Band:	Cancer Christ
Album:	God Is Violence
Style:	Grindcore, Crossover thrash metal
Release date:	January 05, 2024
Guest review by:	Cynic Metalhead

01. Hail Christ Intro
02. Do You Wanna Go To Heaven?
03. Baptized In Piss And Shit
04. God Hates Cops
05. Hail Christ I
06. Bring Back The Guillotine
07. Prosperity Preacher
08. Interlude
09. Jesus Got A Big ‘Ol Cock
10. Tithe Or Die
11. Hail Christ V
12. God Made Me Do It
13. Hail Christ IV
14. God Bless The Rapists
15. Taking Up Serpents
16. The Blood Of Jesus
17. Satan Is A Bitch
18. Hail Christ II
19. Make Them All Dead
20. The Sermon

When you see an album cover like this, it reminds you of bands like Municipal Waste, Exhumed, or Pig Destroyer. The sounds of these bands closely resemble that of this band hailing from LA with a cockeyed name, Cancer Christ. Formed in 2020, they churned out two EPs of blasting crossover thrash, before releasing a full-length debut album 4 years later titled God Is Violence. Visitors to their website are greeted with the following message in huge pop-up text:



As zany as might be expected from a crossover thrash metal band leaning slightly towards grindcore.

God Is Violence is a mixed sack of shit of grindcore and punk fused with a barrage of industrial and electronic elements. There’s a lot of mad shit going on in the brief 26-minute duration of the album, packed with a relentless assault of industrial noise, violent grindcore bursts, anarchic punk energy, and pervasive religious iconography. From the industrial punk fury of "Baptized In Piss And Shit" to the incendiary condemnation of sexual assaulters in "God Bless The Rapists," the album is a volatile mix of sound and fury. "Prosperity Preacher" blends the aggressive styles of Ministry and early Napalm Death. There are also interludes ("Hail Christ V" and "Worship Interlude") in the album that shift from unsettling to downright terrifying, upping the overall sense of chaos. However, the rest of the album plods along at the same frequency.

In terms of songwriting, the band falls short of constructing a catchy and clear hook, and the lyrics on God Is Violence seem to be penned down by a 18-year-old kid whose infatuation with Cannibal Corpse hasn't ended yet. The production sounds dreadful, as evident in the messy guitars, and furls a chaotic blend of imaginary and tangible sound as your mind gets caught in the maelstrom. Cancer Christ's attempts to capture the sound of its contemporaries feel very unserious here, and it blatantly shows in this offering.

Despite its shortcomings, I foresee the potential of Cancer Christ producing quality releases after now having one full-fledged album under their belt. I'd love to see them coming out of adolescence and producing constructively memorable albums in a genre where there is a healthy amount of innovation and experimentation.

Highlights: "Prosperity Preacher"