Czech black metal veterans Maniac Butcher are back after a near 10 year hiatus with their latest full length (though it's just shy of 30 minutes long) collection of blasphemy, Masakr. Despite the layoff, Barbarud, Blasphemer, Coroner, Infernal, and Lord Obst haven't lost a step, as they still successfully deliver furious, traditional sounding black metal without any of the trimmings. That's right, if you are expecting atmosphere, acoustic guitars, keyboards, whispered or female vocals, you've come to the wrong place.
Taking avenues more akin to classic Hellhammer, Immortal, or Gorgoroth, Maniac Butcher deliver plenty of raging, maniacal sounds here on Masakr. Tracks such as "Ten Cruel Winters", "Riding Through the Darkest Woods", and "Fatal Decision" sound like they could have been recorded in 1993, complete with hellish vocals, jackhammer blast beats, and rapid tremelo picked guitar riffs. In fact, the weaving guitars of Blasphemer & Infernal mesh quite well together, especially on the more intricate tracks "Unholy Confessional Blasphemy" and "Bloody Massacre", and the duo get all epic on our asses with the glorius closer "An Awful End...". Expect some tasty solos too sprinkled throughout, which is a nice surprise.
Though the CD is a tad short, and for some its relentless assault might be too much to take, there's no denying that Masakr is a solid old school styled black metal platter for fans looking for something different from all the atmospheric & symphonic acts filling up the genre these days. Maniac Butcher are back folks, so either revel in it or run and hide.
Track Listing
1) Ten Cruel Winters
2) Riding Through the Darkest Woods
3) Fatal Decision
4) Unholy Confessional Blasphemy
5) Bloody Massacre
6) An Awful End...
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