They Might Be Zombies- Reanimate (2016)

Hailing out of Florida, USA is the band They Might Be Zombies. A project consisting of band members Ewar Acosta (vocals), Smileydead (Guitars), and Jose Lega (Drums). Currently in the works is the record Reanimate. Immediately I noticed the band gives off a vibe very similar to Scar Symmetry who I dig a whole lot. Combining the use of clean and rough vocals, They Might Be Zombies puts together a cohesive blend of Melodeth with a hint Thrash elements thrown in. They also manage to incorporate a little Industrial aspects here and there on this record. 

Songs like "They Might Be Zombies", "Reverse Survival", and "Already Dead" have some great riff arrangements with high powered aggressive speed and execution. The production is top notch.  The mix of the dueling vocals do not cancel out one another and fuse flawlessly together. I love the upbeat direction of how the music flows.  It does not get caught up in any depressing moments or tones but instead has harmonious guitar and singing that contrasts perfectly with the opposite end of the spectrum. 

Ewar's growls are incredibly massive and work perfectly with the catchy chorus of the clean vocals throughout this record.  They Might Be Zombies execute this style flawlessly and keeps it interesting with the guitar work and musical arrangements. The utilization of the varying influences pays off big time on Reanimate and for a debut full length this is an excellent start. The music presented in the current framework excels at capturing the heaviness and rising melody of what the band is striving to achieve. The material is strong and the contrast of all said elements are well balanced. 

While in this day and age it is difficult for bands to overcome the saturation the one thing I still strongly believe in is that they can still stand out above the other mediocrity that infects the scene itself. While latter day Melodeth/Metalcore bands in this vein follow certain strong structures, from song to song this record is very diverse in that aspect and changes it up nicely. They Might Be Zombies deviates from the norm for me with Reanimate.  It becomes a very satisfying record that I will continue to listen to throughout the year. Overall a very solid record and worthy of more attention. 

1. A State of Decay

2. Already Dead
3. Motives
4. Reanimate
5. Reverse Survival
6. They Might Be Zombies
7. Vanishing Lights

Genre: Melodic Death/Metalcore
Rating: 9/10