof of this- but the style seems to pick their ideas from a narrow wavelength. Though there is the occasional technical riff or solo, the guitar parts tend to place their focus on rhythm and groove. Athkan chose a strong guitar tone for the guitars, but the lack of variety makes the tone feel stale by the end. Although the individual grooves are skillfully constructed, the songwriting tends to blend together. An exception to this rule can be found at the end of the album, with the title-trilogy. Although I was expecting something more epic or ambitious when I noticed the three-part series at the end of the album, these three tracks are quite short. I may have been disappointed, but Athkan deliver some of their most lively riffs here, getting more adventurous with composition and time signature. Athkan don't escape the groove-thrash formula for a moment, but the skillful way they've approached the sound gives me confidence in their ability to sell me on their sound with future albums.

Walking Through Fear sounds heavy, fierce and aggressive; it may sound like high praise to say it's one of the most aggressive records I have heard spawned from 2013, but Athkan deserve the praise entirely. On the other hand, it's difficult to give Athkan a full recommendation when the style feels this narrow. Upon finishing the album, I'm left feeling hooked on their tight grooves and rhythms, but feel like something is missing. Perhaps future albums will see Athkan get a little more adventurous, but as it stands, Walking Through Fear is a solid album that should be welcomed by fans of the genre.