Cannae – Horror (Prosthetic Records)
Metalcore, but strange. Sounds a little like a mix between Soilent Green and All Out War. There is a huge grind influence, the songs will trod along at this sludgy, muddy pace, and then there’ll be a breakdown, and a little later some kickass solo will find its way into the song. Gruff vocals, of course, sound like Byron from God Forbid, and a super tight rhythm section. The vocals sometime veer into raspy black metal territory, and they work just fine. Other times they’re processed to hell and back, and that also works. The guitars are also really good, but the riffs aren’t the most memorable I’ve ever heard. Overall, a really good record that, if anything, shows a lot of promise.
Tracks:
1) Starts out with a short woman screaming sample, and then pretty basic beat with NWOSDM guitars over it. In fact, the chorus is pretty much Darkest Hour worship. Bass-driven breakdown rules and old-school solo saves the day.
2) Awesome guitar riff (totally hardcore), driving drums and bass with some great double bass work, slows down, becomes eerie, and then lurches back, full strength.
3) More classic construction, yet awesome song (with a killer, killer breakdown) about a friend of theirs who is now dead and he is still with them in their hearts, I guess. Some clean vocals find their way in, but they don’t distract at all.
4) More NWOSDM, sounds a lot like TBDM, which is great. Some great start-stop guitar work and an overall feel that says “Flail away, kiddies...”
5) FCCs at –1:44 and –1:38, but otherwise a great song. Channels Pantera in the beginning and then switches to total NWOSDM solo wizardry and guitar riffery.
6) Starts out sounding very BM but then gets generic, then, towards the end, after a sick, sick breakdown, it develops a nice little groove that you can latch onto and have fun with. The coda is pure chaotic mayhem.
7) Starts out with a lot of melody, then a breakdown with Slayer-esque lead-work, and then more melody, and then black metal madness. The cycle repeats, randomized, many times. Excellent.
8) Intro? Short instrumental, builds up to some nifty leads, but then fades. Pretty pointless.
9) Now we’re talking. Total thrash attack, At The Gates worship like you wouldn’t believe, but they manage to pull it off without sounding old and tired. Great!
10) An intro that reminds me of modern thrash bands like Dew-Scented, and the rest of the delivery is pretty much by-the-numbers NWOSDM, except for the slight hardcore touches thrown in here and there. Solo and breakdowns save it, though.