Borders - Bloom Season (2022) Hi-Res

Metal bands incorporating rap into their music has been a trend for the past couple of decades, but only a select few have been able to perfect it and make their music sound fresh and unique. Borders is one of those bands, blending metalcore and rap to create a sound that is hugely infectious and incredibly enjoyable to listen. The second album “Bloom Season” by the quartet sees the band smash boundaries as they take their already defined sound and push themselves to the limits.

With bands like Hacktivist and Dropout Kings dominating the scene with a similar sound, I was hesitant to think that I would hear anything other than a knock off from the mentioned bands. After the first couple of tracks, I was very relieved to be proved wrong. Borders have perfectly blended rap elements into a metalcore sound while making it completely unique from the bands before them. The melodic hooks, groovy riffs and chunky breakdowns, mixed with the heavy bass 808 beat sections, make this an album that is going to be a huge catch to metal and rap fans alike. The diversity throughout “Bloom Season” is an attribute I heavily admire, with tracks like “GODLESS” and “CUT THE ROPE” show a heavier, more aggressive side to the band, whereas tracks like “I GET HIGH” bring out a softer, melodic side of Borders.

Vocalist Jordan Olifent brings his full arsenal to the table, switching between some of the best rapping bars in the metal scene to intense and passionate harsh vocals. The addition of the more melodic screams in some of the tracks is a very nice touch, bringing something new to the table and keeping things exciting throughout the album. The additional help from Dropout Kings and Elijah Witt (Cane Hill) adds a bit of excitement to the record, but almost feels unnecessary compared to the diversity the Borders frontman displays throughout the record.

With many bands following a rinse-and-repeat method when it comes to creating new material, I am so thankful for bands like Borders creating fresh material that is pushing boundaries. “Bloom Season” is one of the most exciting releases to come out this year and I would recommend it to anyone. Borders are releasing “Bloom Season” under Arising Empire on the 18th of November, and I can’t wait to see what the future holds when it drops.