A Tortured Past

There are few bands I can think of that have faced as many challenges in their careers. Formed in 1997 their first 10 years went smoothly until in 2007 a horrible bus accident killed their drummer and 'Vogg's brother 'Vitek' as well as giving their vocalist 'Covan' serious brain damage.

Then 10 years later they were arrested on charges of kidnapping and rape while on tour in the USA. All charges were dropped the next year after gathering testimonies from concert attendees, and other bands all in support of Decapitated's version of events.

With all this in mind it is amazing that 'Vogg' is continuing to create to new music under this banner that can still have this kind of an impact.

A New Sound

Decapitated have always been a band that likes to change up their sound and Cancer Culture is no difference with some clear influences from groove metal acts like Pantera, Machine Head, and Jinjer (the latter two feature on the album as well).

Groove metal isn't a genre where high technicality is considered outside of the rhythm or groove and the solos. Decapitated have taken that and thrown it on its head a little bit by keeping a lot of the incredible playing that made them who they are in the death metal scene.

I would even go as far to say this isn't a death metal album at its heart at it all not that I think any of the band members would mind me saying that. Vogg’s time in Machine Head are rubbing off on him in a good way, taking Decapitated another step in a new direction after moving towards this in their last album Anticult.

A Top Album

It takes a lot these days for a new metal album to break into my recommendations. A genre that has lost favour in recent years due to some level of stagnation in sound, production, song writing. There has been little evolution outside of the progressive space.

Cancer Culture is one of my few metal recommendations from the last year that isn't from a more traditionally progressive artist. It is brutally heavy, but keeps you going with solid groovy riffs, intricate guitar lines and detail in the production and song writing that make it stand apart from a lot of modern releases.

At 37 minutes in length, it sticks around just long enough to throw you around the room a few times before you pick up a neck injury. At no point was I bored through listening to this, it stays fresh and keeps you on your toes with its frequent yet seamless style switching. This album is a partial stroke of genius and while no track is perfect this is as close as an extreme album may get in 2022.

For the most engaging extreme release of the year so far this is a must listen for any metal fan.