ALBUM REVIEW: Dear Desolation – Thy Art Is Murder

THY ART IS MURDER are one of the leading bands in modern extreme metal. The Australian noise makers have grown considerably in recent years and are now part of an elite group of bands that are spear-heading deathcore in the modern era of metal. Whilst the band may not have quite hit the heights that they were expected to since the release of 2015’s Holy War, 2017 sees the arrival of album number four, Dear Desolation, with a revitalised CJ McMahon in tow. But does this new offering from the Aussie metallers elevate them to the status that so many have expected?

One thing is certain about Dear Desolation, this is a record that takes no prisoners as across its ten tracks, THY ART IS MURDER present an absolutely savage listening experience that will leave you floored. Slaves Beyond Death opens the record in the best possible way as a combination of savage riffing and double bass drum blasts keeps the momentum in top gear whilst CJ McMahon‘s iconic roars match the monumentally heavy sound. It’s a fantastic way to kick off the record.

From there, Dear Desolation continues to present a devastating soundscape as THY ART IS MURDER step up through the gears and really start to fire on all cylinders. The Son of Misery boasts frantic riffing from Andy Marsh and Sean Delander with McMahon‘s vocals roaring above the musical carnage before subsiding into a haunting lead solo that sets a haunting atmosphere whilst Death Dealer packs enough power to level a city through a monstrous breakdown and bombastic blasts from Lee Stanton. It’s absolutely enormous and showcases the sheer power behind THY ART IS MURDER‘s sound.

Whilst the band’s sound has always been finely tuned to craft a devastating soundscape, and that is more than evident on Dear Desolation, CJ McMahon steals the show with vocal deliveries that are consistently outstanding. Appearing revitalised, McMahon‘s trademark vocals front the audio assault and never once get lost in the mix, with his range of visceral highs and menacing rumbling lows matching the tone for each track. It really is a highlight throughout the album, one which showcases the energy that is now bursting at the seams for THY ART IS MURDER.

That being said, the rest of the band still excel in their respective performance. Lee Stanton‘s machine gun fire-esque work on the drums is still as exhilarating as ever and his positive chemistry with bassist Kevin Butler ensures that the momentum is maintained throughout the record’s duration. Andy Marsh and Sean Delander bounce off each other with absolute ease, with intertwining and complex riffs flowing into monolithic breakdowns without buckling the momentum. A clear example of this is the title track which is one of the strongest moments on Dear Desolation. Here, the track showcases a band at their very best and is one that will surely become a staple of their live sets in the shows to come.

The problem that seems to plague many heavy records is that there is a lag in the record’s final third and THY ART IS MURDER thankfully have avoided this by presenting a final third that is as exhilarating as the record’s opening. Into Chaos We Climb boasts one of the album’s best solos, one which will raise the hairs on the back of your neck whilst final track, The Final Curtain engulfs you through sweeping riffs that boast sheer aggression whilst a chilling atmosphere is maintained through the impressive lead work from guitarist Andy Marsh. It’s a triumphant way to end the album.

Dear Desolation is THY ART IS MURDER at their very best. Appearing revitalised and with the hunger back in their stomachs, the band have created an utter beast with this album. This is a record that holds nothing back, one which will continuously pound you into oblivion, and that, is exactly what people expect. Dear Desolation will surely elevate THY ART IS MURDER to the top of pile in heavy music, a spot in which they truly deserve with this release.

Rating: 9/10

Dear Desolation is set for release on August 18th via Nuclear Blast Records.

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