By Matt Haynes
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Is it just me, or has 2026 felt like its just flown by? Its crazy to think that we're already halfway through July, meaning it won't be long before we hit those Autumn months full of brown leaves, wet days (god can we only hope after these diabolical heatwaves...) and colder nights. BUT I'm getting ahead of myself here, we're still get to enjoy those lovely warm summer months (again...far too warm, I've been roasting in places that feel illegal...) and also get to enjoy more new releases that have been hit after hit, week after week. This next release is the debut of a brand new band, which is always a fun style of review to do as that means that - like the several pairs of underwear I went through during the earlier mentioned heatwaves - I get to try on something new and fresh amongst the recognised names and sounds of the scene.
This time, we check out brand new metal act Conquer Within (featuring Brandon and Jean-Luc, formerly of Inflictions) who have dropped their debut single 'Awake', a song that focuses on mental battles and the ongoing struggle we have facing them.
There's no hesitation in ripping off the band-aid and launching us into what the lads have been building in this new venture. Faced almost instantly with thunderous riffs, melodic tones and some electronic elements, Conquer Within successfully grab the listener's attention before the vocals kick in and keep them hooked as we approach the first verse. Eerie and haunting with a bass led section, the vocals showcase a perfect balance of melodic and heavy - matching the song's themes that we are safer when we sleep (mirrored by the melodic cleans) but face the battles and struggles within when we're awake (mirrored by the harsher, heavier vocals).
The way the tracks builds and drops between sections are flawless and precise, again keeping the listener hooked and wanting more as we dive deeper into the music. There is a slight shift in tone within the last minute of the track, implementing a slightly faster pace and rhythm as we approach the end - which itself is a clever way of mirroring the nervous anticipation of facing the unknown when dealing with these struggles in real life. Whether this was intentional or not, its a clever way of using music to describe/explore the emotions we have to handle regularly, thus makes a unique connection to the fans as the track hits the end.
Overall - Conquer Within have hit the ground running with a rather solid debut that is rife with emotional depth and the way the music is used to built a new world as we listen. It might be a style and idea that's been done plenty of times before, but that hasn't stopped Conquer Within from unleashing a track that is powerfully addictive and has plenty of hooks to keep the listener's attention where it should be. As with any new band, it'll be interesting to see what Conquer Within does next with this new sense of artistic creativity at their fingertips.
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