Hailing from Calgary, Divinity are the latest addition to Nuclear Blast Records’ vast roster. After having only released one EP (2002’s Intensify) and one album (Allegory was independently released in late 2007), it’s not hard to hear why the label was so interested in signing up the young band.

Self produced and mixed/mastered by the renowned Tue Madsen, Allegory is quite an accomplished debut full-length effort from the five piece act, with the album’s impeccable sound matching the band’s sophisticated approach to the melodic death metal sound.

From the moment that “Induce” emerges from the speakers, it becomes apparent that Divinity (who comprise of vocalist Sean Jenkins, guitarists James Duncan and Sacha Laskow, bassist Nick Foster and drummer Brett Duncan) is anything but your standard run of the mill melodic death metal act. The technical precision of the musicians (especially on the guitar front) is of an exceptionally high calibre, which means that there’s a progressive element to the band’s compositions at times, with everything from melodic death, thrash and straight out death metal thrown into every one of the band’s songs. On the vocal front, Jenkins is no less versatile, with a wide array of sounds given plenty of variation out front (alongside help from Exit Strategy/Caveat growler Greg Musgrave and AutoBody vocalist Jerrod Mexwell-Lyster on harmonies) to match the instrumentation behind.

The remaining nine tracks on the album are every bit as impressive as the opener, with the guitarists shining on the shredding “Chasm,” the memorable melodic component of “The Unending” (especially with the piano introduction) and “Methodic,” the intense thrashing of “Strain” and “Plasma,” just some of the obvious stand out favourites.

Although there’s been little output in the musical sense from the band in the nine years they’ve been together, Allegory more than makes up for it. On the strength of their debut, you can be sure that we’ll be hearing more from Divinity in the near future.

www.divinity.ca