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Whitechapel - Whitechapel review



Reviewer:
8.5

126 users:
7.82
Band: Whitechapel
Album: Whitechapel
Release date: June 2012


01. Make It Bleed
02. Hate Creation
03. (Cult)uralist
04. I, Dementia
05. Section 8
06. Faces
07. Dead Silence
08. The Night Remains
09. Devoid
10. Possibilities Of An Impossible Existence

Among the vast sea of today's deathcore bands, the sextet out of Tennessee expanded their musical array and delivered one of their best albums to date.

Spoiler alert: If you believe that their 2008 release This Is Exile is the best thing since sliced bread, stop reading, you probably wont like their new stuff.

With that said, Whitechapel are at it again, and while maybe a little presumptuous to self-title their fourth studio album, I believe Whitechapel speaks for itself.

So where to start? I couldn't have said it any better myself, so I am opening with a very fitting quote by one of our own Metal Storm forum members: "Not sure if my music tastes are deteriorating or Whitechapel are getting better. Either way, I like it."

Whitechapel still has some of the hectic and furious deathcore elements ala This Is Exile but it also exploits the groovier parts off A New Era Of Corruption in greater depth. An easy task with three guitarists, and they actually do use them to the fullest. Be it with a triple rhythm assault on your ears, a double dose of heavy chugging to offset some melodic riff, or the awesome catchy solos nicely placed throughout the entire album.

Yes, there are still the signature breakdowns and blast beats but with the incorporation of more subtle sounds the whole album appears to flow together, rather then just being a brutal assault on the senses.

The band always had one or two instrumental songs in their repertoire so it's no surprise that they stayed with this formula for Whitechapel as well. "Section 8" off their 2011 EP Recorrupted made its way onto the new album and with said song and "Faces" the brutality of the band is very much alive. But "Possibilities Of An Impossible Existence" is the prime example of how the band moved to the more "easy listening" side of deathcore. Not a bad thing in my book, and I believe Whitechapel will appeal to a much broader range of fans this way.

Phil Bozeman dug deep into his inner self with the lyrical content of the album, with each song talking about a different topic rather then a common scheme. I thought his vocals were outstanding on A New Era Of Corruption and am more than pleased with his performance this time around. He definitely showcases his vocal range and not just his abilities of screaming and gurgling.

Paying homage to their prior three albums at the start of "Make It Bleed", Phil might indicate that it was time to change: "We've been somatically defiled, exiled, and now this new era has come to an end." But while the musical approach of the new album was a gutsy move and shows their commitment to evolve as songwriters and as a band in general, it might also alienate them from the core, and very unforgiving, scene fans.


Rating breakdown
Performance: 8
Songwriting: 8
Originality: 7
Production: 9





Written on 06.07.2012 by Former boss lady. Now just a professional concertgoer... dangerously armed with a camera!


Comments

Comments: 17   [ 1 ignored ]   Visited by: 302 users
07.07.2012 - 04:13
Rating: 8
Boxcar Willy
yr a kook
Gratz on the review!

Everyone is praising this, but i still probably won't check it out, I have a childish grudge against this band.
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14:22 - Marcel Hubregtse
I do your mum

DESTROY DRUM TRIGGERS
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07.07.2012 - 04:45
?apleee
Mouthcrab
I'm being completely serious when I say that I've seen MANY fans complain about how there are fewer breakdowns.
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"Without judgement, perception would increase a million times."~Chuck Schuldiner

Less coherent than Anal Cunt.

Eric Brecht once liked my Facebook comment. Therefore, by the translative property, Chuck Schuldiner like my comment.
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07.07.2012 - 04:47
Rating: 8
infernaldeath87

I love this band(Exile and Corruption stuff) and I am hesitant to buy the record. After loving JFAC's new record, I think I might go ahead and try my ear at the new stuff this band has to offer.
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07.07.2012 - 06:48
Void Eater
Account deleted
I was in love with this album for a few days, mainly do to the massive improvement over their previous work, but after a week or two, it's not particularly outstanding. Still very solid, but as far as death metalish stuff in 2012, it can't compare to Cattle Decap, Cannibal Corpse, and all those other albums released this year. And the people complaining about how this album has less breakdowns should just pick up a guitar, downtune it, and chug the bottom two strings to their hearts content.
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07.07.2012 - 06:49
Troy Killjoy
perfunctionist
I still haven't listened to this in full, but based on the try-hard deathcore fans lamenting the "change in direction", I'm honestly looking forward to see what they've come up with this time around.

Kudos on breaking your album review virginity.
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"Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something."
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07.07.2012 - 17:44
Sync
Account deleted
Hmm, Might check this album out. The only other Deathcore album I've enjoyed is the last BoO's album - despite being more proggy than Whitechapel, maybe I'll come to like a lot more albums in this genre ^^.
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07.07.2012 - 17:59
psykometal
A staff guy...
Quote:

Paying homage to their prior three albums at the start of "Make It Bleed", Phil might indicate that it was time to change: "We've been somatically defiled, exiled, and now this new era has come to an end."

That's kinda funny, and kool. Now I'm looking even more forward to checking this out in further detail...
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~Zep, Database and Forum Moderation~

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07.07.2012 - 18:13
D.T. Metal

Written by Troy Killjoy on 07.07.2012 at 06:49

I still haven't listened to this in full, but based on the try-hard deathcore fans lamenting the "change in direction", I'm honestly looking forward to see what they've come up with this time around.

Kudos on breaking your album review virginity.


Hahaha ... yes my review cherry has been popped

Deathcore sooooo not my first choice of music but somehow I always liked Whitechapel. Thought their last album was good, but I really dig the new one. Might be also since they actually DID go "softer".
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07.07.2012 - 18:24
Rulatore

This is boring. Can't feel the magic of it.
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07.07.2012 - 20:18
Zealot644

This album is the reason that Whitechapel found there place in my library.

Their last efforts were trash and I nearly overlooked this album, but after seeing so much praise from it - praise from communities which would have torn them apart normally, I decided I should check it out. They're definitely made huge strides and this album goes to show it. It's not absolutely mind blowing, but it's a solid album from a band which I'm sure the majority of us never expected to be capable of putting out a good album.

I hope they continue like this and keep improving because I never have a problem with more music to enjoy.
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07.07.2012 - 20:19
Zealot644

Written by Boxcar Willy on 07.07.2012 at 04:13

Gratz on the review!

Everyone is praising this, but i still probably won't check it out, I have a childish grudge against this band.


Admitting you have a problem is the first step to recovery!

I nearly passed it over myself due to thinking of them from a few years back and going "Ugh", but you should at least give it a spin.
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09.07.2012 - 12:51
Svneatr
Vitharr
Damn, I can't believe what I'm reading.

Might have to actually check this album out....
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11.07.2012 - 03:43
Urizen367

Written by ?apleee on 07.07.2012 at 04:45

I'm being completely serious when I say that I've seen MANY fans complain about how there are fewer breakdowns.


reasons why i weep for the musical future.
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I will not reason and compare, my business is to create.
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19.01.2014 - 02:09
TheMetalMan17

I've been a fan of Whitechapel since This is Exile, and I can say with all honesty that I hope they move to straight up Death Metal. I think they could all pull it off. Sure, some of the scene kids would stop liking the band, but who cares.
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06.11.2014 - 23:06
Rating: 9
flightoficarus
Stamp Tramp
This is their peak. They were at a crossroads after this one, and they opted for a route I can't follow them to. Next album is garbage. Just my opinion.
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15.02.2015 - 23:27
psykometal
A staff guy...
Written by flightoficarus on 06.11.2014 at 23:06

This is their peak. They were at a crossroads after this one, and they opted for a route I can't follow them to. Next album is garbage. Just my opinion.

Still think This Is Exile is their best.
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~Zep, Database and Forum Moderation~

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15.02.2015 - 23:35
Rating: 9
flightoficarus
Stamp Tramp
Written by psykometal on 15.02.2015 at 23:27

Written by flightoficarus on 06.11.2014 at 23:06

This is their peak. They were at a crossroads after this one, and they opted for a route I can't follow them to. Next album is garbage. Just my opinion.

Still think This Is Exile is their best.


That one is also very good.
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Daily underground metal recommendations at Metal Trenches.
Watch metal content on the Metal Trenches YouTube Channel.
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