For ALLEGAEON, sitting still is not an option. The Fort Collins, Colorado-based group has never allowed itself to stagnate, preferring to thrive on chaos, change, and evolution. Their latest offering, “The Ossuary Lens”, is their seventh full-length overall but it’s the first with original vocalist Ezra Haynes since his 2015 departure following the “Elements Of The Infinite” album. Replacing a singer is no easy task, so the fact that Haynes was in a place to rejoin is something to celebrate.

The cleaner vocal approach on the last three albums was a fascinating artistic maneuver, one that refreshed ALLEGAEON, but it’s undeniably thrilling to hear Haynes‘s graveled larynx back in the fold on this inarguably brutal and technically dazzling slab of work. The science-based lyrics are as challenging as the progressive musicianship, resulting in a set of songs that simply slay. It’s a sound that Haynes himself refers to as “melotech” (melodic, technical death metal).

“I think in the beginning we were a little more stripped down,” adds guitarist Greg Burgess, “very guitar-forward, focused melodeath. Over time, I think more technical, symphonic, and progressive elements creeped in. Finally, where we are today is all of that combined, added with more ambient elements.”

“The Ossuary Lens” was recorded with producer Dave Otero at Flatline Audio studio in Denver. It marks the sixth album recorded with Otero. “He’s our guy and we couldn’t imagine working with anyone else at the moment,” says Haynes. “We have worked with Dave Otero at Flatline Audio since the beginning of our career,” adds Burgess. “So seventeen years now. Dave always provides a comfortable working environment, amazing ideas, and a career-spanning understanding of what has made ALLEGAEON, ALLEGAEON.”

The proof is in the pudding; the sound on “The Ossuary Lens” pummels the listener, though the ferocity is balanced by the overt melodies. It’s the most triumphant and cohesive body of work that they’ve ever laid down.

Lyrically, while not a concept album in the traditional sense, there’s an overarching theme to the new album — “The Ossuary Lens” is a representation of several different viewpoints of death.

“Each song essentially is a different topic, however there is always a different perspective of death tied to each subject,” says Haynes. “Since the entire album revolves around this overarching theme of death, and the different viewpoints associated with it, we found ourselves very attached to the word ‘Ossuary,’ and since the album takes look at death through different points of view, we found ‘The Ossuary Lens’ to be very fitting for the album title.”

Of the album’s first single, “Driftwood”, Burgess elaborates: “This song holds a special place in ALLEGAEON history, honestly. This piece was written for ‘Apoptosis’ by our then-brand new bassist Booboo. In its original form, it was so tech death, I don’t think we knew how to incorporate it into the ALLEGAEON sound when he submitted it. Fast forward six years and, as we were kicking around ideas for this album, I remembered the piece, and asked Booboo if he wouldn’t mind if I took a crack at possibly rearranging its format a little smoother into the ALLEGAEON sound. I just wanted there to be a little bit more repetition of some parts. The song turned out amazing. Always goes to show — never throw out anything as you never know when it’ll come back.”

“The Ossuary Lens” track listing:

01. Refraction
02. Chaos Theory
03. Driftwood
04. Dies Irae
05. The Swarm
06. Carried By Delusion
07. Dark Matter Dynamics
08. Imperial
09. Wake Circling Above
10. Scythe

ALLEGAEON will join WARBRINGER on a North American co-headlining run next month. “The Vortex Of Violence” tour will commence on March 18 in San Diego, California and close on April 12 in Los Angeles, California. Support will be provided by SKELETAL REMAINS and SUMMONING THE LICH.

ALLEGAEON is:

Greg Burgess – lead guitar
Michael Stancel – lead guitar
Jeff Saltzman – drums
Ezra Haynes – vocals
Brandon Michael – bass