ANNISOKAY

Arms Arising Empire German five-piece take another leap up the metalcore ladder

2016’s Devil May Care saw German post-hardcore/metalcore merchants Annisokay fusing driving rhythms and stylistic diversity, and now with fourth full-length Arms the five-piece are out to dispel those lingering ‘underdog’ connotations. Once again, the band draw influences from across the spectrum and continue to churn out hulking breakdowns and riffs that will lodge themselves deep in your cranium. Soaring choruses alongside clean-cum-harsh vocals collide on lead single Unaware, giving this earworm radio-friendly polish while elsewhere sporadic bursts of glitchy synths inject atmosphere harkening back to the excessive heyday of 80s electronica. There’s a certain roughness at work, with tracks like Innocence Was Here and End Of The World sounding decidedly more organic than former material. These guys may not be defying genre conventions, but Arms remains a declaration of intent. FOR FANS OF: ESKIMO CALLBOY, MEMPHIS MAY FIRE, BEARTOOTH