Artist Spotlight: Angelmaker

Vancouver’s most “brutiful” band

This melodic deathcore band has an enormous sound and an equally sizeable member count. Between bassist Cole Rideout, lead guitarist Matt Perrin, rhythm guitarist Colton Bennett, drummer Jesse Price, and vocalists Mike Greenwood and Casey Tyson Pierce, the group boasts a resounding six members. With the exception of Perrin and Greenwood, all of them have been there since day one, when they were performing as a metal cover band called The Human Condition. Now, they’ve completed their fourth album, Dissentient, a ten-track LP and Angelmaker’s first full release.

“We wanted to take the sound we had and push it to the next level, without losing touch with our roots,” says Colton. “I wouldn’t say there was a definite theme. We wanted Dissentient to sound spooky, sad, and angry, but we also wanted people to listen to it and say, ‘Hey, this sounds like original deathcore!’”

It seems they’ve accomplished that goal—comments on the band’s newest album have mostly expressed excitement and relief. The general consensus seems to be that the golden days of original deathcore are thoroughly missed, and for many, Angelmaker fills that void.

Dissentient in particular has received praise for its originality, perhaps because it marks a technical departure from the group’s past work. As described by the band, “It’s faster and it has a greater ambience, elaborate vocal patterns, and guitar solos that really shred!”

In regards to how Angelmaker views themselves, they would use the word “brutiful,” a combination of “brutal” and “beautiful.” It’s an apt tag for any admirable melodic deathcore band, but it suits them especially well. The band’s three guitarists ensure that melody is never lost in the noise, keeping the sound clean without losing power, volume, or heaviness.

“We are a group of passionate, angry people making brutal, melodic death metal,” summarizes Bennett. Also, “we’re all best friends that bring our own unique flavour to the band and the music itself.”

Touring and recording is definitely in the cards for Angelmaker, but not for “at least another year.” They’re still writing music, being careful to progress while preserving their well-adored sound.

“It’s always been extremely important to us to stay close to our roots. Our style will only progress but never change entirely,” they promise. And local shows will be as common as ever. “Having a six-piece band makes playing small stages extremely difficult, but pooling money together for gear and merch is simple. Our live shows are jam-packed full of energy. There’s a ton of aggression being released in the pit as well as more relaxed concert-goers viewing from a distance. We always have an absolute blast playing shows and we don’t plan on stopping any time soon!”