Decapitated

Carnival Is Forever

Written by: MST on 11/07/2011 17:25:26

Reviewing a new Decapitated album is never an easy task. Most people reading this will think of the band's classic albums from back when Wojciech "Sauron" Wąsowicz was the singer. However, those days were forever gone with Sauron's departure. When Adrian "Covan" Kowanek replaced Sauron on vocals, the vocals deviated from Sauron's deep growls and have taken on a more modern approach with semi-growls and screams. The music was clearly still Decapitated on 2006's "Organic Hallucinosis", but since then an accident has bereft the world of drummer Witold "Vitek" Kiełtyka (R.I.P. Vitek) and caused the comatose of singer Covan that he has still not recovered from. In 2011, a new team has been assembled and Decapitated present to us their fifth studio album, "Carnival Is Forever".

It is safe to say that if you weren't able to get past the vocal change on the last album, it will annoy you equally on this album. New singer Rafał Piotrowski sports a similar voice, and there are still no growls to be heard. If you are able to accept that though (or perhaps even enjoy it) Decapitated do not disappoint. Main man and guitarist Wacław "Vogg" Kiełtyka still does what he does to excellency. There is no shortage of technical riffs and deliciously odd song structures, especially in album openers "The Knife" and "United". But it isn't until the title track rolls in as track number 3 that the album really surprises; almost breaking the 9-minute marker, this song starts with a relaxing instrumental part before all hell breaks loose and the death metal commences. The song structures and vocal lines fit in perfectly with each other, and it doesn't feel wrong to use the word catchy in this death metal song. Halfway through, the instrumental part slows the listener down again briefly before the song breaks out again. This song structure is continued in a lesser manner later on with "A View From A Hole", after the two songs that have been puclically released so far are done. Why the band chose to release the two least interesting songs from the album puzzles me, as "Homo Sum" and "404" are inferior to the rest of the album in this humble reviewer's opinion.

What Decapitated have done here is what they've done throughout their entire career; they never repeat themselves. They've evolved ever since their formation, and "Carnival Is Forever" seems the natural successor to "Organic Hallucinosis". It is somewhat darker at times, and then perfectly contrasts the darkness with the instrumental guitar parts. Album closer "Silence" ends the album perfectly in this manner after the energetic "Pest" has finished, leaving all fans who aren't obsessed with Sauron completely satisfied.

8

Download: The Knife, United, Carnival Is Forever, A View From A Hole
For The Fans Of: Cryptopsy, Vader, Deicide's "To Hell With God"
Listen: MySpace

Release Date 15.07.11
Nuclear Blast Records

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