CD Reviews

Skeletonwitch | Forever Abomination

Prosthetic (2011)

By DANIEL BROCKMAN | October 25, 2011

4.0 Stars

Although composed of fun-loving party mavens from Ohio, Skeletonwitch on record have always left a trail of scorched earth that lacks in levity what it plentifully makes up for in sheer ass-kicking force. Like 2009's Breathing the Fire, this disc sees the 'Witch distilling their hairtrigger assault as breathless cannonades volley back and forth amidst trilling harmonics and beyond-fast-paced riffwork. The whole thing is nailed down by the blackened growl of Chance Garnette, who turns every tune into a dark descent into a godless abyss of flaming flesh and freezing forests of infinite sadness. Like I said, it's a far cry from the smash-beercan-on-forehead zaniness of their live assault, but that's a good thing when it results in honest-to-gosh catchy scream-alongs like "The Infernal Resurrection" and "Sink Beneath Insanity" — tunes that just beg you to recite their titles with a pointed finger and an exclamation after every word before hitting "Play" and headbanging yourself into a stupor. Like the best metal albums, it's over before you know it, and unlike some of SW's prior long-players, it doesn't all fly by like one long 35-minute haze of thrash. Acoustic interludes and a variety of drum-pummeling speeds give you time to pause before saying "Thank you, sir, may I have another?" It's Bummer Time, and in 2011 there is no better soundtrack for banging your head to oblivion.

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