Whitechapel

There really needs to be a name for bands that sidestep the sophomore slump only to stumble on their subsequent album. Whitechapel would fit this description perfectly. After a simple, brutal debut that hinted at greater things to come, the group capitalized on their promise and made one of deathcore's finest albums with This is Exile. However, the follow-up, A New Era of Corruption, sounded tired and uninspired. With their most recent self-titled effort, Whitechapel have reinvigorated themselves without reinventing the sound they became known for and, in the process, produced an appropriate follow-up to their sophomore success. Starting off with piano, the titular release soon gallops through all the blast beats, riffs, off-kilter vocal patterns and, most importantly, breakdowns the band are known for. Before ending, it returns to a similar piano riff as the first song, inviting listeners to press repeat. And with an album this solid, you'll be more than happy to oblige. Comeback of the year, part two, anyone?