Review Summary: Cutting the Throat of Brevity
Ulcerate is a New Zealand-based death metal band that has been on the warpath for well over twenty years. Through steadfast dedication, they've garnered a highly devoted following, and carved their own impressive sonic niche. Their technical ability can't be understated and every musical brick is laid with the utmost precision. To take a page from their thematic playbook, the music is an immaculate canvas of unwavering intensity, adorning Earth's crumbling walls as we descend into our self-wrought inferno. On the surface, this band appears to be the embodiment of extreme metal perfection, with this latest release further solidifying an unblemished legacy. There is just one problem: it's boring as hell. While "Cutting the Throat of God" has all the ingredients to be an exemplary death metal affair, the album suffers from painful redundancy and simply being too ambitious for it's own good.
Unfortunately, Ulcerate's commitment to being anti-formulaic has come full-circle, where the eclectic blend of ideas has become a formula unto itself. The onslaught of cymbal strikes, blast beats, technical riffs, and reverb-drowned vocals is admittedly intriguing at face-value, but grows tired rather quickly. The lack of innovation and memorable hooks makes the cacophony feel more like a plodding chore, rather than a compelling experience. Within minutes of starting the album, you'll find yourself lulling in and out of focus, trying to find some semblance of memorability amidst the white noise.
"To Flow Through Ashen Hearts" opens the record and, for better or worse, sets the tone for what is to come. There are some nice dynamics, with Hoggard playing resonant cleans atop Jamie's signature cymbal work, and seemingly infinite possibilities loom. But hopes of a pleasant listen are soon dashed with the same gratuitous ferocity that plagues the entire record. Hoggard frantically layers and lurches between bombastic tremolo registers, Jamie fills every measure with kicks and blasts, and Paul keeps groaning about how people are just the worst. It's excessive to a fault, and while the band makes every effort to be as dark and extreme as possible, ultimately all we get is a withered husk of potential.
The unapologetic lack of restraint, memorable hooks, and innovation makes each of these 7+ minute tracks blur together into an amalgam of monotonous sludge. You could easily put this album on, walk away for ten minutes, and return without any idea you'd missed anything. The lack of songwriting dynamics aren't aided by the length, which is a grueling 57 minutes of nihilistic self-indulgence. "Undying as an Apparition" is the worst offender, as it tediously pans between virtually identical sections of blast beats and clean guitars we've heard a million times before. It's a grating, exhausting track to endure, offering more of the same technicality devoid of humanity.
While I have my share of gripes with this record, it's important to note the strengths as well. The most obvious being the talent of the performers. You can't dispute their abilities as performers, with some highly impressive musicianship on display. There are a few notable moments as well, including the outro of "Further Opening the Wounds" which is a wonderful flurry of textures, with the band firing on all cylinders and everything coming together. The intro of "Transfiguration In and Out of Worlds" also offers some slick grooves with Jamie laying down impeccable cymbal work as always. Lastly, the production is the best it's ever been, with every musical layer given plenty of room to breathe and shine in full glory.
Overall, "Cutting the Throat of God" is largely style over substance. It's by no means a terrible record, but the monotonous and protracted songwriting hampered my enjoyment for what could've been a fantastic experience. This record has neither the intensity of "Everything Is Fire", the atmosphere of "The Destroyers of All", nor the balance of both in "Shrines of Paralysis", and ultimately falls flat compared to their prior works. Thank you for reading.
