Kev Rowland Carnifex are one of those oddities, in that their core line-up has been incredibly stable pretty much since formation, and they even survived a year-long hiatus intact. At the time of this their sixth album in 2016, they still had founder members Shawn Cameron (drums) and Scott Lewis (vocals) while Fred Calderon (bass) and Cory Arford had both been there since 2007, with just guitarist Jordan Lockrey being relatively new, joining the band in 2013 when they started up again. When looking around at reviews it is interesting to see that this is quite a polarising album in that many people love it, while others feel it should not even be listened to as it is that bad. As for me, I definitely subscribe more to the former view than the latter, as while it may not be the most exciting release out there, it has something which lifts it from many.

This is deathcore, and while we do get a gentle moment or two in “Life Fades To A Funeral”, for the most part this is full on with heavy riffs and a band which are very tight indeed. The first half of “Countess of the Crescent Moon” actually shows a striking departure from the norm as if the whole album was like this then we may well be talking more about Cradle of Filth style Black Metal, but they soon return to form and growls combined with hard-hitting riffs and pummelling drums. Given how long these guys have played together it is no surprise they are tight, and they are certainly not strangers to being out on the road playing with the likes of Cannibal Corpse to the somewhat lighter Parkway Drive, which shows the cross genre appeal they have.

Polished yet still heavy, with finesse here and there, this is an enjoyable romp through the genre.

Vim Fuego Seen as one of the leading lights of the deathcore scene, Carnifex have gained a lot of notice in the metal and social media. If “Slow Death” is any indicator to go by, it’s another case of hype building up the mediocre to a status far beyond that it deserves.

“Slow Death” in a word, is boring.

Music is supposed to cause some sort of strong reaction in a listener, whether it be raptures of ecstasy at a Beethoven symphony or Slayer’s “Reign In Blood”, or disgust at vile Autopsy lyrics, or even uncomfortable laughter at terribly politically incorrect Anal Cunt song titles. Apathy is not a strong nor useful reaction to music, which is what this album induces.

Yes, the band members in Carnifex are highly skilled musicians. Yes, the music has excellent production values. These are not what’s at fault here. The biggest problem is the straight-jacketed genre of music these musicians perform. It is unoriginal, predictable, interchangeable, and ultimately dull.

There’s no need to isolate any highlights, because there aren’t any, but there’s no discernible low points either. This album is ten tracks of heavy, competently executed metal, with death metal-ish vocals and a few electronic flourishes. All ten are virtually indistinguishable.

Deathcore’s protectors will rabidly devour this album. That is their right. It is also the right of everyone else not to have to subject themselves to such uninspiring music.