Review: Mutilation Rites- Harbinger

It’s hard to ignore hype.  When I see trusted (relatively speaking) metal sites getting themselves in a twist, I have big expectations.  I want to find something to fall in love with.  Maybe that’s my fault for being too eager and too optimistic, but can SO MANY VOICES be wrong?

Well, yes.  And maybe they’re not wholly wrong, but sometimes misguided.  Hell, I still don’t get why people were climbing the walls over Skeletonwitch.  But I digress.

I had high hopes for Harbinger.  With all the hype, I thought it would be a love-at-first-listen scenario, and it just wasn’t.  There are a few “oh shit, cool!” moments, like the really punk-y, drum-driven break in ‘Exhaling or Breathing In.’  ‘Gravitational Collapse’ had me nodding along for parts, at least.  At times, I hear really interesting bass, drum parts or guitar riffs, but there’s something in the mix or song structure that throws me off so that I’ve immediately forgotten what it was.  The beginning riff in ‘Contaminate,” for example, very infectious, but when the vocals start, they completely steal the focus.  With five or eight songs topping the 5 minute mark, some restraint and editing could have sharpened the focus on some of the longer tracks. 

Admittedly, it’s competent.  There are definitely moments where each member really shines.  And while efforts to transcend arbitrary genre boundaries are appreciated, Harbinger isn’t quite my cup of blended tea.  I get why people like it.  It’s accessible-  there’s a lot of notable (dare I say trendy?) elements- this specific style of tortured yelling, the guitar tone and dissonant riffs, mixing bits of sludge and black metal, the catchy, black n roll drum beats that pop up- but this one’s not for me.

With all the voices clamoring over mine though, hey, I could be wrong.  Maybe I’ll come back to this in a year or two and ask for forgiveness.

Check it for yourself: http://www.decibelmagazine.com/featured/mutilation-rites-full-album-stream-harbinger/