Salt For Knives was recently formed from the remains of legendary old-school NM death metal bands. Their debut, Conglomerate Of Misery, is a fine specimen of unrefined, raw, brutal death metal (And, being available on Bandcamp, is yours for the ludicrous price of only $5). The music is extremely cacophonous, especially for those not acquainted with the genre. Dissonance and chaos define the band. One is bombarded by a fussilade of percussion, violent guitar riffs, and low pitched growls and screams. The lyrics are the typical death metal canon of mortality, destruction, hatred, and emnity. Certain elements of frontman Frank Green's previous work in Grinkai are carried over into this new project, notably the funky guitar riffs in the closing track, Break. However, this album is exemplary in its own right. Some bands are doomed to be cast in the shadows of their predecessors, but Salt For Knives definitely hold their ground.
The music itself is outstanding, but I was also drawn to the creepy cool album art, which is a macabre reminder of the fleeting, ephemeral nature of life, and the looming imminence of death. Impactful and fairly straightforward, the artwork also has some subtle nuances. For example, the clashing colors are indicative of the jarring, discordant music. Those familiar with Wiccan lore may also recognize that all five elements (earth, air, fire, water, and spirit) are represented.
This is what you listen to when you're simply pissed off at the world, or if you naturally have a fixation on the darkness. This is pure death metal undiluted by any qualifiers or subgenres. The way I usually judge a studio album is by asking myself the question: "Does it make me want to see them in concert?" In this instance, my answer is an emphatic "Fuck yeah." Four stars out of five.
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