Skeletonwitch - Forever Abomination
Ohio's Skeletonwitch didn't strike me as much at first - upon hearing 2006's "Worship the Witch" EP I found them slightly lacklustre, and 2007's full-length "Beyond the Permafrost" didn't do too much to change my mind either. By the time I'd heard "Breathing the Fire" in 2009, I was pretty certain that the band was pretty much a waste of my time. However, after witnessing such a monstrous live performance by Skeletonwitch at Bloodstock Open Air this year I decided I should give them another chance, and after much listening (and re-listening) I safely came to the conclusion that they were actually... pretty damn good. Still not a fan of "Breathing the Fire", but there you go. So when I recieved my copy of this new album in the mail, I was understandably excited.
"Forever Abomination" easily stands as Skeletonwitch's best work. Their brand of melody-tinged black thrash was merely 'pretty good' beforehand, but here they've perfected themselves. Opening gambits 'This Horrifying Force (The Desire to Kill)' and 'Reduced to the Failure of Prayer' set the tone for the album perfectly, wasting absolutely no time in getting headfirst into the action (bar the brief clean intro on the former), playing tighter and faster than ever before. It's apparent that vocalist Chance Garnette has been working on his delivery, his gutteral roars and his raspy screams are far more potent than on any of the band's previous releases - he actually sounds possessed in some instances, delivering some spine-shivering commandments that really took me by surprise. His lyrics have faced drastic improvement too, and although it's nothing new, the titles themselves are what we call in the industry 'fucking awesome' - see the aforementioned 'Reduced to the Failure of Prayer' for a prime example. The rhythm section is a close-knit as ever, and the guitars are sounding MUCH better than the previous album. Not just in terms of composition, but above all the tone is a ridiculous improvement upon the previous album - Nate and Scott have their formula nailed, with harmonies abound, plenty of fantastic tempo changes and deliciously catchy riffs and solo hooks that'll keep even the most cynical of guitar enthusiasts entertained for the duration of the album. A brilliant and mandatory 'slow' section in the middle of 'Cleaver of Souls' is truely magnificent and a fine example of what bands such as Skeletonwitch can be capable of if only they'd all realise that speed isn't everything, as these fellas subsequently have. The greatest improvement here is the production above all - 2009's "Breathing the Fire" sounded like a piece of hollow, lifeless, boring crap smeared over a good performance. But here, everything is absolutely perfect, from the mix itself to the individual tones. I was absolutely ecstatic about this, as the previous record's production was probably it's single biggest flaw - and it's not suffering from the horrendous over-produced wall-of-noise rubbish that many modern bands seem to be employing either, which is a massive plus.
A brief review, but with good reason - there isn't much else to say. Skeletonwitch's "Forever Abomination" is an excellent album, not just for fans of thrash, black metal or melody, but for pretty much anybody who likes their music with some bite. I seldom find my initial judgment to be flawed, but in this band's case, I was completely wrong to misjudge such a talented act. Highly recommended listening!
"Forever Abomination" easily stands as Skeletonwitch's best work. Their brand of melody-tinged black thrash was merely 'pretty good' beforehand, but here they've perfected themselves. Opening gambits 'This Horrifying Force (The Desire to Kill)' and 'Reduced to the Failure of Prayer' set the tone for the album perfectly, wasting absolutely no time in getting headfirst into the action (bar the brief clean intro on the former), playing tighter and faster than ever before. It's apparent that vocalist Chance Garnette has been working on his delivery, his gutteral roars and his raspy screams are far more potent than on any of the band's previous releases - he actually sounds possessed in some instances, delivering some spine-shivering commandments that really took me by surprise. His lyrics have faced drastic improvement too, and although it's nothing new, the titles themselves are what we call in the industry 'fucking awesome' - see the aforementioned 'Reduced to the Failure of Prayer' for a prime example. The rhythm section is a close-knit as ever, and the guitars are sounding MUCH better than the previous album. Not just in terms of composition, but above all the tone is a ridiculous improvement upon the previous album - Nate and Scott have their formula nailed, with harmonies abound, plenty of fantastic tempo changes and deliciously catchy riffs and solo hooks that'll keep even the most cynical of guitar enthusiasts entertained for the duration of the album. A brilliant and mandatory 'slow' section in the middle of 'Cleaver of Souls' is truely magnificent and a fine example of what bands such as Skeletonwitch can be capable of if only they'd all realise that speed isn't everything, as these fellas subsequently have. The greatest improvement here is the production above all - 2009's "Breathing the Fire" sounded like a piece of hollow, lifeless, boring crap smeared over a good performance. But here, everything is absolutely perfect, from the mix itself to the individual tones. I was absolutely ecstatic about this, as the previous record's production was probably it's single biggest flaw - and it's not suffering from the horrendous over-produced wall-of-noise rubbish that many modern bands seem to be employing either, which is a massive plus.
A brief review, but with good reason - there isn't much else to say. Skeletonwitch's "Forever Abomination" is an excellent album, not just for fans of thrash, black metal or melody, but for pretty much anybody who likes their music with some bite. I seldom find my initial judgment to be flawed, but in this band's case, I was completely wrong to misjudge such a talented act. Highly recommended listening!
1. This Horrifying Force (The Desire To Kill)
2. Reduced To The Failure Of Prayer
3. Of Ash And Torment
4. Choke Upon Betrayal
5. Erased And Forgotten
6. The Infernal Resurrection
7. Rejoice In Misery
8. Cleaver Of Souls
9. Shredding Sacred Flesh
10. Sink Beneath Insanity
11. My Skin Of Deceit
2. Reduced To The Failure Of Prayer
3. Of Ash And Torment
4. Choke Upon Betrayal
5. Erased And Forgotten
6. The Infernal Resurrection
7. Rejoice In Misery
8. Cleaver Of Souls
9. Shredding Sacred Flesh
10. Sink Beneath Insanity
11. My Skin Of Deceit
