Cancer (2018) Shadow Gripped 'Review'

Band: Cancer

Country of Origin: United Kingdom

Genre: Death / Thrash metal

Type: Full Length

Format: CD

Length Approx.: 44:00 min.

Release Date: 11-02-2018

Release Label: Peaceville Records

IR Classification: Good (4.2 / 5)

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The best comeback album I have heard in a while.

Everybody who witness the underground boom! of the early nineties at least we heard one of the two successful albums that Cancer could achieve at that time "To the Gory End" released in 1990 and their unrivaled album or cult classic album in my opinion "Death Shall Rise" was unleashed in 1991, but their album "The Sins of Mankind" from 1993 lacked that ruthless punch of its progenitor, after that began the downfall and "Black Faith" it vanish by itself, the band once again make an attempt in 2005 with their album "Spirits in Flames" which wasn't bad at all, but still carrying the heavyweight from the beginning on their backs; So, the forced question here should be; Has Cancer finally found the old formula to deliver an album according to its legend status?

The British metallers Cancer has come back and been honest with you guys they did it in great shape, their sixth album entitled "Shadow Gripped" is far beyond to be a disappoint with tracks like "Garrote", "Crime so Vile" or "Down the Steps" enjoy of plenty brutal and heavy guitar riff as they brought us in the nineties.

The current line-up consists of Ian Buchanan in the bass guitar, Carl Stokes behind the drums and John Walker in the guitars and vocals.

Cancer took over thirteen years to release their new album "Shadow Gripped" but the outcome is superb from the beginning "Down the Steps" with dreary guitar riff opens while the drum work becomes increasingly beefy and the grunting vocals interact smoothly to perfection,  reviving those days of the old school death metal, "Garrotte" is the single track released couple months ahead, the song by itself is demolishing and ruthless going from mid-pace riff to frantic and fast riff the drums are remarkably delivering the classic sound  making this track memorable for its catchiness and savagery, let's skip to "Organ Snatcher" reveals a vile and fetid ambiance with a sick and nauseating riff while the drums sound menacing with its unique rudeness, the gruesome vocals are irreverent fitting to perfection in this track, "The Infocidal" delivers a relentless drumming work, fusing properly with the aggressive groovy riff, remarkably for the elements that once enthralled you, this is a great song, "Half Man Half Beast" brings an epic feel with the orchestration and chants addition, giving a diverse approach to their new proposal, very enjoyable track, "Crimes so Vile" sounds extremely solid the chugging and meaty guitar riff, that hooks you up and the bursting drumming retains the heaviness to perfection, "Thou Shalt Kill" stands out for the fastest and brutal riffage focusing into some discordant segments towards the end, the track is packed with merciless drum work that feels overwhelming, "Shadow Gripped" is simply a killer track with a powerful thrash guitar riff very infectious and fierce and fulminating percussions, make this track one more to highlight the last track is "Disposer" at the beginning goes in a slower but vigorous direction with devilish growls full of hatred and a thunderous drums, evoking the glorious days of the nineties.

After listening "Shadow Gripped" the only thing I can conclude, this is the best comeback album I have heard in a while, capturing all the elements that once captivate everyone, if you are a true metalhead from yore, you should give it a spin I promise you, they won't disappoint you.

Stay True… Stay Metal… Stay Brutal…™

Track List:

01. Down the Steps │ 02. Garrotte │ 03. Ballcutter │ 04. Organ Snatcher │ 05. The Infocidal │ 06. Half Man Half Beast │ 07. Crimes So Vile │ 08. Thou Shalt Kill │ 09. Shadow Gripped │ 10. Disposer

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Bloodbath (2018) The Arrow of Satan is Drawn 'Review'

Band: Bloodbath

Country of Origin: Sweden

Genre: Death metal

Type: Full Length

Format: CD Digipak

Length Approx.: 41:00 min.

Release Date: 10-26-2018

Release Label: Peaceville Records

IR Classification: Good (4.3 / 5)

Listen our review! (English)

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 Thrilling and entertaining the elements blended in this album.

Bloodbath, as everybody should know at this point is that they started as a side project from bassist Jonas Renkse, guitarist Anders Nyström, both from Katatonia who ended up inviting Dan Swanö former singer of Edge of Sanity to play the drums and Mikael Åkerfeldt from Opeth to take over the vocals. So, this lineup released their first recording in 2000, an EP titled "Breeding Death" and two years later their debut album "Resurrection Through Carnage" under Century Media Records, but it was not until 2004 when the band released what, I consider their best album so far "Nightmares Made Flesh" with some changes in the lineup after the departure of Åkerfeldt. While Nyström, Renkse and Swanö shared the work of guitars and bass, bringing Peter Tägtgren from the band Hypocrisy to record the vocals and the drummer Martin Axenrot who became the permanent drummer of Bloodbath.

After that they have released few more recordings continuously with a different lineup, the Spring 2008 EP "Unblessing the Purity" was released. In the Fall of the same year came out the album "The Fathomless Mastery" which seems to take the sound in a different approach. Let's say it  was way less devastating, but in 2014 with a renewed lineup Renkse, Nyström and Axenrot brought aboard the guitarist Joakim Karlsson from the band Craft and the great Nick Holmes from Paradise Lost, they released an almost excellent album "Grand Morbid Funeral"  which feels darker and dense inspired by the Old School Death Metal and the step down in sound makes it more generic, but somehow accessible! Their latest released entitled "The Arrow of Satan is Drawn" which is not a bad album neither a great one, but it falls short.

The first track in the album is "Fleischmann," a perfect hybrid influence of Black, Punk with a persevering Death sound, piercing at moments with good slow pace between the track. It is followed by "Bloodicide" which is built with a heavy guitar riff that grows slowly thanks to the Swedish sound that it carries within. "Wayward Samaritan" is structured with thick layers of Death n' Roll riffs. The next track is "Levitator" which seizes a doomy pace that slows down the flow printed by the previous tracks which is not too bad but way too early. "Deader" takes off with a fast and killer guitar riff with blistering drums and the balance tends to be more positive. "March of the Crucifiers" and "Morbid Antichrist" definitely sounds heavy however it doesn't make a deep impression on me, it could be named as the album fillers. "Warhead Ritual" delivers a decent blend of Death Metal with Punk Crust elements, the idea is good, but the track is too short to evolve to the next level by itself. "Only the Dead Survive" comes to the rescue, the ending part of this album, the guitar riff are overwhelming powerful, the bass throw a dense tunes blending perfectly with a magnificent drum work while the growling vocals are impressive undoubtedly, this should be the last track in the album; however, they tossed another one, "Chainsaw Lullaby," which is another Death n' Roll with lots of Gothenburg Melodeath feeling.

"The Arrow of Satan is Drawn" is thrilling and entertaining the elements blended in this album, with good songs and some others not so good. It is hard to consider this album as one of their best albums so far, with this in mind, your best choice is to be receptive and understand that this album differs from its core, band members, concept and epoch, so welcome them as they are or suffer a disappointment, it’s up to you.

And that's how I ended up appreciating to one of the most iconic name and trajectories within the metal scene, it took me seventeen years to understand them, I might start digging little by little their discography to discover what I ignored for many years, meanwhile I will keep enjoying their latest release "Ritual".

Stay True… Stay Metal… Stay Brutal…™

Track List:

01. Fleischmann │ 02. Bloodicide │ 03. Wayward Samaritan │ 04. Levitator │ 05. Deader │ 06. March of the Crucifiers │ 07. Morbid Antichrist │ 08. Warhead Ritual │ 09. Only the Dead Survive │ 10. Chainsaw Lullaby

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Autopsy (2015) Skull Grinder [EP]

Band: Autopsy

Country of Origin: US

Status: Active

Genre: Death Metal

Type: EP

Format: 12" Vinyl 
Length Approx.: 28:00 min.

Release Date: 11-27-2015

Current label: Peaceville Records

Release label: Peaceville Records

IR Classification: Good (4.0 / 5)

Listen our review! (English)

There is enough savagery, blood and guts with a macabre and singular approach

Already been passed twenty eight years since Autopsy the Oakland based Death metal band were formed to give life to the most insane ideas and today be respected as one of the most iconic, gore, bizarre and brutal of all times, having in their history seven full lengths, three EP's and countless compilations that support their prestige and irreverence, said this, Autopsy the masters of gore could not let pass this year without giving us something that remind us who are they and why are they here, and they are not wrong to deliver their classical sickening, bloodiest and harrowing creativity.

I still remember that time around 1990 when I got out to bought some records with the idea to experience something new for me at that time, so I picked up four tapes Possessed "Beyond the Gates", Obituary "Slowly We Rot", Death "Leprosy" and Autopsy "Severed Survival" the four records blew my mind away, I couldn't believe what I found, it was more heavier, evil and distorted than Metallica, Megadeth, Anthrax or even Slayer, but definitely Autopsy did a great impression on me due to the atmosphere crafted in that album, fuses in insanely manner of their sickening lyrics with their sinister and bizarre tunes.

After twenty five years I experienced those emotions, every time I listen to Autopsy, I can tell you that emotion remains there intact, because they are absolutely committed with themselves with no style changes, Death metal at its finest, simple as it is, the first track that opens Side A is the opulent fast and aggressive "Strung up and Gutted" with the classic riff bizarre and dark that has defined them for years, spitting growl vocals to inflict fear, after this cut comes the self titled track "Skull Grinder" kicking off with some dense and slow tunes it turns into a gore fest with demential riff as torrents that spills all over the place, "Sanity Bleeds" starts the Side B, viscerally hauntingly, voices from beyond blends with the doom passages and the sharp guitar solo along the track shatters deep in your bones, "The Withering Death" continues with the same heaviness, virtually you can feel your skin ripping apart, slowly with every single rotten note, the agony has a voice with deeper growls leaving you hopeless, "Waiting for the Screams" doesn't disturb the balance at all and delivers the same pace loaded of vile anguish.

Autopsy has been able to put together a solid EP, with seven killer tracks that project them as one of the most reliable Death metal acts, the production is clear losing at some point the rawness of their beginnings, but they managed to succeed and capture their essence, there is enough savagery, blood and guts with a macabre and singular approach, mixed with the most sickest riff and brutal vocals then the result is "Skull Grinder" a piece worthy to check it out.

Stay True… Stay Metal… Stay Brutal...

Track List:

1. Strung up and Gutted

2. Skull Grinder

3. Children of the Filth

4. Sanity Bleeds

5. The Withering Death
6. Waiting for the Screams
7. Return to Dead

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