NorCal metal quartet Apothesary is more than meets the eye. The band manages to forge beyond the typical metalcore/deathcore/melodic death metal style and will surprise you with its righteous blend of thrash and death metal elements. It’s getting more and more difficult for a band to stand out within the many metal subgenres, but Apothesary does a decent job of it on its sophomore effort Accept Loss Forever. Snagging Hatchet shredder Clayton Cagle wasn’t a bad move, as his fiery solos are blazing and his riffs are savagely executed along with other guitarist and vocalist Jared Eandi. Throw in the rhythm section of bassist Brittany Shankle and drummer Greg O'Neill, and you’ve got one lethal unit.

The tracks that are the strongest is when the band utilizes cool, chugging riffs such as on tracks “1976,” “Accept Loss Forever” and “Woodland Critter Christmas” compared to the predictable, full-on blasting that appears too often throughout the album. The other highlights to the album is when the band implements more melody and cleaner vocals such as on “Knight” in particular, allowing a break from the monotony of the monotone gargled growls of Eandi, which are an acquired taste. “Elizabeth” has probably the most memorable chorus, but there’s not too many more like it. Plus, the production is a little muddy, most notably with the rhythm section and Eandi’s vocals. I wish Apothesary would add a little bit more melody and catchier choruses for listeners to latch onto. Overall, the band does have some good things going for itself.