Apiary "Lost in Focus" (Ironclad/Metal Blade)
By Kenny Irwin
Thursday. Sep 14, 1:44 PM
Young tech metalcore quintet succeeds on debut.

I love getting new, random records from bands I have never heard of, especially when they are free from Mr. Den here at T.O. Sometimes they suck, sometimes they are okay, sometimes they’re very repetitive and just another metal / hardcore / metalcore combo blah blah whatever. But every now and then, after opening my lovely package from Mr. Den and popping in some random disc, sick shit comes right out and hits me in the chest. And man does that feel good. It actually almost makes me feel bad that I have never heard it before or at least heard of the band’s name. This was definitely the case when I popped in Lost in Focus.

Hailing from San Jose, CA, this young five-piece crew were lucky enough to catch the eye of Trevor Phipps (vocalist of Unearth) and Ironclad. And once you hear them, you’ll know exactly why they turned heads. Apiary may be young and new, but their heavy metalcore is tight as shit. I am always amazed by new bands who aren’t afraid to take their influences to a new level. Apiary definitely take that Botch, Coalesce, Converge, The Dillinger Escape Plan sound and progress upon it. Only certain bands can really pull this approach off: if you can do so without being boring after five or six songs, then congratulations!

Vocalist Peter Layman has a great scream and a powerful roar that, yes, is a bit repetitive and cookie monster-ish, but it fits perfectly and I am not sure if there is anything else you can do with some of these crazy songs. I mean it’s angry music, people, and he’s angry at something. The off timing chaos breathes all over this album, and all you will hear are pure brutal riffs and crashing drums everywhere that go together perfectly. Yes, there are also simplified breakdowns that will have all the kids saying “hells yes” while kicking, floor punching, and wanting more. This is heard especially on “Descent,” which ends with echoed open chugs, simple crashing drums, and a looping high pitched riff that sounds like a car alarm going off. There are also sick fast parts that will have eyes wide open, mouths ajar drooling, wondering 1) how the hell the band came up with that and 2) how the hell are they playing that and then going into that? This is heard all over the album, but my favorites are “Extract,” “Intervention,” “Peril’s Divinity,” and the amazing opener “Pain is the Reason” (great fucking metal name, eh?).

Some death metal stuff thrown in too, mostly just quick fast parts here and there, such as on “Bliss in Vain” where there’s more riffs in two minutes than some band’s whole album. Closer “Finding a Way Back” is a weird slow heavy jam that has a lot of repetitive beats and riffs – almost reminiscent of Refused – with Peter sort of talking throughout parts of the song. It ends with crazy feedback and a three-pronged explosive breakdown, only to go back into nothing but feedback and then again into the explosion.

Lost in Focus is a great example of a new metalcore group that is out there giving it all they’ve got. They’re combining all their influences in every heavy genre, and showing off their amazing technical skills, which is just amazing to see in such youth. Yes, it’s another metalcore band with a cookie monster vocalist, but I’m telling ya: Apiary are fucking awesome! Ironclad knows what’s up with a lot of these types of new bands, and Apiary are definitely one that’s going to stick out and hopefully be turning heads everywhere.
www.apiarymusic.com
www.ironcladrecordings.com
www.metalblade.com

Listen to a song from this album in our Radio section!

Kenny Irwin

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