Runescarred have slowly been building up a name in the last few years as one of the truly great Texas metal bands. Their unique brand of groove metal can only be described as if Lamb Of God embraced Iron Maiden. With songs defined by their unique bombast and high-powered shredding, their new record The Distant Infinite makes for some unique and exciting listening. It’s rare to find a band who clearly care about Dream Theater as much as they do Pantera, which makes for a distinct approach. The riff-driven magic of the record is energetic and exciting, compounded by top-notch production. The band essentially builds themselves around the interplay of Ven Scott’s stunning voice and the incredible guitar work of Tim Driscoll. Full of infectious grooves and an exciting overarching vision, Runescarred leap from peak to peak with this release.
Scott’s background in musical theater shines through on tracks like "Inviting Rivers." It adds a strange sense of fun to his anthemic approach. The warm production ensures that even though Runescarred are pulling off some pretty weird stuff, listeners won’t be alienated. The strains of dorky prog metal that reverberate throughout the record are reigned in by Scott’s voice. His ability to find balance between open-throated bellows and harsh Texas growls is delightful. This talent is perhaps best showcased on the vocal tour de force that is "Minor Progressions." So many vocal styles are on display here, showing a deep study of everyone from Iron Maiden and Metallica to Death and perhaps even Mayhem. These are executed in a way that makes sense and which makes the vocal approach distinctly Scott’s own.
Meanwhile, the guitar work is surprisingly intricate. In some ways, this reminds me of Lamb Of God. That is to say, the band are by no means "techy," even though the songs they are writing are clearly very hard to play. The influence of John Petrucci winds its way throughout the record too. At the same time, the acoustic passages in tracks like "Sorrow Is" prove a clear understanding of several songwriting styles. They show Runescarred understand how to dial it back before diving back into mosh-worthy moments. The Distant Infinite is certainly a flashy record, but almost more as a matter of course. It doesn't necessarily seek to impress the listener. It just proves that the band is deep in their own world and clearly focused on a distinct vision.
The Distant Infinite could have so easily come off as a hodgepodge of ideas all on the verge of falling apart. Instead, it comes off as a masterclass in modern metal. The band has insane chops and the level of thought put into this record is impressive. While not all the songwriting is quite where it needs to be, the raw talent shows that Runescarred could grow quickly. The group is clearly dedicated to their mission. Now it’s just a question of seeing if this sound can fully come together for something greater. As is, fans of modern metal that elegantly blends a variety of influences are going to be very pleased with what they hear.
Score: 8/10
