EP REVIEW: Vile Conduct – Bodysnatcher
2022’s Bleed-Abide saw BODYSNATCHER put the entire scene on notice with its raw and unrelenting power. Their brand of deathcore, which tends to be more core than death, resonates well with the two-stepping, windbreaker-wearing pit lovers as well as the more modern LORNA SHORE lovers. Their latest EP, entitled Vile Conduct, is full of just that. It’s brutal and packed with all the filth you would come to expect the band to produce. While they haven’t reinvented the deathcore wheel so to speak, they have managed to refine their sound and expertly mix that early 00s sound with a modern flair of polished production values.
Opener Infested wastes no time in unleashing pure unbridled rage with its “Kill the parasite!” call to arms hitting the listener with malicious intent. The insidious screams of one of the three Kyles (Medina in this case) echo through your soul and open up the seventh circle of Hell during their seismic breakdowns. His voice is ungodly and adds so much more weight to the already crushing instrumentals.
Severed kicks in swiftly with a fantastic call and refrain which will no doubt go down well in a live setting. It’s an evil-sounding track that even features a sample from a ‘Clicker’ from The Last Of Us, which anyone who has played the game or seen the show will understand its unsettling nature. Drummer Chris Whited is in fine form throughout the EP and stands out on every track as an absolute beast behind the kit.
Human Disdain is BODYSNATCHER at their meat and potatoes best. It’s a hulking track that’ll be sure to cause a surge of bodies to pit like rabid animals. The other two Kyles (Carter and Shope) are a force to be reckoned with; the former’s riffs are as contagious as they are crushing.
Not only is the music itself heavy, but so are the lyrical themes, as heard in the EP highlight Murder8 which deals with the ever-growing Fentanyl pandemic that’s leaving death and misery in its wake. It’s filled with so much anger and hurt that is further shown with the added aggression brought in by HATEBREED frontman and all-round hardcore legend Jamey Jasta. His voice suits this style of deathcore perfectly and is a solid choice for a guest vocalist. The breakdown hits with such ferocity it’ll level buildings.
The closing track Say Goodbye feels like a continuation of Murder8 and features moments of reflection within the anger. It’s hate-filled just like the rest of the EP and at this point the hatred has been hammered home. You can feel the pain within each note played. This is loud and brash deathcore with tons of heart and gut-wrenching emotion.
BODYSNATCHER have proven time and time again that they are masters of their craft and yet somehow people still won’t admit they’re worthy of the top spot in deathcore. With this EP they once again step their game up and are ready to make the scene their bitch.
Rating: 8/10
Vile Conduct is out now via MNRK Heavy.
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