Acrid Semblance - Land of Cowards

This has been a long time coming. And I don't mean just this review (the album was released on 20th March). Quite literally, the last time Acrid released material, I had long hair. Heck, I had hair on my head.

This year has been one of comebacks in the Indian metal scene. Demonic Resurrection came out of retirement and toured Europe with Bloodywood (you missed one heck of a show if you didn't attend this one!), and The Down Troddence has released a single after ages. And now we are treated to a full-length album by a band that's arguably India's first and finest melodic death metal act. Land of Cowards is the latest album by a band most metalheads had written off and buried, though with fond memories.

In writing this review, I've had a chance to go back to their older material, and some of their tracks like From the Oblivion, Mindwarp I, Mindgames, and Acrid Arts could easily be front-runners if you were to compile a CD (is that even a thing anymore? Thanks, Spotify) of the best of melodic death metal. Speaking of melo-death—one minute in and you can clearly hear the band's influences like CoB. They channel the speed, aggression, and melody of their genre with precision. Some songs from this album were previously released as demos or singles, and I'm very happy to see the band back, taking care of unfinished business.

Formed back in 2001 when the lads were fresh out of school, Acrid Semblance has had its fair share of highs and lows. They released their first original material in 2002–2003 with Soul Corrosion and followed it up with one of the best metal albums by an Indian band, From the Oblivion, with the title track being an absolute ripper. If you haven't heard it, it's on the band's Spotify page. That album was recorded by Anubhav, Vikas, and CJ—Anubhav handling vocals, keys, production, drum programming, and additional guitars, Vikas on guitars, and CJ on bass.

I've been an ardent fan of their music. The raw aggression in Anubhav's vocals, Vikas’s brutal riff work, and slick solos are some of the best to come out of the subcontinent. However, they haven't been as active as some of the more familiar names in the Indian circuit. Acrid Semblance enjoyed early recognition when active from 2001–2010, returned for a stint from 2011 until disbanding in 2013, and then reformed in March 2025.

Back to the present. Land of Cowards is Acrid Semblance's second full-length album, the first being From the Oblivion, released in 2006. The band has also released a couple of EPs, and some songs on Land of Cowards were released earlier as singles, demos, or part of EPs. The album features 9 tracks and runs a crisp ~33 minutes, with most songs under the 4-minute mark. You may think that’s short, but the mayhem Acrid unleashes in that time will leave you panting, gasping, and raging for more.

The first song, Prelude (to Cowardice), is an instrumental led by keyboards. Anubhav lays down an atmosphere of impending doom and surreal darkness, setting up the title track. Land of Cowards probably has one of the best opening riffs I’ve heard in a long time. Vikas launches a blitzkrieg with his axe, and the first 30 seconds feel more like a solo than a riff. The song is packed with riffs and solos any melodic death fan would salivate over. I see Prelude and Land of Cowards as a single track, one flowing into the other seamlessly. The end chorus—"I'm alive..."—feels like a fitting way to close, and I’ve found myself humming it subconsciously. It’s a song that carves a space in your mind and stays there.

The next songs—Through the Glass Door, Orientation, and Denial (we’ll get to Litany soon)—each bring their own distinct flavor. Through the Glass Door feels mellow compared to Land of Cowards, but only in comparison. It’s a brilliant track with a rip-roaring riff and a mid-section that dials things back, which adds a nice touch. I didn’t enjoy the mid-section keyboard solo as much here, though.

Orientation opens with an almost dreamlike keyboard sequence, but don’t be fooled. The band soon goes back to shredding everything in sight. It’s an interesting track with a clean vocal chorus and solid drumming that carries it through. When it switches back to death growls, no brutality is lost, and Vikas never lets up—blazing through the track. Anubhav is excellent.

Next is Denial, structurally distinct from the other songs and showcasing the band's growth (it was released in 2013). It’s closer to the old Acrid sound with more melodic overtones, double bass galore, and an overall heavier feel. The mid-section riff teases From the Oblivion—reminding me of cool evenings and heated mosh pits during the Great Indian Rock days.

The album rages through Gone Ballistic and Shut Up and Stop Whining (love the name), offering more melodic atmosphere in the latter. Both songs hold their own and keep the momentum going. And then—Litany.

Think explosions. Razor-sharp swords. Gods slaying demons. Everything brutal. This song is pure genius. The opening riff is insane. It’s a sonic tempest, a cataclysmic fusion of ferocity and finesse that rends the heavens asunder. The savagery in this track pulses with brilliance. Vikas is a speed demon with the technical chops to match. There are moments on this album when you're blown away by how slick his riffs and solos are. I can’t remember the last time I wanted to jump in a mosh pit and rip limbs with a battle cry. I could keep describing the song, but it wouldn’t do it justice. YOU NEED TO LISTEN TO IT. ADD IT TO EVERY PLAYLIST YOU HAVE.

Accept is a slick way to close the album. When I first heard it, I wasn’t sure how I felt. It’s a less heavy track, with clean and guttural vocals, but it grows on you—like an evil vine that slowly chokes the air from your lungs. Every song eventually tears everything to shreds, and this one is no different. Vikas and CJ on bass make sure of that. In fact, this last track showcases some of the best and most thunderous drum work on the album. For some reason, I can imagine this as the end-credits track of a demon slayer or wizard anime. It works.

In a world overrun by sub-genre crossovers, Acrid Semblance serves up a simple, beautiful melodic death metal album. That is its strength. If you want no-nonsense headbanging, slick solos, heavy growls, thunderous bass, and impeccable drumming, this is your album. I’ve truly enjoyed it—maybe a little too much—and that’s why this review took so long. I hope the album gives you as sore a neck as it gave me.

P.S. – The band is performing live on 23rd May at Social, Saket, New Delhi. Catch them live if you can.