Being a music nerd is more than being into one genre. As broad as Metal can be I cannot limit myself to that alone, and I’m not talking about dipping a toe into the likes of AC/DC, Rush or other metallic sounding Hard Rock/ Prog. I’m talking about the other end of the spectrum, Classical, Jazz, Trip-Hop, Vaporwave these are not the enemy of the Metal music nerd but rather reinforcements to a higher knowledge. In my mind to stick strictly to one genre shows a certain close mindedness, sure I love Death Metal more than anything else, but what’s wrong with a little Vivaldi?
Reaching into the realms of experimentation and collaboration of genres we find Deth Crux. Featuring members of the Doom band Buried At Sea and Blackened Death Metal legends Lightning Swords Of Death it is already clear that this band is eager to divulge in varying genres. Yet Deth Crux take a totally different path from Metal, combining Horror Punk and Goth Rock to name the basics Deth Crux launch forth with their debut full length Mutant Flesh through Aural Music, but is it a genre-defying masterpiece or a haberdashery of complexity?
The flares of Post-Punk, Horror Punk and early Goth in the vein of Bauhaus and Christian Death leap from this record straight away. The rumbling bass tone reminds me in part of early Misfits and the guitars are frantic laced with aggressive Punk Rock fury and even drizzled with the melancholic spite of The Sisters Of Mercy. Really this is a fully immersive experience and the influences never appear to stop clobbering more and more sounds into an already overflowing pot of influence and inspiration.
With so many facets can Mutant Flesh become sloppy, for me no. This album has a balance of consistency that flows throughout but the sound is kept fresh by dabbling from other genres. Just look at Black Abominable Lust and Persephone Is Half Human where a dare I say a Synthwave element is employed to great effect. The titular track is equally a very catchy number which fills my head with the thoughts of a more in your face First And Last And Always. Vocally this album is a real triumph and is sure to strike a chord with fans of Punk, Metal and Goth, melancholic and at times even likened to In Solitude Mutant Flesh is a complete rollercoaster of alternative sub cultures.
Overall I loved Mutant Flesh, it’s something different, something new and absolutely genre-defying if you enjoy any form of alternative music then I fail to see how this won’t please you. Horror splattered, modern, aggressive, emotive, melodic Mutant Flesh has it all. I will be paying very close attention to this band in the future I genuinely think Deth Crux have the power to command quite the fan base. For me bands whom always stand out from the crowd as silly as it is to say are the ones who pay no attention to genres, sure genres nazis such as myself will pull everything apart but the artistic license provided from the musicians themselves is not stifled or put into a box.
(9/10 George Caley)
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