Suffering so you don't have to!
Metalcatto
Eclectic is a great adjective to describe whatever Mental Cruelty is doing. Back in the day, I reviewed Zwielicht for another website. I liked it, so I’m excited to see whether the band has changed on Echoes of a Forlorn Land or remains the same. The guys have now mixed Nordic mythology into their sound. Does that mean this is Viking Deathcore? Truly horrifying. Let’s start.
Metalcatto
Alright, you probably know that I feel next to no love for Deathcore. I’m just not that excited about the constant breakdowns. However, I’ve heard good things about Crown Magnetar, so of course The Hollowing of Godflesh was my target before this next release date. Can these guys convince me to have faith in the subgenre? Maybe I shouldn’t hold my breath.
Metalcatto
You might be right thinking that suddenly I’m picking short albums. I’m too busy changing diapers right now, but that doesn’t stop me from reviewing some Core/Tech Death stuff like Perpetual Paradox‘s May Misery Befall You—the title is clearly uplifting. I’m usually not the biggest fan of so many breakdowns, but we have to talk about them sometimes. Let’s begin.
Metalcatto
You know what we haven’t done in a while? Reviewed something kind of techy. So why not review a super underground act like The Absolution Sequence? Sure, the name sounds like something else—as in Goth or MeloDeath—but Dread Cycle should deliver all those complicated riffs you want, right? One can have expectations when the musicians shred more, or so I hope.
Metalcatto
What does this band have against carpenters? It’s a noble job. Hell, I’d like to be good at woodworking—you can actually make money out of it, not like writing… Anyway, Between Blood and Silence is supposed to uppercut us to the stratosphere, but you know the problem with ultra-heavy albums: they can numb you harder than the news. Let’s enter this slaughterhouse.
Metalcatto
You know what’s next, let’s start!
Metalcatto & Vicky
No time! Let’s go!
Metalcatto
Too many bands as usual, so let’s go!
There’s no way around Whitechapel—it’s a band with a fiercely loyal fanbase that’s stuck with it through thick and thin. So, let’s get this out of the way: I’m fully aware that diving into Hymns in Dissonance might summon the wrath of the internet. You might be wondering, “Why even review something so ‘Core’?” After all, it’s almost a tradition at MER to trash the whole niche. But hey, someone’s gotta take one for the team, right? We’re aiming for more journalistic integrity these days, and being open-minded is part of the deal. Plus, if there’s one band that’s managed to elevate the genre, it’s Whitechapel, so why not give it the benefit of the doubt for once?
