FOR THE LOVE OF METAL
Right off the bat, you can tell this is one heavy vegetable; slow, punishing doomy riffs with deep-throated death metal growls. Winter is a definite reference here, albeit this record sounds thicker and sludgier, presumably because it wasn’t recorded in a basement.
I admit when Cryptopsy first crossed my desktop I was hesitant. The clean vocals (and keyboards) of The Unspoken King left a sour taste in my mouth. Not knowing what I was getting myself in to, this self-titled rejuvenation far exceeded any expectations I had. Growing on me with every listen, Cryptopsy is becoming one of the most enjoyable death metal releases of 2012.
Review and photos by Justin Richardson The Decibel Magazine Tour came through Charlotte almost three months ago, which puts this review in big bold…
“If you’re a fan of extreme metal and you live in North America, it’s likely that you have a strong impulse to attend the continent’s biggest annual festival: Maryland Deathfest. Actually attending the fest, however, isn’t always possible, especially if you live thousands of miles away.”
Part two of Jay H. Gorania’s recap of Maryland Deathfest 2012, with live photos by Albert Mansour.
Hellbound contributor Raymond Westland recently had the chance to do an interview with Karl Sanders, the guitarist/vocalist and main songwriter of death metal outfit Nile. He had a lot to say about the band’s latest album, the creative process within the band, the less glamorous aspects of being on the road and his positive comments on the last Morbid Angel record…
I’d recommend the documentary for metal fans who are particularly interested in the origins of the genre and the roots of metal in hard rock. While I think the narrative could have been weighted more evenly, there is some fascinating archival and interview footage in Så Jälva Metal, and seeing the music from a new cultural perspective is refreshing and eye-opening.
At The Gates Of Sethu is first and foremost a very traditional Nile album. Brutal technical death metal is still at the heart of it all, the three-pronged vocal attack has lost nothing of its venom and the religion and history from Ancient Egypt still form the main source of inspiration for Karl Sanders. What sets Nile apart from their peers is their collective attention for small details, such as ritualistic chants and the use of indigenous instruments and percussion.
Monolith of Inhumanity is the most notable of Cattle Decapitation’s releases so far, and its more progressive passages suggest possible future additions to the band’s traditional approach to things. They’re additions that I would be happy to see the band build on as they continue their climb up to broader recognizability and an increasingly unique ensemble sound.
Skylight is a science fiction concept album, a sonic escape from the end of the world. As any musical journey through space should be, AtomA’s debut is rich with spectral textures and dramatic development.
Prominent American senators and presidential hopefuls have pointed their fingers at Cannibal Corpse, implying the band is partially responsible for society falling apart. Murder victim family members have also done the same. Censorship has reared its ugly head in Germany, a nation where the band has been legally prohibited from playing certain songs. And yet through it all, the Florida-based death metal machine continues to march on, hacking away at everything in sight—musically, that is—nearly a quarter of a century after its inception.
Jay H. Gorania interviews Alex Webster, bassist and founding member of death metal legends Cannibal Corpse.