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Corrupt Moral Altar - Mechanical Tides review




Bandcamp music player
Reviewer:
8.2

10 users:
6.7
Band: Corrupt Moral Altar
Album: Mechanical Tides
Release date: July 2014


01. Father Tongue
02. Blood Harmony
03. Die Glocke [feat. Jeff Walker]
04. Line Check
05. Wire Mother
06. Gin Dreams
07. Closed Casket
08. Sweet Talk
09. Admit Defeat [feat. Mitch Harris]
10. Garland Greene [feat. Jeff Walker]
11. River Blind
12. Black Chapter
13. Insect Politicians

Guys, guys, do you remember this? No matter how far you'd get those fingers up your ears, you couldn't just enjoy the first few minutes of your movie because you got your eardrums punctured? Yeah, well, Mechanical Tides starts exactly like that: with a loud bang that you will only associate with good memories in the future.

The first question you could ask me is "how could anyone endure forty-five minutes of pummelling grind in one sitting?". Easy like cheesy peas, two answers:

- intelligence in song-writing,
- variation in style and pace.


These are the two most remarkable features of this album. This isn't your usual "fuck-me-with-a-rusty-knife-with-a-dull-blade" grindcore. Indeed, these British young men play a rather rare blend of genres such as sludge, hardcore punk and grind. This richness of sound makes each song memorable and allows it to develop in its own unique way. Everything is there: groovy head-bobbing songs, fast and angry-punk driven ones, heavy time-stretching sludgy riffs in longer pieces, as well as a ballad - yes a ballad, a brutal ballad by the title of "Admit Defeat".

I wouldn't be much of a reviewer if I didn't point out Jeff Walker (Carcass) and Mitch Harris' (Napalm Death) contribution to Mechanical Tides, as both were nice enough to sacrifice a little bit of their vocal cords to help these guys get a little recognition. I'll let you decide whether it was crucial and memorable, but it does give you an idea to whom Corrupt Moral Altar look up to.

I don't want to get boring technical, and I'll just finish by saying that as antinomic as it sounds, these guys just succeeded in making an intelligent, yet brutal and funky grindcore album. This is only their début, need I remind you.

So pull out the fingers from your ears and let the "gentle-love-making-with-a-sharp-and-just-about-filthy-enough-knife" grindcore play, right here.


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

Written by Ilham | 10.11.2014




Comments

Comments: 5   Visited by: 102 users
10.11.2014 - 23:52
Auntie Sahar
Drone Empress
Call this ironic, but the fact that this is longer than usual when compared against grind standards actually makes me want to check it out more. I really love this style if I'm in the mood for it, but songs under 2 minutes generally tend to make me lose interest. So I think I'll definitely be checking this out
----
I am the Magician and the Exorcist. I am the axle of the wheel, and the cube in the circle. “Come unto me” is a foolish word: for it is I that go.

~ II. VII
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11.11.2014 - 00:12
Rating: 8
Ilham
Giant robot
Written by Auntie Sahar on 10.11.2014 at 23:52

Call this ironic, but the fact that this is longer than usual when compared against grind standards actually makes me want to check it out more. I really love this style if I'm in the mood for it, but songs under 2 minutes generally tend to make me lose interest. So I think I'll definitely be checking this out

Yeah, amongst the fourteen tracks, there are a couple short transitions here and there, two or three are just pure burts of energy under three minutes, but the big majority is over three minutes, with even a seven minutes long one.
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11.11.2014 - 00:20
Auntie Sahar
Drone Empress
Written by Ilham on 11.11.2014 at 00:12

Yeah, amongst the fourteen tracks, there are a couple short transitions here and there, two or three are just pure burts of energy under three minutes, but the big majority is over three minutes, with even a seven minutes long one.

Awesomesauce, I'll get on this tonight when I get off work then
----
I am the Magician and the Exorcist. I am the axle of the wheel, and the cube in the circle. “Come unto me” is a foolish word: for it is I that go.

~ II. VII
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11.11.2014 - 01:44
Lit.
Account deleted
Boy, Jeff Walker is everywhere nowadays. Second review in a row featuring an album he guests on.

Sounds like all kinds of fun, though. Definitely gonna give this a looking at.
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14.11.2014 - 11:48
Rating: 8
Ilham
Giant robot
Written by Guest on 11.11.2014 at 01:44

Boy, Jeff Walker is everywhere nowadays. Second review in a row featuring an album he guests on.

Sounds like all kinds of fun, though. Definitely gonna give this a looking at.

Yeah I personally don't think his contribution is very remarquable. It did introduce some variety and gave a slightly a little "oldschool" feel to the song though.

I highly recommend it to you, knowing you liked Hammer Of The Witch (right?) to mention something off the top of my head, I wouldn't be surprised if you found this to be right up your alley.
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