Review Summary: Church of Misery makes their familiar murder doom feel refreshing with Born Under a Mad Sign
Church of Misery’s doom about serial killers formula isn’t one prone to much change on the surface, but their fifth proper album has an almost back to basics feel to it. In contrast to the Americanized version of the band seen on 2016’s And Then There Were None, Born Under a Rad Sign returns to a fully Japanese lineup of musicians. Drummer Toshiaki and session guitarist Yukito Okazaki were recruited from Eternal Elysium while vocalist Kazuhiro Asaeda previously appeared on Vol. 1 in their pre-murder metal days.
This mix of old and new blood subsequently lends itself to a rough and tumble attitude not seen on this album’s more rigid predecessor while still benefitting from a concentrated sense of structure. The vocals throw their borderline tuneless holler out there with a rock ‘n roll hamminess that comes out endearing while the drums put in plenty of off-the-cuff patterns. Of course, bandleader Tatsu Mikami’s overdriven bass continues leading the charge and the thick guitars fill out with wild squeals and layers of grime.
And with the band’s talent for infectious riffs remaining just as persistent as their true crime lyrics, the songs are packed with that protometal through a sludge factor appeal. “Most Evil” and “Murder Castle Blues” play to their best strengths with crushing fuzz set to crawling swings that pick up speed at their climaxes. On the flip side, “Freeway Speed Madness” and “Come and Get Me Sucker” Dio into stoner metal territory with driving desert metal hustles. They even brought back their old tradition of covering a seventies rock deep cut with their take on Haystacks Balboa’s “Spoiler” dominated by organ.
Overall, Church of Misery makes the familiar feel refreshing with Born Under a Mad Sign. And Then There Were None may still be in regular rotation for me, but the band’s signature elements feel more natural here as the already strong songwriting is bolstered by more unhinged performances. It’s the sort of formula that would be played out in lesser hands by now yet may ultimately be counted among their best efforts to date. One probably shouldn’t get too attached to this lineup but one can still hope it won’t take another seven years for this maniac to strike again.
