Reviews: Beneath The Massacre, Audrey Horne, Lost Society, Red Method (Reviews By Paul Hutchings)

Beneath The Massacre: Fearmonger (Century Media Records)

A release that should burst the hearts of die-hard technical death metal fans, Fearmonger is the first album from Quebec four-piece Beneath the Massacre since 2012’s Incongruous. The nucleus of the band remains the centrally locked core of the Bradley brothers—Christopher (guitars) and Dennis (bass)—and their lifelong friend in vocalist Elliot Desgagnés. Drummer Patrice Hamelin left to focus on Gorguts in 2018 and was replaced by Anthony Barone whose blistering performance is simply astonishing. So why the break? Eight years is a long time. Desgagnés explained. “We just needed some down time after our last album. Some of us were busy with school, careers, other musical projects and Dennis and Elliot had to undergo surgery so even health became a factor. Life got in the way. We really thought that it would be it with the band, but every now and then, we met up and wrote tunes and the tunes became an album.”

The result is nothing short of devastating. 30 minutes of explosive, extreme and maximum effort death metal which leaves little to the imagination. Desgagnés guttural barking delivery is brutal, Barone’s drumming punishing, pushing the BPM to the max with an intensity that drives straight for the jugular. With the slicing guitar work of Christopher Bradley supported by his brother’s concrete solid bass giving the album a clinical edge that few can match. Tracks such as Flickering Light, Return To Medusa and the pulverising Bottom Feeders are intense aural experiences. The bludgeoning opener Rise Of The Fearmonger festers with its rage at the frustration against populism and anti-intellectualism. “Most nations now have their very own homegrown morons preaching hate and getting votes from uneducated masses. It’s sad yet so predictable” commented Desgagnés.

There’s a natural flow to the album, retaining the extreme feel throughout. With Fearmonger lyrically focused on Desgagnés’ existential nightmares, specifically on the human condition or rather the state of it, it could well be the soundtrack to the revolution although the band are at pains to point out it is not a concept album. What Fearmonger is, however you view the intensity demonstrated here, is an album of passion, drive and sheer brutish abuse. It’s astonishingly good. 8/10

Audrey Horne: Waiting For The Night (Napalm Records)

Another live album to consider and this time from one of the most underrated bands in Europe, the fabulous Audrey Horne. It seems ages since Blackout was released, but in fact it was a mere two years ago. Having managed to see the band once, way back during Sonisphere 2010(on the Jagermeister stage no less, I’ve had to content myself with their studio offerings due to their paucity of UK visits.

From my hazy recollections (it was the Jager stage you know), the band were on fire that day in the sun and this 16 track live show recorded in their hometown of Bergen over two nights in 2018 demonstrates why they have continued to forge a reputation as one of the most energetic live hard-rock bands in Europe. With a mix of tracks from all six albums, Waiting For The Night is an excellent summary of the band’s career in one live set. Unsurprisingly the set is heavy on songs from Blackout, with seven included here. The raucous opener This Is War and the title track among them. There is plenty from previous albums too, with Out Of The City from Pure Heavy racing along. Sail Away slows the pace, one of two tracks from the self-titled release, highlighting the talent in the band as they can change tempo without killing the atmosphere.

Built around the talent of Toschie (vocals), Ice Dale (guitar - Enslaved) and Thomas Tofthagen (guitar - ex-Sahg), with drummer Kjetil Greve and Espen Lien (bass) completing the line-up, Waiting For The Night is a tasty reminder of a band whose classic hard rock appeals across a huge range of genres. It’s been six years since they hit these shores. Whilst the opportunity to see them live may be limited, after listening to this, one can only hope that they will once again play the UK. 8/10

Lost Society: No Absolution (Napalm Records)

When I saw this album in my list for review, I was immediately excited about an old school thrash album to review. If you expect that then I’m afraid, you’ll be disappointed. Extremely disappointed. The evolution of the band’s sound from those early Exodus and Death Angel influences on Fast Loud Death and Terror Hungry has moved them light years away. Moving towards a more mainstream sound is clearly the direction the band have chosen. One change of personnel since 2016’s Braindead, with drummer Ossi Paananen replaced by Taz Fagerström. Opener Nonbeliever confirms that the band have continued with their change from the Bay Area thrash style that was such a definitive feature of their play, replaced by a more metalcore groove ridden approach. Opener Nonbeliever sees the band utilising more clean harmonies, some thick keys to underpin the choruses and more melody to widen their sound. This is followed by the title track, the use of repeated chord patterns and the clean singing a somewhat confusing progression.

Thankfully Blood On Your Hands is a gnarly, punky slab of aggression with vocalist Sammy Elbanna reverting to his screaming style. It doesn’t last though, with Artificial returning to the Trivium/BFMV metalcore style, mixing clean and screaming vocals, duel guitar harmonies and choppy riffs. The direction that Lost Society started to explore on Braindead continues to develop throughout No Absolution. The playing is of a high standard, and it is still good honest metal. There is plenty of groove here with crunching riffing and opportunity to head bang. Pray For Death, however, could sit on an album by numerous other bands, with nothing to distinguish it. Outbreak (No Rest For The Sickest) echoes Parkway Drive, which given the Australians worldwide domination may be the path that the Finns have decided to follow.

Worthless at least delivers a bit of thrash, with the djent groove underpinning a scorching track which provides faint echoes of their earlier material. Most surprising on this album though is the final track, a haunting ballad featuring Apocalyptica. Into Eternity starts slowly before cascading into some crushingly heavy riffs intertwined with the strings of their fellow Finns. Whilst No Absolution isn’t a bad album by any stretch, the change in direction leaves little trace of their roots. Whether their old school fans will embrace it remains to be seen. 6/10

Red Method: For The Sick (Depraved Records)

Red Method formed out of UK bands Ted Maul, Meta-Stasis and The Defiled and have been building a sizeable murmur within the metal community over the past 12 months. For The Sick is a punishing chunk of metal, with plenty of thundering riffs and deep groove infected breakdowns. Combine it with guttural vocals and use of keyboards and samples and you have a melting pot of influences and styles. It’s interesting that for all this, there is only one band that really comes to mind when you listen to For The Sick and that is Slipknot. As powerful and impressive as this album is, the Iowa outfit’s shadow looms large over virtually every track. From the blistering opening of Cycle Of Violence through to the closing cover version of Nirvana’s Heart Shaped Box, there is plenty to get your teeth into, just don’t think of Corey Taylor and co as you are listening to it.

If you like the combination of extreme, nu-metal and industrial groove then Red Method are likely to be of interest. It is well-composed and delivered, the duel guitars of Quinton Lucion and David Tobin combining with the bludgeoning hammer of drummer Fred Myers and bassist brother Will, whilst the samples provided by Alex Avdis work well. Vocalsist Jeremy Gomez possesses a decent range, able to bring the cleans alongside the rougher style. Utlising the presence of Akercocke’s Jason Mendonca on Narcissists Prayer and Mikee Goodman from SikTh for penultimate track The Absent add gravitas. With dates to support the album coming soon (Cardiff in Mid-March) this music should be brutal in the live arena. It’ll be interesting to hear feedback. 6/10