New release from Carnophage.
Eight years after their last creation, Oral Akyol (vocals, Cidesphere), Mert Kaya (guitar), Bengi Öztürk (bass), Onur Özçelik (drums, Black Omen) and Serhat Kaya (guitar, ex-Cenotaph) rejoin the Transcending Obscurity Records ranks to unveil Matter of a Dark Nature.
The band hits hard from the outset with In My Bones, reaffirming their Brutal Death roots with a more complex touch from time to time, particularly on the relatively melodious leads. The solid vocal parts are a perfect accompaniment to the flow of violence, which continues with Until The Darkness Kills The Light and its fast-paced riffs complemented by dissonant harmonics that give it its disturbing tones. Blackness is again in evidence on Matter Of A Darker Nature, the eponymous composition, which also offers a few more melancholy touches at times, while letting the musicians put in their best Old School accelerations. We can say the same for Underneath The Horrendous One, which rolls over us in no time thanks to overpowering drums, and we’re taken aback by the break, but above all by its furious reprise that leads to the final, then to Death Works Overtime and its thick blast. Nothing seems to be able to stop this shifting rhythmic pattern, which even dips into Prog to surprise us, then we’re back to the surge with Eventually They Will Die and its pessimistic shades supported by sharp leads, while the vocalist delivers a raw performance that matches his comrades’ energy. The album continues with The Day We Avenge On, which unveils more jerky patterns, letting the airy passages answer to the livelier, more aggressive moments, then comes to a close with From Possibility To Actuality, where the quintet stays true to its roots, offering a fat, furious sound, but also some catchy moshparts.
Although there’s a long time between Matter of a Dark Nature and its predecessor, the band hasn’t been forgotten, and Carnophage offers effective riffs in all circumstances, whether it’s to move our head or to savor its shadowy touches.
80/100