NEWS RELEASE
Montreal, QC – April 27, 2023
Canada’s NOMAD Shares Drum & Vocal Playthrough “Rise in the Fall” Off New Album “The Mountain”
Mastered by Christian Donaldson (Cryptopsy)
Top L-R – Matt Johnstone (Guitar/Vocals), Bretton Melanson, (Drums/Vocals)
Bottom – L-R Jeff Mabb (Guitar/Vocals), Josh MacDonald (Bass)
Photo Credit – Tegan Hoffmann
Unleashing their debut album “The Mountain” this past March, Canada’s Nomad, hailing from the Okanagan Valley in British Columbia, offer up a dynamic, progressive death metal. Having three vocalists creates a unique sound that is powerful, complex, and full-bodied. They have solidified their name in the local scene with festival appearances and supporting big-name acts and their debut album “The Mountain” has been ear worming its way to metal fans around the world.
Today, drummer Bretton Melanson shares his drum and vocal playthrough for the track “Rise in the Fall” via its premiere on TechnicalMusicReview HERE.
“The title for this track came first, and I thought “Gee, that sounds like the Russian revolution”, one regime rising while the previous one falls, and it happens in the fall… not that deep of a double meaning, but it is one nonetheless. Wish I had written this in high school, would have upped my mark in history class, and I probably would have got top marks in the school (darn second place). Yes I am a huge nerd.” adds Melanson.
“The Mountain” is a nine-track album mixed by Bretton Melanson, mastered by Christian Donaldson, and the album artwork was done by Angela Grimmuza. Throughout the album, Nomad confronts personal and societal issues, explores sci-fi worlds, and questions authority. They seamlessly go from soft, clean ballad parts to raging, full-throttle death metal chaos. Drum and guitar solos abound, and the diversity in the vocal styles makes “The Mountain” an exciting and dynamic musical adventure. A melting pot of different styles and eras, Nomad is recommended for fans of Devildriver, Gojira, and Lamb of God.
“The Mountain” was released on March 3, 2023, and is available on Nomadbc.bandcamp.com (CD, Digital), Spotify.
Track Listing:
1. Burning Alive (4:30)
2. Haunted (6:00)
3. Revolution (6:05)
4. Relentless (6:09)
5. A Lonely Wanderer (5:08)
6. Blood Moon (9:40)
7. Rise in the Fall (6:20)
8. Processor (6:56)
9. Choke (8:52)
Album Length: 59:38
Album Credits:
– All songs written and performed by Nomad.
– Additional writing contributions by past members:
Kasey Klassen
Lorne Valliers
Dylan Heska
Justin Kleinsasser
– Mixed by Bretton Melanson
– Mastered by Christian Donaldson
– Album Artwork by: Angela Grimmuza/ Art Of Grimmuza
– MAPL – Canadian Content
Album and Live lineup:
Bretton Melanson: Drums/Vocals
Matt Johnstone: Guitar/Vocals
Jeff Mabb: Guitar/Vocals
Josh MacDonald: Bass
For more info: Facebook.com/nomadmetal | Instagram.com/nomadbandbc
About: Nomad is a dynamic, progressive death metal band from the Okanagan Valley in British Columbia, Canada and consists of drummer/vocalist Bretton Melanson; guitarist/vocalist Matt Johnstone; guitarist/vocalist Jeff Mabb; plus bassist Josh MacDonald. Kickstarted by Johnstone who was looking for an outlet, he approached Melanson and since the material felt right and with their previous history playing together, the ball was rolling. Over a few years, there was a lineup flux, with each additional leaving their mark on the material. Ultimately, they then recruited Mabb as a second guitarist and MacDonald on bass, and working collaboratively, they weave their melodic, groovy death metal.
Looking to avoid going too crazy on the violence and gore tropes that are quite prominent in metal music, they tend to tell stories based on fictional characters, historical events, science fiction, and astrophysics. Each member adds their own flair to the songs, imprinting their distinct influences.
When they hit the stage, the audience is greeted by multiple vocalists that deliver a massive wall of layered sound, integrated sound effects, and a well-thought-out visual element. They played Canada’s prominent Armstrong Metalfest in 2016-2019 and performed alongside bands such as Kataklysm, Origin, Soulfly, and Alestorm. They are releasing their debut album “The Mountain” in 2023.
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“Scary, violent and good” – Frequence Metal
““Revolution” takes no time at all to seize attention. The drums clatter and boom with immediately thrilling effect, and around those convulsive strikes the guitars slowly meander and ring in a beguiling harmony. The vocals have their own interesting harmony but flare into rabid, throat-cutting growls. That slithering opening melody, warmed by the bass, reappears and becomes a swelling ear-worm — but with a pause the song transforms into a hulking and jolting brute. The guitars jitter and whine, and the vocals change into goblin-like snarls, creating a feeling of sinister menace, which becomes even more sinister thanks to an exotically swaying and swirling guitar solo whose piercing tones are somehow inviting as well as increasingly crazed. Maniac howls, ugly gurgling expulsions, and berserk screams vent the lyrics with their own groove, while the band as a whole continue on with their nasty but highly headbangable beating.” – No Clean Singing
“The Mountain is a smorgasbord of ideas delivered with unrelenting energy and creativity. It’s not the kind of metal that questions the very foundation of the genre like a Zeal & Ardor would, but it’s really questioning the notion of how many influences a band can integrate into its core identity. This record challenged me and tested my boundaries as a metal fan. This was not exactly my comfort zone as I’m usually more of an atmospheric guy at heart, but it’s not meant to make you feel comfortable. The Mountain is meant to explore the gaps between the past and the present, the harsh and the melodic and the catchy and the complex. New ideas are never easy and they should never be.” – Vox & Hops
“Nomad clearly have a higher purpose musically than just severing eardrums, and the album is an evolution in real-time. While the album has no concrete, overarching story to tell, each song is placed in the order that it was written. The time between opener “Burning Alive” and closer “Choke” puts the wide distance the group has creatively gone through in perspective. While The Mountain starts and ends in a rage, it does so in a different manner. Early on, the groove is strong, but by the latter third of the album, a more technical front is taken. In-between that, the trio of vocalists in the band employ everything from raspy wails to low grunts to melodic singing.” – Heavy Music Headquarters
“Listeners can expect diversity in approach with a meld of groovy death meets modern and semi-progressive influences in terms of hooks and heaviness across these nine tracks – a balancing act that has mixed results… Almost clocking in at an hour, The Mountain has certain appeal for those who love the aggression of modern, progressive groove-oriented metal” – Dead Rhetoric
“what is undeniable is that NOMAD plays the card of singularity, and with a disarming naturalness.” – MetalNews.fr
“for a brand new band coming from a fairly remote area, NOMAD has really hooked my interest and in the future, this might become an extremely potent band.” – Wormwood Chronicles
“they’re really a great band, as shown on songs as “Burning Alive” (where a classic Death/Thrash Metal appeal is clear, with many contrasts between grunts and shrieks, and many hooking parts), “Haunted” (a surprising song, filled with excellent arrangements and surprising elements, as the excellent and technical bass playing and clean chords parts, and tribal percussive moments), “Revolution” (a true and Progressive, with shifts between aggressive and introspective moments with clean vocals), “A Lonely Wanderer” (this one is more aggressive than experimental, abusing of the weight due a very good and technical playing of the drums, and what lovely Progressive melodies can be heard), “Blood Moon” (this one is essentially a Progressive Death Metal song based on a fine technical appeal and some melancholic touches, but always being brutal and aggressive, with excellent guitar parts and themes), and “Choke”. The others ones are equally excellent, so dive into this album without fears (and the lyrics are excellent, staying away from the usual themes based on ‘gore’ and ‘satan’ for some fictional characters, historical events, science fiction, and even Astrophysics)” – Metal Temple
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