Origins in Boston, Massachusetts, The Offering are a devastating Progressive Metal act ready to unleash their debut album, HOME, upon the devil-horned universe on Friday, August 2nd, 2019 via Century Media Records.
Founded in 2015, The Offering are comprised of Vocalist Alex Richichi, Guitarist Nishad George, Bassist Spencer Metela, and Drummer Steve Finn. A foundation in Progressive Metal, The Offering offer, pun very much intended, one of the most palatable and thrilling soundscapes in the genre. More specifically, The Offering’s sound conjures up the right vocal complexity of Progressive Metal, think Gojira Vocalist Joe Duplantier, cross bred with striking layers of Death, Black, Thrash, Nu, Power, Hardcore, and Modern Heavy Metal. In his own words, Vocalist Alex Richichi stated: “Our music is beautifully violent, and surprisingly self-mutilating. It is sonically familiar yet so unique that it sounds new. Though our technical abilities and proficiencies are great on paper, it is our relentless songwriting that will win people over.”
Duly noted, in 2017, The Offering released a self-titled, five track EP, garnering the band their first taste of critical acclaim. In essence, The Offering consider themselves a band on a mission to do what they feel is the only thing that matters for Metal, generate evolution. Fitting in with a diversified group of peers, The Offering has shared stages across the U.S. opening for acts like Primal Fear, Rhapsody of Fire, and Prong. In concert, The Offering has been deemed an intense live act who rattle stages including on their Home soil when they played the main stage at the New England Metal & Hardcore Festival.
Needless to say, The Offering are turning heads and the next step in this Metal evolution is to come out swinging with the release of their full length debut, HOME. First, The Offering enlisted Swedish Producer Fredrik Nordström (Opeth, Arch Enemy, Bring Me The Horizon) who loved his time working with The Offering’s unique take on Prog Metal. At heart, The Offering wrote HOME to be a courageous expression of fitting in, feeling alone, and the irony of how our HOME is meant to be a safe place yet it can also become a source of physical or mental pain – all of which molds our personal identity.
Beginning the journey HOME, track one, “Waste Away” uncovers Richichi’s super progressive vocals which blend Doom and Power Metal forces over heavy effects and Progressive Speed Metal. Ears bleeding, even at the loudest setting, turning the volume down merely one notch will still feel too low. Forcefully, if the rages of being heartbroken can be put into music then “Lovesick” is the epitome.
Gaining heavy momentum by the minute, a song like “Ultraviolence” can only be described by the second half of the song title while “A Dance with Diana” tangoes like an avalanche. Begging for help, the overwhelming rhythm and percussive nature of “Failure (S.O.S.)” hooks you as “Hysteria” escapes hopelessness. A light at the end of the tunnel, the demonic “Glory” burns, “Home” is a fifteen minute long saga, and then The Offering close via the Progressive ballad “Violets.”
Going for it all, The Offering’s HOME forks over all of the annihilation of excessive Speed, Power, and Progressive Metal, outer-worldly vocals, and good clean production. A brash debut LP, Home is the type of album that will ambush the listener’s senses from start to finish. A great up-and-coming act, Home should no doubt afford The Offering opportunities to tour with major heavyweights within a year. Conclusively, HOME is one highly favored album that all Metal fans should enjoy. Making the neighbors run for cover, Cryptic Rock gives this album 5 out of 5 stars.
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