





Year : 2024 (Digipak Edition)
Style : Gothic Metal , Gothic Rock
Country : United Kingdom
Audio : 320 kbps + all scans
Size : 101
Bio:
Band formed in 2021 in United Kingdom, Batley, West Yorkshire.Behold the revelation! Behold the birth of ‘Death Pop’! High Parasite emerges into the light, unveiling debut album, Forever We Burn.Lighting the way is inaugural single, 'Let It Fail', a nihilistic anthem fusing big riffs, choruses and grooves with electronic and industrial influences, whilst the ethereal vocals of Heather Thompson (Tapping The Vein) nod to her previous work with Paradise Lost. This cry of anguish to a world scarred beyond repair is accompanied by a video directed by Shaun Hodson (Loki Films).The name (an acknowledgement of mankind as parasite-in-chief) is High Parasite; the voice, that of Aaron Stainthorpe – longstanding frontman with doom metal maestros, My Dying Bride.As a revered and founding pillar of My Dying Bride, with a legacy spanning over three decades, the spotlight will doubtless focus on Aaron’s distinctive profile, initially at least; pull back the red velvet curtains, however, and another force emerges in the form of bassist / vocalist / songwriter Tombs – a key player in the creation of High Parasite as a livin’, breathin’ entity.Every song bears the indelible stamp of Stainthorpe and Tombs, their collaboration forming the dark, pulsating core of this five-piece ensemble, fleshed out by Sam Hill (rhythm guitar), Jonny Hunter (lead guitar) and Dan Brown (drums).
Album:
High Parasite released their debut album on September 27, 2024 on Candlelight Records and it’s one I’ve finally got around to giving the full listening treatment to. (Yes, Yes I know – It’s been a while but as I’ve mentioned in my previous reviews there’s just been so many albums released this quarter. I’m getting there, I’m sorry! Please don’t hate me).So firstly, who exactly is High Parasite? High Parasite hail from Batley, West Yorkshire, England and were formed in 2023. Their vibe? I’d categorize this as Gothic Metal/Rock. It’s to be noted from previous interactions with High Parasite they would categorize themselves as “death pop”. Current members of High Parasite are Aaron Stainthorpe (Lead Vocalist), Tombs (Bass/Vocals), Jonny Hunter (Guitarist), Sam Hill (Guitarist), and Dan Brown (Drums).“Forever We Burn” is a 10-track debut that showcases the talent these guys have. The album kicks off with “Forever We Burn”, which in my opinion was a great choice for the opening track. It sets a solid pace and tone for the album with a mix of haunting melodic, cascading guitar riffs and a mix of both clean and gruff vocals.If I was to choose a track on the album that stuck out most for me I’d have to highlight “Let It Fail”, which hit some great check marks for me. Atmospheric build-up? Check. Something to engage you to keep on listening in terms of a suspenseful guitar build-up? Check . Followed by a cheeky bit of a “GRRRRRR” from the vocals (Yes this is a real way of reviewing music, I’m a professional trust me, okay?) . Thoroughly enjoyed this track, possibly most on the album. Congratulations guys, you’ve got me to enjoy something out of my comfort zone.Other notable tracks throughout would have to be “Wasn’t Human”, “Widowmaker” and “We Break We Die”. I have to say I’m fairly disappointed I didn’t hear DJ Khaled say his name once or Jason Derulo cracking out his signature “Jason Derulo” (Come on guys in the alt scene, why aren’t you saying your names as tags in songs? — I’m taking full credit for this in the future now though, someone make it happen). Also, off the back of that, I never thought I’d be mentioning DJ Khaled or Jason Derulo in a “death pop” album review.Overall the album does give the nostalgic vibes of the late 90’s, 00’s gothic-rock synth-esque vibes. I believe it’s an album that can truly be appreciated for what it brings to the table. I’ll be honest this isn’t my usual cup of tea or an album I’d rush to listen but I did enjoy branching out and giving this a listen. As they say, variety is the spice of life.My personal rating would be 7/10 however I feel if this was your preferred music genre, it would easily be scoring 9/10 – 10/10. High Parasite has a lot to bring to the music scene and displays immense talent. Definitely a band to look out for in the future.
Line-Up:
Aaron Stainthorpe - Vocals (2021-present) - See also: My Dying Bride
Jonny Hunter - Guitars (lead) (2023-present) - See also: Black Falcon
Sam Hill - Guitars (rhythm) (2023-present) - See also: Hellbound Hearts
Tombs - Bass, Vocals (2021-present) - See also: Nightshadows Lament, Hellbound Hearts, ex-Godthrymm, ex-Blunderbuss, ex-Terrorvision (live)
Dan Brown - Drums (2023-present) - See also: ex-Irontooth
Tracklist:
01. Forever We Burn 03:57
02. My Syndrome 05:33
03. Grave Intentions 03:25
04. Wasn't Human 03:54
05. Concentric Nightmares 03:25
06. Hate Springs Eternal 03:42
07. Parasite 04:30
08. Let It Fail 04:56
09. Widowmaker 04:42
10. We Break We Die 04:22


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