NATHAN JAMES

Genre-bending isn't for everyone, but it's become Nathan James's identity. The budding goth-metal artist is building a name for himself in the modern rock world, and he has the streaming numbers and radio support to prove it.

Even if you haven't heard of James, there's a chance you've seen him perform live. He's been on tour with a bevy of big names in the rock and metal world, including IN THIS MOMENT, ATTILA, BUTCHER BABIES, KIM DRACULA and DED. His music is an apt fit with those bands, too, bringing together a brooding, gothic metal texture with creepy guitars and catchy electronics.

Now, James has a new album out via Crowdkill Records, the label founded by Lorenzo Antonucci of SWORN ENEMY, and the set, "Hollywood Mortician", is a brutal introduction.

"Hollywood Mortician" is extremely heavy, screamy, cutting and raw, bursting with energy and menace. The album's lead track, "Crown of The Thorns" starts with James's blood-curdling screaming that leads into sharp, dramatic guitars and rhythmic breakdowns. Pretty much every song on here is a banger, from the relentless "Misanthrope" to the chaotic "The Hanged Man" to the crushing "Funeral".

"Alienation" is a standout, with James showing off his rapping chops. The song is one of the most mainstream-sounding on the set, because it's simply a super catchy nu-metal anthem that could fit alongside bands like LINKIN PARK and P.O.D. With that in mind, it makes sense that "Alienation" was the first single released. Hearing James rap shows just show versatile he is as a performer, and that will go a long way as his career progresses.

Elsewhere, "Ghost Under The Veil" is the heaviest song on the set, with James delivering death-metal crooning. "Tickets To Your Downfall" wraps the set up with an opus that explores everything from noise-rock to industrial metal to nu-metal.

On "Hollywood Mortician", James has his own sound, with his vocals switching between screaming, growling and general noisemaking to clean, powerful singing from one moment to the next. James's vocal flexibility makes for a dynamic release, and foretells that he'll be a force in the future of heavy music.