Thy Art Is Murder - Hate (Album Review)

Album Type : Full Length

Date Released : 5/4/2013

Label : Nuclear Blast

 

Hate, album track listing:

1. Reign of Darkness	03:35
2. The Purest Strain of Hate	03:25
3. Vile Creations	03:32
4. Shadow of Eternal Sin	04:06
5. Immolation	03:22
6. Infinite Forms	04:32
7. Dead Sun (ft. Nico Webers from War From A Harlots Mouth)	03:40
8. Gates of Misery	02:55
9. Defective Breed	02:55
10. Doomed from Birth (ft. Joel Birch from The Amity Affliction)	04:24
Total playing time	37:11

Bio:

Rising from the unhallowed wastes of Western Sydney, Australia, extreme metal outfit THY ART IS MURDER have carved a trail of bloody mayhem since their inception in 2006. With an acclaimed EP and debut album in Infinite Death and The Adversary to their name and an insane online following, the band have traversed the highways and autobahns of Australia, the UK and Europe on a relentless crusade to destroy every venue and audience they can with like minded peers in a who’s who of heavy metal.

 

April 5, 2013 brings a new ritual offering of darkness from the five piece. Simply titled Hate, the band’s second full length is the pointed result of THY ART IS MURDER’s growing dissatisfaction with all aspects of modern life – political, religious, social and environmental – everyone is to blame. Fusing the blasting technicality of metal luminaries The Black Dahlia Murder with thunderous breakdowns and the intensity born of their nascent hometown scene; the blackened grandeur of Behemoth and the pit churning groove of Tampa originators Morbid Angel and Cannibal Corpse, the furious musical arrangements provide a bloody canvas for vocalist CJ McMahon’s outpourings of bile. No strangers to stoking controversy and criticism, the band have not toned down their art for the sake of palatability and have introduced a morose melodicism into their maelstrom – the rumination before pulling the trigger.

With their best work to date ready to be unleashed on an unsuspecting world, THY ART IS MURDER will once again take to the road to unleash the Hate with one simple message – get in the pit or get out of the way.© Nuclear Blast

Line up:

Chris McMahon | vocals

Tom Brown | guitar
Andy Marsh | guitar
Sean Delander | bass

Lee Stanton | drums

Review:

Oh Australia.  The Land Torn Asunder.  You’re a country of contradictions: your people are typically happy and carefree, but your music is a black nightmare sent from a particularly aggressive Satan to pulverise any thoughts of having a ‘no worries’ day.  And that’s where Thy Art Is Murder comes in.  ‘Hate’ is ten tracks of the most barbarous, brilliant metal to erupt from Sydney ever.  Let’s tear straight into it! 

Album opener ‘Reign of Darkness’ is a Titan: stomping forward on boots made of the darkest elements of metal, it crushes all underfoot with abandon.  It spews out riffery like a hydrothermal vent, deep and dark and full of primal energy.  When Chris McMahon growls out ‘you will know pain…’ then follows it up with the rending ‘YOU WILL SEE THE TRUE FACE OF PANIC!’ you feel as though you have finally looked up and seen the Titan’s boot looming over you.  This is the crush, and the true power of Thy Art Is Murder.  And there are still nine more tracks to go. 

The pseudo-titular track ‘The Purest Strain of Hate’ starts with a mighty barking drum blast, courtesy of Lee Stanton, before it commences tearing you apart, one layer of skin at a time.  It’s a seriously epic song, with everything you want in extreme metal: terrifying vocals, majestic guitar attacks and pummelling drum beats.  A real powerhouse performance by the Australian quintet. 

Trilling, threatening riffs begin ‘Vile Creations’: a spitting tirade against organised religions and all the hateful things done in the name of God.  The music reflects the frustration and anger perfectly: smashing drums, contemptuous guitars and truly venomous lyrics.  It would be wise to not try and annoy these fellows. 

‘Shadow of Eternal Sin’ starts of with a doomy, low-paced riff, then the blast beats and rage burst through the relative calm and punch the old riff in the face.  The new animal roars forth with power and anger and bared fangs, ripping into the listener with glee, McMahon chanting ‘YOU ALL WILL SUFFER!’ with a twisted smile, I’ve no doubt. 

Thy Art Is Murder kicks the heat up on ‘Immolation’, a suffocatingly brutal slice of metal that pounds at your windpipe and forces its boiling hatred down your throat.  Your eyes will pop at the sheer immensity of the track: it presses down upon your chest with its weight and will not alleviate the strain upon you until you have fully listened to what it has to say. 

Beaten, bloodied and staggering, you’ll find yourself freshly beset by ‘Infinite Forms’, a dark and sinister opponent with catchy hooks that intend to pierce straight through your flesh and hang you from the nearest lamp-post.  The guitars are volatile, brass-knuckled fists that swing and hit the target of your eardrums every time.  Think Cannibal Corpse mixed with Meshuggah mixed with a Molotov cocktail and you’ll get the idea. 

‘Dead Sun’ is a shredding, pulse-raising affair that features Nico Bronson/Webers from War From A Harlot’s Mouth doing some guest vocals, which only does to increase the viciousness tenfold.  Again, everything is spot-on and extreme to the very core: you’ll be lucky to escape with your eyebrows still attached to your head after a listen to this monumental song. 

‘Gates of Misery’ is a nihilistic, teeth-grinding piece of metal mayhem that shreds and rips at you with steel talons fashioned in the very darkest smithies of Hell.  Andy Marsh, Sean Delander and Tom Brown all contribute some truly astonishing guitar and bass work here: they are each masters of their craft, and have glittering careers ahead of them, I’ve no doubt. 

There’s barely a breath to be taken between tracks as ‘Gates of Misery’ halts and ‘Defective Breed’ hammers in with the force of a storm.  McMahon’s voice is Anger personified: a living beast made from all the frustrations of the world, and let loose to do damage to those who deserve it.  The entire track punches and kicks out at you, snarling and seething with bloodlust.  ‘Kneel before the King of Hell’ demands McMahon.  Who are we to cross him?

Our final track on ‘Hate’ is another monster, featuring Joel Birch from The Amity Affliction’s vocals.  ‘Doomed from Birth’ announces itself with a mighty bellow from both vocalists, and is just riff after rage-riddled riff.  It is so monumentally massive it could be used to smash down buildings.  The drum fills are superb, the guitaring off the charts: it’s a closer that makes you want to listen to the album all over again to experience the awe-inspiring scope of this extreme metal masterpiece. 

I tried to remain objective on this review, and failed miserably.  I’m not even sorry: Thy Art Is Murder’s ‘Hate’ is brilliant.  These Australians have crafted one of the finest metal albums of the year, if not the decade, and it demands and deserves your attention.  The Land Torn Asunder is roaring for your allegiance: you must answer the call. 

Words by : Chris Markwell

 

As ever, show your support to the band by checking them out at the various links and buying their merch. This record is available everywhere now. Thanks as always to Lottie Hunt / Hollie Arup @ Nuclear Blast for the hook up.

 

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