MACABRA is a Belgium/American
joint alliance featuring Mark Riddick, who is better known for his
crotesque artwork than for his
music. The band’s core aim seems to be geared
towards playing Death Metal in the purest old-school tradition
reminiscent of the early ‘90’s – and might I add that they’ve
done a damn competent job at doing so.
“Blood-Nurtured Nature”
consists of eight tracks of pure old school Death Metal worship, with
songs chucking away at durable lengths of which 5:38 is the longest —
and 3:10 the shortest. Some obvious
influences shine throughout like AUTOPSY and INCANTATION, though only
a fool with a rather narrow-scope or who’s half-deaf would regard
MACABRA as a “copy-cat” band. They do have a significant sound of
their own, intentional or not.
One of the many aspects I enjoy
of listening to “Blood-Nurtured Nature” must be the fine usage of
keys implemented
in certain
parts of the songs. This adds
a very dense sort of horror ambiance. There are a few things that
makes “Blood-Nurtured Nature” a compelling listen – one of
which I note the above mentioned
element and also their ability to write rather
virulent riffs that dribbles morbidity. Every now and then the band
launches into death/doom territory with a cut like ‘Thick Slars of
Morbund Fat’ that starts with a slow tempo build with church bells
humming in the background. Throughout this particular track your ears
are treated with some really cool sorrowful leads and piano passages.
Anyone who is as enthusiastic as
I am about purely morbid and obscure Death Metal drenched in the
slimy culverts of the late ‘80’s/’90’s era is liable to take
a liking to MACABRA … but for those looking for something deviating
from the conventional path of the genre should look elsewehere. This
is raw, unpolished and straight-forward
– the way its suppose to be, but with a sense
of melody and the (dare
I say) “groovy”
parts make for a very enjoyable
listen ... Fear not, the goove-laden parts are well executed and
doesn't come off as a fruit basket in
any sense. Most
of the songs batter away at a mid-pace with simplistic, yet well
thought-out riffs with some impressive guitar solo’s, espescially
the one featured in 'Hominal Peel Diggers’ – what a ripper.
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