Thanks for sending me your material to review, Randy.
Before I start this review, I’d like to say a couple of words…
It’s always a genuine pleasure when you get sent new material from a band and it ends up blowing you away. Today, I got to listen to the latest offering from the band Cacotopia, hailing from the far lands of Illinois. Whilst I won’t be going over every track, what I will do is highlight a good number of them and point out key moments and standout sections, in my personal opinion. (That way, I won’t repeat myself 100 times and sound like a madman. Thanks to everyone who tunes in to read this review—let’s get into it!
Track:1
Straight away, I’m seriously allured by this opening segment. The basslines are thick and prominent, and the production immediately stands out! My favourite part of this track starts at the 1:21 mark. I love the use of guitar scales here, going up and down the neck—this pattern/melody showcases some very talented guitar playing, I must say. Another highlight is the vocal delivery. I feel Matt Swanberg shifts the way he uses his voice very effectively in coordination with how the music evolves—moving from raspy to a deeper, more “full” scream. Something I’ve always loved about prog-black metal is how it experiments with aspects outside the black metal “norm,” and I think a great example of that occurs at the 2:43 section. Right after a few bars of blast beats and chord progressions, you’re suddenly taken into a nontraditional guitar solo style that just reeks “prog.” This guitarist is something special.
Track:3
This track doesn’t mess around—it throws you straight into chaos, going 0 to 100 instantly. The sound is very tight and dense. The blast beats are relentless, and the chord progressions feel dark and heavy, making me scrunch my face and want to throw hands. I’m a big fan of the guitar part at 1:36—it’s got that tuned-but-untuned, alluring/foreboding quality. This style is definitely something they should keep doing in the future. I haven’t heard many albums where a guitarist takes this approach, and it works so well here. Massive shout-out to the closing moments for the vocals—doubling up on layers was a great choice. It adds depth, especially in good headphones, where the vocals bounce between each ear, creating a truly immersive atmosphere.
Track5:
My favourite track on the album. From start to finish, this is nothing short of a face-melting ride. Every aspect of it is seriously impressive, and I love the general sound. Honestly, I think this is when the band sounds its best—dissonant, a bit distant but not too far away (I know that sounds strange), and straight-up dark as hell. You’ve got a huge range of vocals, awesome drums with distinctly audible double kicks, and constant cymbal crashes. But the best part? The breakdown-esque section starting at 2:40—what I like to call “Headbanging Fuel.” Deeply tuned guitars chugging (pretty sure the guitarist/bassist are doing gallop picking) alongside the double kicks—this full effect hit the spot and had my whole body moving. A real showcase of band coordination and skill.
Track:6
One of my top picks from the album, and probably their darkest-sounding track. Honestly, when I introduce people to this band in the future, I’ll probably start with this song. Although it’s not my #1, I feel it captures everything the band has to offer in a super catchy way—plenty of darkness, great chord progressions, and tremolo-picked patterns that sound like they’re being summoned from the cracks of hell when paired with rapid ride cymbal hits. The vocals are harsh and perfectly complement the style. The 2:53 guitar section features that catchy-but-scary single-string picking I mentioned earlier—a great touch.
Track:10
This one stood out for me. I loved how the opening guitar part sounded deliberately quieter—when the full guitar comes in, it hits even harder. Small choices like that make a band stand out. The opening riff is one of my favourites on the whole album, which says a lot considering how much I enjoyed it overall. At 2:51, the guitars and drums drop back, making space for a spoken vocal part. The lyrics here are powerful and demanded my attention. The cleanly ringing guitar chords underneath add extra depth and dynamic contrast. Another super-cool layer from a band delivering at a high calibre—something I hope they explore more in future release.
Check the video here
This album surprised me on many levels. What I take away is that Cacotopia have refined their craft and are making a name for themselves. From start to finish, the album showcases killer guitar work—solos, face-melting shreds, and groovy Basslines. The vocals are prominent and shift beautifully when the music darkens. I loved the abundance of non-traditional, unsettling solos—they’re a great addition.
I’d give this a solid 8.5/10—narrowly missing a 9 due to a few small personal nitpicks. My biggest wish for the future is to hear an album with a real drummer—not that the programmed drums here were bad (they fit the style very well), but I think authentic drums would fill out the sound even more. Apart from that—spot on. Great job, Randy. It was truly a pleasure to listen to your amazing tracks.
Bran – Blackened Soundscape
9-10: Exceptional
7-8: Good, Great
5-6: Average, Decent
3-4: Fair, Mediocre
1-2: Poor, Subpar
Grading system.
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