Album Review: Veiled – SE/CT (Seek & Strike)

UK melodic deathcore band, Veiled are quickly carving out their own unique path within the metal scene and will release their new full-length album, SE/CT, out 18th October via Seek and Strike. Join The Sect.

An ambitious release, SE/CT is the sound of a band pushing their creative abilities to their limits and still finding new reserves to draw from. It’s a punishingly heavy listen, but with thick layers of dynamic melody and ‘core’ intensity that adds a thrilling layer of catchiness to things. Across 14 tracks, Veiled showcase plenty of imagination, but also showcase their willingness to expand on what most expect from this specific sound. It’s recognisable as melodic deathcore, but it’s far from constrained by the genre.

The flow of this album is certainly attention-grabbing as it begins in intense fashion, Veiled creating a ton of dark atmosphere (the voiceover is unnerving) with SECT, then bringing forth a crashing and smashing amount of brutality with Forgive Me. The explosivity of this track and how wild the instrumental section is gobsmacking, but then you throw in some eccentric effects, some seriously scathing vocals, and a big clean switch, and it’s quite clear that this is going to be an exhausting listen overall.

When even the harmonies sound killer, such as on The Sentence, the atmosphere is thick, such as on Lament, and there’s some serious soul rendering, such as the toll Hellbound exacts, there’s no denying the gruelling reality of this record. Yet, while this might sound off-putting, the description comes from more of an admirable place. Veiled have thrown their all into this record, and it shows.

It’s why two slabs of crunching brutality like Deathchoke and The Roots of Mans Impurity can have a short melodic piece called Testament in between, and it not feel like the flow has halted or diverted. In fact, these moments enhance the darkness that surrounds Veiled, especially as their demands to join The Sect are all too reasonable when this is your reward.

The darkest and heaviest of all? It’s arguable, of course, but Tides has a freaking ‘vibe’ that makes the brain feel a little looser in the skull. Though, to have Asphyxiate follow that, is laughable. A 56-second blast of senseless savagery, exemplified by throaty roars that dominate. Then along comes The Awakening, another super-short piece of darkened atmosphere with horror-based voiceover.

Which leads into the final few tracks, the first of which is the chaotic Hear Me, Pain. Veiled’s wildness is downright lovable. Then along comes Omen of Torture and Veiled, once again, pushing the heavy bar to greater heights, before the album wraps up with a grandiose Reverie. It’s a big finish, but certainly par for the course when you consider what has come before.

It’s fair to say that this album is Veiled looking at expanding their audience as they get a bit more accessible and focus their deathcore sound. While there is plenty of variety on SE/CT, it’s also notable that it follows a formula and does so well. Veiled have crafted an album that emphatically states who they are and what they are capable of, and it’s only going to increase their popularity.

Veiled – SE/CT Track Listing:

1. SECT
2. Forgive Me
3. The Sentence
4. Lament
5. Hellbound
6. Deathchoke
7. Testament
8. The Root of Mans Impurity
9. Tides
10. Asphyxiate
11. The Awakening
12. Hear Me, Pain
13. Omen Of Torture
14. Reverie

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