The biological Cancer as everyone knows can grow inside anyone at any age, although when it is black depressive metal it will probably only grow in the hearts and minds of the people who love it – sometimes this genre can be difficult to embrace but from the get go, this black metal band tears strips off the audial and conjures up dark and malignant thoughts that manifest in the deepest of people’s fears. The high pitched screams are haunting and terrifying and leave a black bitterness on the tongue, running its course of captivation deep within what is a very creative encounter.
It’s very unique in a sense and doesn’t sum up the usual run of the mill black metal for me at all. It is far too ‘alive’ to simply fall into just ‘black metal’ although the emotional part does strike a few chords, be them more in a melodic vein. As you listen to the wailing banshee cries you can feel an icy finger move from the top of your spine to the base with icy cold shivers that follow.
The glorious rampage is heightened by a sinister, haunting destruction and a sheer blackness that infests under the skin, like Cancer itself, but without the chemotherapy that makes your hair fall out! It’s a very bold EP from Cancer that leads with emotion, dark riffs and malevolent energy, setting about imposing its venomous rhythms into a blackened soul with yet uplifting consequences. It’s only when you get to ‘To taste your Contempt’ that you feel a slight change in direction, where things start to sound ‘black metal’ but can even be described as epic in delivery. The vocal is gnarly and possesses a demonic madness as the tempo quickens to a striking pace and combines evil personified. The final track takes a sidestep back again and tries to defy its roots with a blood curdling scream that bares testimony the band sound less human and more animalistic with each and every engaging rhythm that follows.
There is a toxic beauty contained within all five tracks on this brilliantly thought out and crafted EP. Raw in places, epic in others but somehow they have managed to capture something for everyone who isn’t even remotely into black metal which is a feat in itself and a clever move for Cancer.
Do not be afraid of Cancer this one is good!
