The new masked metal supergroup Terror Universal, featuring Ill Nino members Dave Chavarri and Ahrue Luster, is ready to hit you in the face with the modern blend of brutality and melody of the debut album “Make Them Bleed”.
The mix of modern crushing metal patterns and creepy atmospheres of “Passage Of Pain (Blood)” definitely represents the whole album’s music pathway which might not be crucially innovative nevertheless the explosive accessible guitar driven grooves and fairly radio friendly chorus will entertain the listeners.
Featuring guest bassist John Moyer, “Spines” feels particularly catchy with trendy industrial accents recurring around sharp guitar riffing while the widely accessible melodic & emotional nature of this track becomes particularly palpable in the easy chorus.
The title track leans towards darker tonalities with subtle atmospheric layers and borderline ambiance breakdown while the full blown enraged vocals and the tight riffing & drumming combo are meant to craft sonic aggression with evident nu-metal vibes.
“Through The Mirrors” holds a melancholic essence with some soulful guitar melodies and a rather trendy chorus even if there are plenty of heavier moments fueled by more aggressive rhythmic patterns filled of super crunchy guitar riffs.
“Dig You A Hole” aims to spread terror among the masses with a sweet nightmarish lullaby beginning swiftly followed by that mainstream, yet moshpit friendly, ensemble of groovy guitar riffs while the expected but absolutely catchy melodic chorus is ready to get stuck in your mind.
“Into Darkness” is all about a massive horror metal galore as the atmospheric creepiness continues to embrace all those fiery guitar riffs and the consequent grooves eventually lead to a polished melodic solo while vocalist Plague effortlessly shifts from devilish growls to actually heartfelt clean vocals.
We don’t really need to know the identity of the musicians behind Terror Universal but certainly they all are seasoned artists with a passion for horror themes and those who like slasher flicks and catchy melodies will be delightfully entertained by the blood-splatter dynamics of “Make Them Bleed”.