As stated in the album’s promo information this album marks the ten year anniversary of Whitechapel, a band that has doggedly marched forward with each passing album despite the naysayers. Back in the1980s when thrash first appeared that scene too was criticised, vilified and humiliated with albums being branded as noise. Every review that was scored very low like 1/10 or 1/5 I bought and are still in my collection. Fast forward 30 plus years and thrash metal is as strong as it ever was. I find the denigration of deathcore to be similar as after a decade of the scene’s existence it is still here and shows no signs of waning despite those with an axe to grind about it.
With the ten year anniversary comes a sixth full length that sees the band adopt a more intelligent approach by crafting an album that is challenging yet still retaining the core principles of the deathcore song writing formula. Progress is admittedly not easy in this genre, much like grindcore to some effect, as maintaining the style without a dilution in aggression is resolutely difficult but Whitechapel have managed it, much like Carnifex and their recent ‘Slow Death’ album. The bands traditional blast and groove approach has been smoothed to allow a more experimental vision to be realised on the album but with colossal heaviness hallmarked into the sound as the album begins with “The Void”. The trademark variable tone vocals by Phil Bozeman are intact as the opener delivers a pounding beat and claustrophobic density. The insertion of tuneful and intelligent lead breaks enables each tune to stand out as the title track and “Elitist Ones” attest to with the pervading sense of pulverisation via the drum work which is rhythmic and ingrained into every tune.
Markedly different is “Bring Me Home” which has clean vocals and in Phil they have an essential asset to the bands forward looking vision for years to come. His clean tone is nothing new in deathcore as the link between that vocal style and the semi acoustic playing is excellent and melted together with the sublime lead break. The bands fan base is certainly going to test their loyalty and I suspect some will part ways crying sell out as an easy cheap shot even though much of this album is resolutely Whitechapel. “A Killing Industry” fades in with background noise before unleashing a cranium drilling riff that is similar to old Slipknot being tuneful and saturated in catchiness with a gargantuan double kick. Even on this traditional side of the bands armoury it dives headlong into uncharted territory with a percussive onslaught and distorted lead that contrasts massively with the beguiling instrumental of “Brotherhood” with its acoustic guitar playing paving a course for a gut wrenching riff and melody linked to the passionate and well crafted guitar solo work which are a major stand out on this album. I love the riff that starts “Venomous”, its melodic but with high velocity marksmanship typical of the bands style. Closing Whitechapel’s sixth release and substantial step into the unknown is “Decennium” (means a ten year stretch of time), longer in duration the experimental approach is realised fully with clean vocals and an ever shifting dynamic with a whisper progressiveness even though the sound is supremely heavy throughout. It’s likely the band will lose some fans but the volatility of the extreme music market means Whitechapel can capitalise by branching into new but thoroughly engaging channels of musical exploration to take them to the next level of their dextrous and ambitious sonic art.
(8.5/10 Martin Harris)
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