Brutal and Technical Death Metal—those words should excite me, but in reality, we drown in promos claiming to be more savage than the last. So, when the “legendary” Carnophage dropped Matter of a Darker Nature, I thought, “Oh wow! That’s a cool cover art,” and that was that. However, I found the time to put my prejudices aside (as all of you should in life) and decided to give this dreadful creature a chance to smash me to pieces. Yay!
Matter of a Darker Nature is a strange balance between absolute savagery, reminiscent of bands like Hyperdontia, and virtuosity elements that remind me of Necrophagist (or maybe it’s the guitar tone? There’s something really retro here!). Yet, Carnophage doesn’t just throw random chaotic riffs in the style of Faceless Burial. There’s a strong sense of order in every track. In other words, it’s tighter than Tokyo’s metro at rush hour, but just as orderly. I enjoy that the album doesn’t rely on abrupt transitions as much as many other bands in the sub-genre. It’s nice to have some flow in this blood storm.
It’s hard for me to pick one specific instrument or track that stands out since there’s a ton of consistency here. The tracks are also short and violent, so they don’t pull me into a pretentious fest of wankery. Those who wanted more Alkaloid or Obscura will be left disappointed and wanking alone. Those who want relentless brutality might be confused because Matter of a Darker Nature sounds clean and polished. It’s a great jam to crush your gym friends and laugh at their pathetic “gains” (MER doesn’t condone bullying; we just talk about hypotheticals, ok?). There are also speckles of dissonance across all the tracks, which is kind of interesting. You could say Carnophage is trying to appease all the dungeon-dwellers of the Death Metal world, but does it succeed?
Mostly yes, but it’s true that the album tends to go to familiar places. In the last two years, we’ve had a cascade of impressive Death Metal in all forms and sizes. It’s becoming harder to stand out from the crowd, and while Matter of a Darker Nature is a good album, memorable moments are hard to find easily. It’s again one of those albums that’s better as a whole than the sum of its parts. It’s professional and executed with Machiavellian beauty, but it won’t surprise those who already eat, breathe, and defecate extreme Metal.
I complain a lot about originality, I know! Not everything in life has to be new. Just look at yourself, watching the same films and playing the same video games you did when you were 15, in a sad attempt to relive your glory days. So, Carnophage has given us something solid with a few hiccups, but nothing that will deter those who want their Metal inhumane, intense, and at the same time understandable (as in you can clearly hear what’s happening). Speaking of nostalgia, is this band named after the Magic card? Satan bless them.
Label: Transcending Obscurity Records
Release date: August 2, 2024
Website: https://www.facebook.com/carnophageturkey
Country: Turkey
Score: Accepting your darker side, or maybe 3.5/5.0? Yes, lately everything is fine!
Metal Eclipse Reviews 