With a name like Deliver the Galaxy, you can expect that this German melodic death metal group isn’t going to feed you typical horror/gore themes at least on the lyrical front. Which is certainly the case on this third album Bury Your Gods – delving into pre-astronautics, as an alien race visits earth during the ancient Sumerian times to share their knowledge and technology of various pyramid constructions. For this scribe’s first exposure, the infusion of science fiction / historical treatments allows the music to shift between obvious cultural strains next to a mix modern / classic melodic death metal that keeps ears abuzz throughout these 13 tracks clocking in at a 45-minute plus run time.
When the guitar runs hit jackhammer frequencies next to some high ferocity tempos, the feel recalls current Wolfheart – yet when the action dials back to more of a mid-tempo, anthem atmosphere, aspects of In Flames or Dark Tranquillity pour through. Versatility in action keeps the flow of the record churning briskly – guitarists Matthias Mente and Christian Rockstedt align in counterpoint riffs, intriguing rhythms, plus supreme tremolo or harmony break branch-offs that make songs like “Insetopia” and “Live.Die.Repeat” sinister standouts. Groove-like modern hooks penetrate “Get Down”, the volleys between rhythmic vocals and screams / semi-growls next to some sick blitzkrieg double kick transitions create an arrangement ready for walls of death activity. The serene nature to the front portion of “Shadows” creates more of a calm balance at a key point in the record, Matthias’ vocals taking in a clean, alternative and almost gothic nature between some of the whispers before the song mutates into heavy, twisted atmosphere. It’s as if the quartet know when to pull together subgenre aspects to create their own flair – “Serpent’s Lament” a crushing example through its aggressive staccato-like rhythms, supplementary clean melodic guitar lines, and building tempo foundation that should get everyone headbanging. Closing the record on the ethereal “PE3” instrumental which has this empty coldness in its use of keyboards, piano, and drum accents, the record should leave the listener curious as well as satisfied.
2024 continues to be a solid year for the melodic death metal scene – add Bury Your Gods to that outstanding record parade. Deliver the Galaxy executes an intriguing conceptual effort that possesses the right dynamics for each individual song as much as entertaining the listener as a whole. This could be a release that bridges multiple generations together as well as giving the group a deeper footprint in a scene that needs fresh blood to reach a wider audience with integrity.