I've come to expect a particular level of quality from Facedown Records. As with any label, their music has its reputation, though their consistency in rapid releases is not always matched by a consistency in quality. As a demonstration, I would like to introduce one of the label's newest acquisitions, Colossus, and their debut full-length, Time & Eternal.

It took less than a full spin through the album to recognize that I had something terrific on my hands. The problem here is that on repeated listens I was going catatonic trying to find anything else to say about it. You don't believe me? Okay, I'll start by addressing the fans of bands like August Burns Red, Impending Doom, or Volumes. Colossus has written ten top-notch metalcore songs here. The production is clean and the levels are, by my humble examination, just where they should be. The screams are crisp and variable at a healthy medium-to-low pitch. The high guitar melodies contract wonderfully with the chunky bass and rhythm double-header. The drums are on perfect point, keeping their distance when necessary, but not overpowering the rest of the ensemble or doing more than they should be. The transitions are absolutely flawless. Breakdowns teem, but never get tiresome, each holding their own and only making the individual tracks more memorable. Time and Eternal is a massive album.

Those of you who care less for this very tired and worn out genre, it is fair to say that Colossus hasn't come up with anything new. But even if you've become jaded by modern metal long ago, Time & Eternal cannot be written off. I could give you a laundry list of things that a metalcore album should be and things that made the sub-genre great in the first place, and Colossus could check off every single box.

Colossus runs like a well-oiled machine, blasting away non-stop without becoming tedious. They have a metalcore rhythm section, a hardcore drummer, and a progressive lead guitarist. At times, the guitar tunings even deliver a little djent. Every track is coloured and flavoured uniquely. I can hear the best aspects from a dozen metal bands across the spectrum woven together and then executed expertly. Every instrument complements the other. I could go on.

Let me remind you one more time that this is Colossus' first album. Brilliance could be argued in the fact that they have written a near flawless album, yet left lots of room for improvement/progression. Time & Eternal isn't the most creative album ever written, but it is excellent. If they continue writing and improve from here on, I can only imagine what heights they might reach in the future.