Actus Reus is a metalcore band from Buford, Georgia. The band name translates to “the guilty act” in Latin.
The band released their debut EP, Vengeance, on April 20th of last year.
You can hear influence spanning from Lamb of God to Killswitch Engage from the very beginning of this short project.
Clocking in at just over 17 minutes, Actus Reus pack a ton of riffs and breakdowns into that short time.
I definitely notice some moments, particularly the intro to “Down Under”, where the band seems to blend in a bit of a classic rock feel.
The clean vocals did catch me off guard at first and they lend a nice theatrical layer and bits of contrast to the overall release.
Their new track “Cultist”, the first since the EP, features guest vocals from Taylor Barber of Left to Suffer. In my opinion, this single shows the band growing significantly, especially when it comes to melody.
It’s impossible not to tap your invisible double bass pedal as you listen to “Cultist”.