From the Trenches is the sophomore studio album from Hungary’s The Aphotic Strain, a band that has consistently refined their sound since the 2022 debut, Palingenesis. With that release and subsequent singles, the Budapest-based act have been fusing brutal aggression, progressive complexity, and textured atmospherics. Their hunger to experiment remains just as strong—if not stronger—on From the Trenches, an album that elevates their blend to new heights.
Coalesced from the void and now descended into the trenches of Levant, The Aphotic Strain return with their latest musical endeavor, From the Trenches, a record deeply inspired by the world and lore of the wargaming sensation Trench Crusade. After enduring two and a half years of stagnation, canceled concerts, dwindling morale, and even a partial disbanding, the band found renewed purpose through the game’s dark, immersive universe. It reignited their creative spark, pushing them to craft an album that does justice to the game’s brutal and relentless aesthetic.
Here, the attack is even more ferocious than before—yet exponentially more experimental. The band’s musical arsenal now includes not only their established blend of aggression and atmosphere but also sharper-edged progressive elements, glimpses of jazz-metal fusion, and even the occasional mutant power metal riff. Despite this ambitious expansion, From the Trenches feels more balanced than its predecessor. The conflagration of styles is woven into each track, ensuring that no matter how intense or strident the compositions become, they never feel disjointed.
Opening track “A Sniper’s Prayer” sets the stage with a surge of dissonant ambience, hammering floor toms, and silvery guitars before a throbbing, detuned bassline ushers in a razor-sharp roar. “Death Commando” and “Heretic Assault” showcase the band’s knack for lithe, melodic guitar work, while the angular riffing creates a thrilling tension that fuels the vocalist’s relentless delivery. Syncopated bass and drum interplay add a jagged, proggy edge, reinforcing the album’s intricate yet punishing sound.
Determined to honor Trench Crusade with the brutal and relentless material it deserves, The Aphotic Strain have honed their well-proven formula of energetic and aggressive melodic death metal. This time, they’ve infused it with chugging, warlike riffs and otherworldly dissonance to mirror the chaotic grimdark landscape that the game so vividly portrays.
While From the Trenches’ more layered and multifaceted approach may alienate those who crave pure, unrelenting aggression, its leap forward in ambition and scope will undoubtedly resonate with a wider audience. At its core, this album takes everything The Aphotic Strain has built upon previously and pushes it to the next level. It may be less straightforwardly aggressive than its predecessor, but it’s undeniably more dynamic, and far more expansive in its vision.
Check out From the Trenches on Bandcamp.
At its core, this album takes everything The Aphotic Strain has built upon previously and pushes it to the next level.
