Belgian Death Metal miscreants CARNATION are back with a new album to follow their fantastic prior release “Chapel Of Abhorrence”. Out via Season Of Mist Records on September 18th.
Wasting no time on introduction, a brutal convulsion of relentless Death Metal kicks right in. Dialling back the Swedeath worship to offer a bit more originality and taking a direction I certainly didn’t expect, this album is going to be worlds apart from what I was imagining. Respect is due for the total overhaul of the bands sound, though I would be lying if I said I wasn’t disappointed we weren’t being thrown head-first into a Dismember style record. So, now I have said what isn’t here, let’s talk about what is.
The eeriness of the last record with its dripping atmosphere certainly carries over. As does the fantastic musicianship which holds the strength and technical proficiency of the last record while stepping up the production and groove. Carnation have clearly gotten tighter as musicians and also seem more focused on coherence and a greater vision they are moving towards. Having started out as what sounded more like a Swedeath tribute, there is no denying they have started carving themselves a position as much more on this album, for better or for worse. There are some utterly phenomenal riffs that harken back to Morbid Angel in their heyday, flawless drum fills and totally obliterating vocals on this record. Packing grooves and hooks in abundance, there is no end to the unrelenting visceral nature of the new Carnation either.
Lyrically the album has matured a lot, potentially due to Carnation improving their English skills or perhaps just fine-tuning their ideas a lot which is evidenced by the music too. Blistering solos space out the crushing array of riffs and blastbeats while never losing any momentum. The only thing holding the album back is the production might have gotten a little bit too good, which occasionally detracts from the feel of the record. “Chapel Of Abhorrence” felt so monolithic and rotten, while “Where Death Lies” has a rather clinical sound in parts. The churning assault jumps along with a really consistent groove that certainly kept my attention through the album, even while feeling slightly dishevelled by the less ripping tonality.
This album is unarguably a step up on the technical side of things. It is also abundantly clear that Carnation have matured as musicians and songwriters too. While this is definitely a killer piece of Death Metal, the slight over-indulgence in modernity loses it some of its charm. Regardless of my preferences, this album packs a hell of a punch and will certainly appeal to Death Metal lovers who enjoy progression and technicality while still rooted in an old school approach. -7/10
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