In this post, I collect my instagram reviews for the week for albums released in 2022. All my non-2022 reviews are gathered in a post as soon as a decent number has accumulated. I listen to mostly metal, but I do not limit myself to any genre.
Whoresnation - Dearth
Genre: Grindcore/Deathgrind
Label: Carbonized / Bones Brigade
With Deathgrind that has few outside influences, there is certainly an issue with vocabulary being used up. How often have we heard specific riffs that harken back to Terrorizers "World Downfall" just a little too much? With a limited vocabulary of riffs and tropes, there´s just so much you can say with the genre. Often, I will look out for the little twists and turns in how material differs. Whoresnation have found a unique approach in that the things they´re saying and playing with their music are certainly the same vocabulary, but they´re presented in interesting ways that subtly subvert expectations.
Take, for example, the beginning of the record where Whoresnation masterfully set up the type of stomping section that bands like these like to do to open a record, before going into a full on blastbeat assaault - only that, after playing it for only a fraction of the time, this is deliberately not what Whoresnation do. Instead, we get a speedy deathgrind that itself only repeats a couple times before giving way for something new. All of these riffs are quality material by itself, but it is the way the record is assembled that makes it unique and worthwhile. The unique approach to album and song flow that Whoresnation have makes 'Death' seem like it is longer than it is, as there is so much interesting material to latch on to.
Rating: 7/10.
Skullshitter - Goat Claw
Genre: Grindcore / Death Metal
Label: Independent
Some band names you just can´t pass up on. Skullshitter is certainly one of them: Painful but abstract in concept and also silly as hecc, it does capture the spirit of the band quite well. Branding themselves as a Deathgrind outfit, I can certainly see it. The band plays Death metal filtered through a dirty punk lense and is luckily not as interested in the straight mosh riff worship that a lot of Caveman outfits play nowadays.
Instead, we get lots of raw energy, simple but effective riffs and a lot of working class dirt. The songs and the album both have the ideal length for it with short songs that get right to the point. Samples are present on the album but not to a point where it becomes annoying - and there´s some thematic coherence to it, as they all seem to be taken from the same movie. That one being apparently a childrens flick gives it some infantile energy that I enjoy on a thematic level. Lastly, while there are no technical vocal attacks on the album, Skullshitter keep it varied enough by having each member of the trio also do vocals, leaving to a type of Death Metal gang vocals that seem to embody the Punk spirit yet again.
Rating: (high) 6/10
Primitive Man - Insurmountable
Genre: Sludge Metal / Noise
Label: Closed Casket Activities
Primitive Man have this weird attraction for me. While I rarely give their albums very high scores (2020´s 'Immersion' is probably my favorite for how focused it is) and while I cannot identify what the attraction to their sound even is, as the songwriting is deliberately barebones and minimalistic, I keep coming back to them and I was, in fact, very much looking forward to 'Insurmountable'. Most Primitive Man albums make me work a little to like them - thats why I liked 'Immersion' so much, as it had more immediacy. While 'Insurmountable' doesn´t feel as much as an assignment as the hyperchallenging 'Caustic', it also doesn´t have the immediacy that last album 'Immersion' had.
Primitive Man´s sound is unchanging on 'Insurmountable'. Dreadfully slow riffs played with absurd amounts of distortion turning the almost Funeral Doom pace into somewhat of a post-metal texture. Primitive Man approaches harsh noise with their sound, but through the tight and physically hitting bass and drum work, they produce an almost, no pun intended, caustic effect. It is that effect that I am mostly after and I get it here. I am not entirely sold yet on the droney 'Boiled', as I feel like it takes the pace out of the whole thing, but otherwise it all feels very calculated and straightforward. I have no doubt that 'Insurmountable' will grow on me when I put the work in - but when I find the right mood to put said work in, I do not know.
Rating: 6/10
Entgeist - Rex Gestae
Genre: Blackened Death Metal
Label: Teufelszeug Records
A specific german metal phenomenon seems to be people who recently were into Metalcore to seek out Black Metal in specific, and there are certain mannerisms in that type of black metal that I encounter again and again - even in bands who don´t have a metalcore past, but are now inspired by resulting sound these bands had. This je-ne-sais-qois effect is certainly present in Entgeists sound, but Metallum tells me of no such metalcore past. Luckily, I am not opposed to the sound in principle - and 'Rex Gestae' is definetely an interesting record.
In particular, Entgeist have a good amount of aggression to their sound that doesn´t sacrifice rhythmic engagement for trem in the name of atmosphere. The sound is relatively dry, but has some creative guitar work in almost every track to make up for it. Especially 'Verfall' has some additional rock influences that considerably spice up the sound and there are some very smooth and, for the style, very unique guitar leads present. I like how Entgeist manage to sound emotional, and yet aggressive; desperate but forward pushing and it is all in service of some very good songs. As a debut, 'Rex Gestae' makes me want to see where Entgeist go next.
Rating: (high) 6/10
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