A new slab of metallic goodness is about to drop on Tuesday March 4th! This one is made of chugging goodness, chainsaws, spiked hammers masquerading as drum pedals, and barbed wire liberally sown into a man’s throat to scrape all that is human from his guttural voice! I am, of course, talking about the new Metallica/My Little Pony collab! Of course I’m not! I kid… if only though… Just imagine Hetfield and Ulrich prancing in neon colored horse outfits!
A man can dream… I am actually talking about the newest Carnifex album, Die Without Hope! This cheerfully titled album has all the sweet earmarks of a great death laden masterpiece: vocals that sound in pain and impassioned whilst gargling Listerine covered gravel, drumming that sound like NASA is building drum bots, and guitarists that never learned they were only supposed to chug along to the bass/drums. They shred like their girlfriends dumped them for the bassist, and they are out for blood! The sum of the parts comes together with a manic sound that pushes blood past medical safety limits, and may be why I know am suspected of occult activity by the police. SUSPECTED only. But I digress. The album has a beautifully done cover in classic death theme and a very recent trend in hand-drawn, unique, macabre illustration styles depicting a very unsettling skull that seems to be remorselessly slaughtering something, with blood sprayed across a visage of fangs, with the victims hands seeking to abate its own slaughter.
This album doesn’t only rely on the standard elements of brutality, as Carnifex tends to break the mold by incorporating elements of gothic metal as well, with well written piano and keyboard that lends an ethereal air to a few of the songs, like the short interspersion at the last of Condemned to Decay, underlining the technical masterpiece they craft with each progressive song. They play with a manic air, like stated earlier, but with purpose, not simply for the brutality itself. A playing similar to that of Cradle of Filth, they have the dark rushing power in the music itself, but with a nihilistic air that would befit any a black metal band worth their spiked leather. They want you to see the blackness, plain, and start a fucking pit in it! And the vocals fit right there, at the bar, with the cheap whiskey that the bartender forgot was under the bar rags. Guttural lows, and Lucker-esque delivery styles, the voices on this record are very aggressive and fitting a range from deathcore, blackened thrash, metalcore, and regular old death metal at times, so its sure to please even a casual listener to this ode to heaviness.
Between the drumming groove, hateful vocal style, and talented guitarist(s), the album leaves you feeling you get your money’s worth, as a full album. It’s a great one to just go from 1-10, no real weak links here. Dark Days and Dragged into the Grave are favorites, with a couple odd guitar effects, and great tempo switches in the latter. If you’re a fan of Carnifex and are curious about this release, it will definitely be worth your time and money.
Out March 4th where ever Brutality is sold!
