Album Review: Boundaries – Yearning: the unbeautiful after (Sumerian Records)

Boundaries will release their new album, ‘Yearning: the unbeautiful after’, on 17th July via Sumerian Records.

This is going to be a big bloody deal. Though I feel like I am stating the obvious when I say that. After all, Boundaries are already highly rated. Yet, I think just how vicious a record this is might surprise a few people. Boundaries have never sounded so focused and feral, delivering a constant slew of violent heaviness that comes with ragged intensity. A lot of the time it lacks finesse, but the raw, no-nonsense approach to heaviness is damn appealing.

Across the album, they are raging and that is awesome, particularly the vocals, but if you’re hoping for a cleaner and more ‘listenable’ record, you’re not going to get it. Unfortunately, there are times where the mix is a bit too messy, but having had time to hear the record several times over, I think I understand that Boundaries wanted this one to sound completely unhinged (with some twists and turns here and there) and utterly abrasive.

I can get behind that, especially as when it hits, it hits with the kind of force that threatens to knock teeth out and leave you seeing stars. The best examples of this cacophony of violence in the first half comes courtesy of the likes of Malconscience, Skies cast amber black, Torn open wide (which features Make Them Suffer for an even more feral sound), and Bitter ash, bitter love.

Whereas, elsewhere in the first half, Boundaries showcase more traditional metalcore elements, such as on the chorus-driven May this pain never leave, which has the first appearance of clean singing. Then there is the bright and brashy Unequal whole, and the hyperactive, gurn-inducing anthemic qualities of Death will follow me.

The first half is pretty breathless, for the most part, but whereas many bands might be leaning into the last part of the record now, Boundaries are just getting started and the second half doesn’t disappoint, as far as concussion-inducing noise and metalcore vibes go.

Take The leper’s bell as an example. It has got a dark vein running through it that creates a whole new kind of tension. It’s Boundaries at their wildest sounding, and then the chorus hits, turning it into something more epic. Then there is Crowned and crucified, which features the uber-talented Landon Tewers and has a killer breakdown, Wasted angel and Evidence of Extinction, which are two tracks that can best be described as savage, and Nothing, gathered and Only Endless, which are two mixed efforts that do threaten to halt momentum.

Thankfully, the album ends in a strong way with the straight-forwardly metalcore banger that is the title track.

I can’t say I was engaged all the way throughout, but it has got more hits than misses, personally. I think their vision gets a bit muddied here and there, but for the most part, their goal to deliver focused chaos and feral intensity pays off. If you thought Boundaries were big before, you’ve not seen anything yet.

Boundaries – Yearning: the unbeautiful after Track Listing:

1. Malconscience
2. Skies cast amber black
3. May this pain never leave
4. Torn open wide (ft. Make Them Suffer)
5. Bitter ash, bitter love
6. Unequal whole
7. Death will follow me
8. The leper’s bell
9. Crowned and crucified (ft. Landon Tewers)
10. Wasted angel
11. Evidence of extinction
12. Nothing, gathered
13. Only endless
14. Yearning: the unbeautiful after

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