Man, I fuckin love it when new bands, like Naitaka, just randomly appear in my YouTube recommended feed. You never know what you’ll come across. I wasn’t sure what to expect, especially considering how they were described. On both YouTube and their own Bandcamp page, Naitaka is described as “thrash metal with a twist of power and melodeath”. I read that and thought to myself, “Wait… the fuck?”. Intrigued and curious as to how they’re going to pull this combo off, I listened to the album. 

So, let’s talk art first. I kinda like the album art. I mean, it’s colorful, and the detail on the trees in the top right is pretty cool. Additionally, I really like how, on the left-hand side, the smoke kinda blends in with what I think is the snow. The gray wendigo-esque figure in the dead center, sort of emerging from what I think is a burning forest, is neat. It’s simple, and a little on the rough side. But for a debut album, I don’t think it’s all that bad. There is a charm in its crudeness. 

Now, let’s get onto the music itself. Right from the first note, I could hear the death/thrash blend. The opening riff is pretty neat with hammer-ons and double bass drumming. And then main vocalist Cara McCutchen lets out a scream ripped right from power metal. I was blown away; the blend of these three genres actually kinda works. Power metal here seems to come primarily from switching vocal styles with death/thrash riffage in different parts of songs. “The Missing” is a great example of this in my opinion. Some riffs have more of a power metal vibe, with death metal drumming. Both methods work well in my opinion.

Out of all the songs, I think “The Missing”, “Suffocation Effervesce”, “Ravenscrag”, “Emergence of the Skinwalker Pt. 2” and “Vacant Cache” are my favorites. I think those songs blend the three genres of thrash/melodeath/power the best. Those songs all give me vibes of Dark Tranquility meets Visigoth. It’s a not combo that one might think would work on paper, but works in execution. 

There is a lot to like about this album. Guitarist Troy Melnyk lays down some killer riffs and solos throughout. McCtuchen’s vocals have power and intensity in both cleans and growls. Honestly, I think McCutchen’s death metal growls are better than her clean vocals, especially on “Suffocation Effervesce”. Tyler Dake maintains a consistent energy throughout, as does bassist John Shippit (even if I can’t always pick out the bass). And for an independent release, it’s very well produced. 

To some, Naitaka might be trying to do a little too much on their debut outing. But for the ambitious blend they’re aiming for, I think Naitaka did pretty well on their debut. It’s not perfect, but nothing ever is. It might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but Naitaka has found a creative and unique sound. For me, it’s definitely one of the more surprising releases of 2023. I hope that Naitaka can play a few shows in America sometime soon.