Better than Relentless, but not even close to good in my opinion.

Listened to most of the album, and going from that yeah, it's a bit heavier, has a few black metal riffs but the songs are completely mundane through to total crap. The vocals are still painfully flat too. Not a patch on Hate Crew Deathroll or anything before it. I'm guessing CoB have lowered people's expectations so much that a minor return to sound is enough for people to consider this good.

"that great work released ten years ago (yes you're getting old)"

YES... we are!!!

Imo Something Wild and Hatebreeder was the best COB era ever. I don't think 'Halo Of Blood' is anywhere as superior as those albums, but I totally agree with the review. It's the legitimate follow up from Hate Crew and it's definitely the the best album since then. Some of the songs on AYDY onwards were okay, a different style but not as creative like the early days. I think they hit the mark on this album, maybe this is a sign of better albums to come. I personally think they should take a step forward by taking a step back and going back to the style of the first 3 albums (in the follow ups at least).

Quote:
The opener "Waste Of Skin" totally fits as "Needled 24/7" in a newer version.

At one point I actually caught myself unawares singing the chorus to "Needled 24/7" to that song...

Great review. Some people just can't seem to view this as a pretty good album regardless as to whether or not it sounds like Hatebreeder and that's ok. I got a bit of a Dissection-kinda vibe from it.

Written by [user id=4365] on 13.07.2013 at 16:26

The vocals are still painfully flat too. Not a patch on Hate Crew Deathroll or anything before it. I'm guessing CoB have lowered people's expectations so much that a minor return to sound is enough for people to consider this good.

Bingo. For me its a decent effort but at the end of the day, listening to one of their older albums is a better idea. I agree about the vocals especially and find a 10 in performance for this album way over the top. Although one of the songs I cant remember which has an awesome keyboard solo.

Listening to anything by this band basically just makes me crave Kalmah.

It's a good album. Some people will hate on COB just because it's the cool thing to do and it makes them look trve, but that's always to be expected in this genre. IMO their best album since AYDY, and maybe as good as it. 8/10.

EDIT - Forgot to add, second half of the album (Tracks 5-9) is way better than the first half IMO.

Really you consider hate crew death roll great? wow ummm ok to each his own but in my opinion that album sucked giant smelly donkey balls. Follow The Reaper was trully great though

Great Review man, took the words right outta my mouth ! i can actually say i'm pretty stoked to the next record. i just really hope to take it up a level. maybe go back to the hatebreeder style. as it is my favorite record lol.

Multiple times in the review I asked myself if we were listening to the same album or maybe I just missed all these seemingly great sounding things during my first listens of the album. But alas, I still find the album extremely lackluster.

I want to like the album but really it sounds more like a half-baked pre-Something Wild demo more than a true and triumphant CoB comeback.

Great review, nice album and nice comeback for CoB

Written by Lanthros on 16.07.2013 at 19:54

Really you consider hate crew death roll great? wow ummm ok to each his own but in my opinion that album sucked giant smelly donkey balls. Follow The Reaper was trully great though

same question here, IMO its worst