Envy

With three full-lengths and almost a decade in existence under their collective belt, Japan’s Envy hits the pinnacle of its career with this brutally intense art-core epic the likes of which hasn't been heard since Refused and Guilt took hardcore to the next level in the late ‘90s. Clocking in at over 60 minutes, A Dead Sinking Story's nine tracks are equal parts gut-wrenching emotion, eardrum shattering sonic wallop and textured, progressive hardcore. Adding to integrity of the songs is the fact that the band has chosen to sing in their native language. But like a great Akira Kurosawa movie, the emotion conveyed in the voice combined with translated lyrics allow vocalist Tetsuya Fukagawa's tortured tales to come across loud and clear.