I first got acquainted with Disbelief about 20 years ago when they ripped up the stage with their raucous, in-your-face metal, releasing the appropriately titled “Spreading the Rage”. “Killing Karma” is their eleventh album, the tenth being “The Ground Collapses” in 2020. On the basis of that one and everything that’s gone before it, I couldn’t imagine we’re going to be spared from the usual rage.

The chain gang is evidently out as “Reborn” pumps out. Forward-driving, sinister and atmospheric, it’s puts us in the mood for more aural hardship. The tempo is raised with the technically twisty and rapid-fire start to “Killing Karma”. Pumping fumes, driving drums and ominous guitar lines are encased in the melody. Disbelief sure know how to structure a song. Jagger’s vocals are harsh but not unpleasant, and are enhanced with a faint echo to make them linger. The pumping heaviness continues with “The Scream that Slowly Disappeared”. Drums roll hard and fast, the riff is solid, the subject matter is sinister. This is the Disbelief I know. They are in their stride now. Hard and heavy is where it’s at. This may be the case but the songs are full of energy and life. The thunder rumbles on.

After a series of breathtakingly fast but controlled songs, the clouds darken and in sweeps the slower “Morbid Man”. Disbelief have the armoury to deliver, punish us and create nightmares with slower songs. It helps the progress of the album. The previous three or four songs have dropped into a pattern and it needed a change. “Morbid Man” builds up and finishes powerfully. The energy levels receive another boost with “Condemnation”, a smoking, dynamic song and one of many here which would come over well if played live. In fact, the album as a whole has the feel of a live performance. It’s back to pounding heaviness with the murderous “Flash of Inspiration” and “The End of Gods”. Solid and chunky as ever, compromise is not allowed. There is space for a lush guitar line in amongst this catchy carnage. “This Last Order” has more metal colour than most without losing the customary punch. At this late stage of the album variety appears in small quantities admittedly. Amid the thumping rhythm of “Millennium” there’s a chorus which could have come from Peter Tätgren’s Pain. This is a cover of the track by Killing Joke. Rampantly controlled drums and guitars then provide the final burst of raging energy “Fragile Aeon”.

There’s no doubt that Disbelief know how to build well-constructed heavy metal songs. I guess it doesn’t matter that they’re made with the same ingredients if they have quality and they do. In fairness there are variations on a typically dark melodic metal theme, but they’re subtle. This is a band with a trademark sound. What I took from “Killing Karma” was its power and energy and my ability, thanks to this well-drilled band, to be swept along by it.

(8.5/10 Andrew Doherty)

https://www.facebook.com/disbelief.official

https://listenable-records.bandcamp.com/album/killing-karma-2