Nephelium

If Nephelium had stayed in their fatherland of Dubai, they may have been the biggest death metal band in the Middle East. Now residing in Toronto, they must compete with Canada's rich history of technical metal – Gorguts, Cryptopsy, Neuraxis and the like – though they choose to emulate death dominators Cannibal Corpse, Morbid Angel and Incantation. Vocalist Devin Anderson can shred throats with the best, preferring the deeply resounding, bathtub drain-esque timbre of Broken Hope's Joe Ptacek or Morbid Angel's Steve Tucker. Opening cut "Burial Ground" sports the band's signature Middle Eastern melodies (later reprised by the epic ten-minute title track), though they insert them more subtly than Nile. Just as Dave Mustaine once traded Rust in Peace-era licks with Marty Freidman, "Halls of Judgement" features scorching back-and-forth solos from guitarists Alex Zubair and James Sawyer, in addition to some semi-hardcore breakdowns and maniacal tempo changes from drum dynamo Alan Madhavan. But Nephelium (a plant genus related to the lychee fruit) remains firmly ensconced in old-school death metal with the Suffocation-like "Hellborne," while Anderson varies his vocals in "Malediction" to honour Obituary's John Tardy. With Slayer-esque guitar runs and nether worldly growls, Coils of Entropy will quickly make Nephelium a newly signed band, with all the metal trappings included.