Mad Trapper is a four-piece band from Toronto and this is their second full length. On Kill Us, Start Anew, which some would say was very popular in the metalcore scene in Toronto, the band demonstrated some fantastic hardcore and metal chops. Now with Dead Living the band is hoping to expand on that and bring their sounds to fresh ears.
First up the opening track “Claws” is more of a intro song and has some loud clanging guitars being strummed as well as some powerful loud vocals reminiscent of Botch or Coalesce but also some Quicksand too. Throughout this album the band displays all kinds of love for Converge and utilizes blast beats to their most grinding extreme. You could say they were clear cutting forests down with this vicious attack.
“Takeover” contains some great D-beat catchiness this side of Entombed, and next on “Ghost Meat” the band revolves in a circle pit mix of Slayer tempos and Converge type riffs. Post-hardcore tunes aren’t for everyone but here the band seems to take some unlikely roads to chew up the listener’s eardrums and then spit them back out. One thing noticeable is the length of songs: being very short they allow the band and deliver their riffs and pounding drum fills with fury that is memorable and needs repeated listens so the fan can anticipate just when that next breakdown will begin. A perfect example of this is on the song “Internalized.”
Overall, this album contains some fantastic songs, especially if one enjoys grind, metalcore and d-beat sounds. Though it might seem a little repetitive if you can only enjoy constant crushing, annihilation and grooving breakdowns so long. But really a fan of this type of music can’t ask for a better album to headbang and jump off the couch for while listening.
