Call Upon The Author

Almeida‘s Press Pack states the band “are notoriously difficult to define.”

Almeida’s own Facebook page states the band “are a progressive thrash / melodic hardcore punk band”.

This is the problem with modern heavy music – there are far too many sub-genres and too much importance placed on placing bands within those, which is a problem further heightened when you come across a band such as Almeida. Personally, I just think they “are a kick ass something-core band. It could be hardcore, it could be mathcore, it could be an apple core – whatever it is it’s good!”
The band themselves hail from the South Coast, with members being mainly split between Southampton and Brighton and have been notching up some key support slots within the scene and growing both as a band and as songwriters, the evidence of which is present on their 11 track debut Fantastic Massacre.
I have to admit I thought I was listening to a hardcore punk band when I heard the in your face album opener Kinslayer and unfortunately, was slightly preoccupied during my first listen so didn’t realise until halfway through the album that what I was hearing was so much more. Having read comparisons to bands like SikTh and Protest The Hero in the past, it is difficult not to get those references out of your head, particularly on tracks like Kings in Contempt and By Sin of Omission, but this is largely due to the clean vocals of singer Tom West sounding not too dissimilar to those of Rody Walker from Protest The Hero.
It is, however, worth noting that there is enough originality and influence from other areas for this to not be a carbon copy and that for any band to sound like Protest The Hero is nothing short of bloody gifted.
Almeida show off the full range of their abilities on this album, from the soft acoustic instrumental Ice Cream Song to the full brutality of the twin hitting Bale Fire and Fail Buyer (running at a combined length of 2mins 14 secs) all within a debut album that sounds like it should be their third major label release.
The only thing I’m disappointed about is that there is a band this good from just up the road and I had no idea they existed, so I implore anyone looking to increase their “whatever-core” collection and who wants to be able to say “I liked them before they were famous” to pick up a copy of Fantastic Massacre and help stop Almeida from being a such a well kept secret.