ALBUM REVIEW: Slaughtbbath – Alchemical Warfare

Here I review the brand new second album from Chilean Black Metal maniacs SLAUGHTBBATH! Out on September 6th via Hells Headbangers Records.

Opening with feedback, chaotic drums and ripping screams before driving out intimidating riffs with thundering bass and blistering leads, these guys have the true insane South American Black Metal sound with utterly ferocious instrumentals tearing through waves of primal assaults to back up an onslaught of vicious vocals. The production is incredibly well suited to the excellency of shredding warfare that is packed with exciting hooks, grooves and monolithic levels of aggression. Storming out some of the most energetic extremity you have heard in quite some time with the glorious influence of Sarcofago, Mystifier and Vulcano clearly present, these guys hammer out truly marvellous Black Metal tinged with thrashing hellfire that is extremely impactful. The sheer savagery of the full band is so well executed that you are definitely going to be drawn in by the chaotically forceful sound of barraging guitars, drums and snarled vocal butchery. Aside from the definitive South American sound there is also some clear influence from the Norwegian scene with the raw grooves that punch through to entice you further with its blasphemously catchy riffing. The third track is an example of using great sample work and slower dismal instrumentals to add a haunting dimension to the music before ripping back into a hastily fierce cascade of totally psychopathic levels of speed. Similarly the fifth song added some bleaker atmospherics but never really withdrawing from the totally maniacal sounds and monumental assaults of their speedy Satanic ensemble amidst some stunningly soulful lead guitar work that was hauntingly beautiful before leading into the War Metal blasts of the albums title track that also doubles as the most intensely brutal piece of the album, in perfect juxtaposition to the soulful previous piece, gloriously done. Not only is the music fantastic but the sheer energy of the band is unmistakably awesome with so much passionately crafted grinding hatred being fired forth from an inferno of top-shelf thrashy Black Metal. Quite a lot of these types of bands have somewhat poorly written lyrics which can certainly add to the charm of the music but not Slaughtbbath, they have the unholy tomes to back up the spiteful spewing vocals with some really profoundly demonic lyrics that suit the music perfectly. This was a beautifully maddening release of high-octane Black Metal with no respite, just an unrelenting bombardment of all that is extreme and evil. A huge sounding production for a huge amount of gorgeously savage musicianship that truly sounds hellish in the best possible way. For me the best track was “Amulets Of Carnage” as it showed the brilliantly barbaric aggression the band had to offer with their energy cranked to full and so many memorable riffs, impeccable drum work and searing vocals, truly concocting something dark and heavy, reminding me somewhat of the slightly subtle punk edge utilised by their label mates Bonehunter amidst a dominantly blackened onslaught.. Absolutely killer material with a flawlessly energetic performance of truly insane old school Black Metal that truly invoked the chaotic spirit of the genre with this unholy conjuration. -9/10