Despite a number of line-up changes over the years Poland’s Decapitated has always been a band that you can depend on for good music. Twenty-one years in the business had shown the band that there is more to death metal than just getting into a studio and going as hard as you can. No, to make a good death metal album you have to have something that sets you apart from the rest. That is something that Decapitated have certainly delivered on with their brand new album, Anticult.
Even taking a listen to opening track “Impulse” quickly tells you that Decapitated isn’t ‘just another’ death metal outfit. The slowed down, and clean guitars of Vogg have such an ominous presence throughout the track that you get the feeling that something very special is about to happen… and that certainly happens when Michael Lysejko’s driving, yet melodic drums come into play. Even when Vogg’s guitars pick up the pace, there is a ‘jutting’ feeling to it that they deliver which only enhances the track.
That ominous feeling returns on “Deathvaluation” that is early on enhanced again by Vogg’s work, before then building into something much bigger. Tracks like “Kill The Cult” and “Never” see Decapitated deliver a traditional death metal sound, but have just enough melody in the music to set it apart from anything else out there. Just to show that they are still strong to their roots though, “Anger Line” is like a flash from the past and shows the bands’ full intensity. That same brutality is prevalent on “One Eyed Nation”, but again, the layered vocals set it apart from the rest of the herd.
Rasta is given a chance to shine on “Earth Scar” with some truly amazing vocals while the largely instrumental “Amen” becomes one of the best tracks on the album – not something that you normally expect from an ending piece of ‘filler.’ There is something deep and ethereal about the track, however, and its scant lyrics makes that even more so.
Anticult is one of those albums that really does show that there is more to death metal than what most people believe there is. Stunning instrumentals and great vocals show that despite the line-up changes over the years, Decapitated still have the right mix going.
