SOVEREIGN — Altered Realities (review)

SOVEREIGN — Altered Realities album cover Album · 2024 · Thrash Metal Buy this album from MMA partners
3.5/5 ·
UMUR
"Altered Realities" is the debut full-length studio album by Norwegian death/thrash metal act Sovereign. The album was released through Dark Descent Records in January 2024. Sovereign formed in 2018 and their first release was the 2018 "Iron Cast" single. In 2019 the eponymously titled demo and a few more singles followed. The "Neurotic" EP was released in 2020.

Stylistically Sovereign travel a similar sci-fi themed technical thrash metal path as artists like Cryptic Shift, Vektor, Cryptosis, Dissimulator, and Obliveon (just to mention a few of the more prolific artists in the genre), but they are generally a bit more unhinged and savage and maybe bit less sophisticated. When they are most fast-paced, energetic, and caustic sounding I´m reminded of early Sadus (and even Merciless). So this is technical thrash metal bordering aggressive old school death metal albeit predominantly leaning towards the thrash metal side of things. Relentlessly aggressive, fast-paced, and highly energetic, but also with moments of more melodic sophistication. The vocals are raw, aggressive and hoarse shouting.

The quality of the songwriting is high throughout, the performances are top notch, and "Altered Realities" also features a raw, detailed, and powerful sounding production job, so upon conclusion it´s a good quality debut release from Sovereign. A 3.5 star (70%) rating is deserved.
Share this review
more

Review Comments

Post a public comment below | Send private message to the reviewer
Please login to post a shout
No shouts posted yet. Be the first member to do so above!

Review Index

Member Zone

Username:
Password:
Stay signed in

Metal Subgenres

Artists Alpha-index

MMA TOP 5 Metal ALBUMS

Rating by members, ranked by custom algorithm
Albums with 30 ratings and more
Master of Puppets Thrash Metal
METALLICA
Buy this album from our partners
Paranoid Heavy Metal
BLACK SABBATH
Buy this album from our partners
Moving Pictures Hard Rock
RUSH
Buy this album from our partners
Powerslave NWoBHM
IRON MAIDEN
Buy this album from our partners
Rising Heavy Metal
RAINBOW
Buy this album from our partners

New Metal Artists

New Metal Releases

Infernal Demise Death Metal
JAUNDICE
Buy this album from MMA partners
Profane Altar Death Metal
ACT OF IMPALEMENT
Buy this album from MMA partners
The Thunderfist Chronicles Folk Metal
ALESTORM
Buy this album from MMA partners
Stay With Me Death Metal
SIGIL OF DESPAIR
Buy this album from MMA partners
Deconstruction Sludge Metal
HEALER
Buy this album from MMA partners
More new releases

New Metal Online Videos

NOED - ?? ???? (Official Lyric Video)
NO ONE ESCAPES DEATH
Bosh66· 17 minutes ago
MOUTHLESS - SURUK Official Music Video
MOUTHLESS
Bosh66· 2 days ago
MOUTHLESS - SURUK Teaser " Official Music Video "
MOUTHLESS
Bosh66· 2 days ago
MOUTHLESS - PEROMPAK ZAMAN
MOUTHLESS
Bosh66· 2 days ago
MOUTHLESS - Worship The Throne ( OFFICIAL VIDEO )
MOUTHLESS
Bosh66· 2 days ago
More videos

New MMA Metal Forum Topics

More in the forums

New Site interactions

More...

Latest Metal News

members-submitted

More in the forums

Social Media

Follow us
Become a Facebook fan RSS Feed