Review Summary: New Zealand’s most ferocious extreme metal group Ulcerate assaults the world’s ears with their fifth LP “Shrines of Paralysis,” which ends up to be one of the most rewarding listens of 2016 metal, if you can handle the back-breaking hour long chao
In the world of technical death metal one can never have too many disharmonic guitar riffs or frantic drum fills to make your head spin, but one thing you might find it lacking is true individuality. You must sift through the dissonance and find a place to stand and gather your thoughts long enough to make sense of the bombardment of noise penetrating your ears. A rewarding listen is one that’s an acquired taste, a listen that invokes your whole attention time and time again until, through persistence, you gain a musical perspective you previously lacked. This is the case with most extreme metal albums, since the boundaries are always being pushed and the impossible is constantly getting more and more extinct in extreme metal. Gladly, Ulcerate has found a strong bond between sporadic technical death metal and atmospheric post-metal that modern extreme metal bands have been missing all along.
A band spawned out of New Zealand under the name “Bloodwreath” has grown into what we now know today as Ulcerate. And thank God they changed their name because “Bloodwreath” does not convey the type of music Ulcerate does, and Ulcerate definitely brings a brutal image to mind. In 2012 the band signed on with Relapse for their 4th LP which received much critical praise and brought about much anticipation for future projects. Today, Ulcerate has been favorably compared to many legendary death metal bands such as Gorguts and Neurosis, two names you don’t play around with. So, who was surprised when Ulcerate dropped one of 2016’s greatest extreme metal record of the year? Probably no one.
From beginning to end, “Shines of Paralysis” never lets up on the aggressive gas pedal that has propelled them to the position they’re at. From the mind-battering intro “Abrogation” to the unrelenting outro that is “End of Hope,” Ulcerate obliterates all competition by intricately crafting some of the most complex drum work that has ever graced your ears coupled with the most disgusting and vile growls that sound as if they dropped the microphone in the pit of hell to get. You get the speed and aggressiveness of bands such as Fleshgod Apocalypse stirred with the most atmospheric side of the post-metal band Isis. Did I also mention this band is (unbelievably) a trio?
If you’re having trouble believing your ears (I know I am) these guys are currently on a US tour, so go out and support music! As far as extreme metal goes, if you can handle it, get this album. The only other albums I can see measuring up to its level of intensity and listenability are Nail’s new record and Piss Vortex’s. If you do build up the courage to press play, just remember to buckle up, to say the least, it’s going to be one hell of a ride.
Link: (https://www.facebook.com/speaksounds/photos/a.605084289662470.1073741837.361328134038088/614312002073032/?type=3&theater)
