Album Review: Set Before Us – Vitae (Eclipse Records)

Vitae is the new album from Swedesh melodic metallers Set Before Us. Out worldwide on August 31st 2018 via Eclipse Records. You can read our review of their previous EP, Enigmas here.

Rage. Set Before Us bring rage and they want you to know it. Controlled rage though as Vitae can be best described as a melodic metalcore album delivering feral heaviness alongside uplifting melodies and riffs.

After the initial brutality at the start of Untainted, whining guitar riffing takes over to give it a much more rhythmic approach. Avalanche follows up with a truly impressive piece of metal as cleaner vocals join the heaviness to give it a nicer edge as the guitars howl and the drums crash.

Those cleaner vocals are the focus of Identity and Harbor, a pair of songs that are totally about modern metalcore. They are fairly different to what we’ve heard up to this point and the former is very catchy while latter has some nice acoustic melody.

That being said, there is one fairly obvious fault with Vitae. It’s good, it’s solid and enjoyable but it’s just not that exciting. The lack of invention makes it hard to invest fully in it.

Reverting back to the savage style; The Eternal Fight, Everest, Ignite and Haven fire on all cylinders proving that Set Before Us are in no way lacking in fire as the album goes on.

That leads us nicely too one the most energetic tracks on the album, Fountain of Youth. The pace here is insane and that it also remains incredibly catchy is testament to Set Before Us. It even throws in an absolute rager of a guitar solo.

The penultimate track, Oblivion goes for one final groovy metalcore push before Charon brings melodramatic melody with a keyboard and a slower, ballady-style rhythm. Both have merit but the latter is pretty impressive as it goes for a much more epic flourish.

Set Before Us – Vitae Full Track Listing:

1. Untainted
2. Avalanche
3. Identity
4. Harbor
5. The Eternal Fight
6. Everest
7. Ignite
8. Haven
9. Fountain of Youth
10. Oblivion
11. Charon

You can pick up Set Before Us’ music over on Bandcamp and merchandise on Big Cartel. The new album will be available via all major streaming services and via Eclipse Records here. Find out more/keep up to date with news by liking the band’s Facebook Page, following them on Instagram, Twitter and subscribe to their YouTube Channel.