CARNOPHAGE
CARNOPHAGE “Matters Of A Darker Nature”
By Lord Randall
After 2 albums on a respected Californian death metal imprint, CARNOPHAGE returns (yep, you guessed it, eight years later), this time on India’s multi-genre Transcending Obscurity, and with “Matters Of A Darker Nature”.
Now, here’s the thing; I don’t really give a right rolling crap how “brutal” you are. If the songs aren’t there, I’m never going to give your shit more than one spin, unless you count the one down the toilet. Keeping the same lineup intact over the past two albums has served the Turkish entity well, as opener “In My Bones” holds onto the face-forward energy they’ve been known for, but not venturing into the dreaded “slam” territory, though they’re certainly capable and not afraid of such.
“Until The Darkness Kills The Light” doubles down on the aggression mentioned before, faster, more fierce, technically proficient yet catchy. I’d like a good bit more variance in the guitar tones overall at this point, but it’s a small gripe thus far, and only the second song in. Side note, the bridge from 2:47-3:10 is positively maniacal. After a death-dealing title track, CARNOPHAGE drops “Underneath The Horrendous One”, the precision of DEEDS OF FLESH a clear reference point. I’m still not hearing much shifting in tone for the guitars which, at the halfway point should’ve shown up by now.
Also, you’re not going to get much of a vocal “range” from Oral, but his delivery is of the sputum-spewing style and does fit the music well, as on the convoluted “Death Works Overtime”.
Moments of slam are toyed with here, but the quintet has put much thought into the arrangement of these songs, and it shows. “The Day We Avenge On” is my clear pick for the album, and I’m finally hearing some experimentation in the guitars. Of note here, though, is the rhythm section, who keep the whole thing just at the edge of the cliff, one foot hanging over, giving the track that frantic feeling that something might just fall apart or over.
If you’re bored to crap of the sounds coming out of America and Europe and are looking for a different interpretation of death metal, investigate “Matters Of A Darker Nature”, an album that actually gets better as it goes along – and it was pretty alright to start with.