ALBUM REVIEW: Graveside Confessions – Carnifex

Deathcore daddies CARNIFEX are back with a brand-new slab of blackened brutality that solidifies itself as another scorcher to add to their catalogue. After their breakout debut full-length Dead In My Arms arrived on the scene, CARNIFEX fought side by side with bands like WHITECHAPEL and SUICIDE SILENCE to be the kings of deathcore. Over time their sound evolved, adding more synth and blackened elements which gave their style a much grander feel and laid the blueprints for a lot of bands now moving in a similar direction.

Graveside Confessions not only continues in this style but also shows that the band haven’t forgotten their roots by re-recording 3 tracks from their debut. This fresh coat of paint breathes new life into these songs and they still sound as powerful today as they did back in 2007.

The title track gives us an introduction to how this album will go and straight away you’re hit with that signature CARNIFEX bite. And it bites hard! Blasts hit you with no regard for your wellbeing before Scott Lewis opens the gates of hell with his trademark shriek. The bounce in the chorus is one we’re all familiar with after listening to the last few CARNIFEX albums and it’s impossible not to move your body. It builds towards a monstrous breakdown with down-tuned chugging over horror film keys.

Pray For Peace sounds like it came straight from 2016’s Slow Death and is a perfect mix of old and new CARNIFEX. The groove-laden riffs will open up any pit with ease and the middle section break will leave you feeling violated. The same can be said for album highlight Cursed. The euphoric guitar work makes the hairs on the back of your neck stand up. It’s unsettlingly uplifting. Elsewhere, Talk To The Dead is as barbaric as it is cathartic. Lewis‘ performance is immaculate throughout and it’s his piercing screams through the album’s most aching moments that showcase his talent.

Halfway through we’re treated to a welcome breather in January Nights. It’s an instrumental that acts as a midway rest stop for the album but doesn’t really add much else. It’s at this point the album starts to become a little overbearing. Cemetery Wander and Countess Perpetual Torment are decent tracks, but you might start to realise that each track follows a very distinct formula. It’s broken up again by a cover of KORN‘s Dead Bodies Everywhere which is solid but can’t match the original.

Things pick back up again with Cold Dead Summer, a track whose sludgy riffs lead the charge from the beginning. It opens up to another powerful chorus that features a neck-snapping ending, while Alive For The Last Time after it features some beautiful piano moments that fit perfectly within the brutality.

In terms of production, everything is cranked up to the max. At this point, we’re 11 tracks in and it’s becoming a little overbearing. It feels like there is no air to let anything breathe even for a second. This could be due to them dropping to a four-piece since World War X. While it makes everything sound super brutal, louder isn’t always better with an onslaught like this. Packed with 15 tracks, Graveside Confessions is a little on the long side. Either the re-recordings/cover could have been given their own release, or another few tracks could have been cut to make it a more concise and less bloated affair.

2021 has already seen a deathcore resurgence with the new age of the genre shining bright, but with Graveside Confessions CARNIFEX shows that they are still a force to be reckoned with. It’s not perfect and there’s an argument that they stick too close to a formula but they still deserve their place among the rising talent pool.

Rating: 8/10

Graveside Confessions is set for release on September 3rd via Nuclear Blast Records.

Like CARNIFEX on Facebook.