“The great decay is on its way.”
Who would’ve thought that in 2022 deathcore would be one of the most talked-about subgenres in metal? Deathcore’s unforeseen rise to the forefront of extreme metal (and metal in general) has spawned a sea of breakdown-laden and symphonic tinged groups following in the steps of bands like Carnifex and of-course Lorna Shore. Unfortunately, this surge has done more to saturate the genre than to develop it, as the vast majority of these smaller bands are horrifyingly indistinguishable from each other. However, there are some who manage to sonically distance themselves from the pack and carve out their own niche. This includes Danish up-and-comers Cabal, whose newest full-length Magno Interitus shows just enough experimentation to differentiate itself from the rest while staying true enough to the deathcore formula to make it palatable for the masses.
Cabal carve out their niche in an interesting fashion; while the songs on Magno Ineritus are in no way lacking in the nuclear breakdowns and vicious grooves that define deathcore, there is also just as much (if not more) care put into the atmosphere and ambience of these songs. While most groups in the scene tend to aim for a more epic orchestral sound derived from groups such as Dimmu Borgir and Cradle of Filth, Magno Ineritus demonstrates a much more subdued and eerie approach to the atmosphere. The ambience is much more electronic and industrial than it is traditionally symphonic, at times sounding somewhat similar to Consvmer but with a much clearer influence from atmospheric black metal and even doom metal at times. The best point of comparison for the album would be thall groups such as Humanity’s Last Breath and Vildhjarta, as the album portrays a similar dark and eerie atmosphere, but stylistically Cabal does not sound like thall and contains more straightforward deathcore instrumentals, creating a niche which is fully their own. The breakdowns in tracks such as “Like Vultures” and “Exsanguination” demonstrate this fact perfectly, as they are barbaric enough to please deathcore purists but are laced with off-kilter electronic passages and are placed in the tracks in such a way that they do not feel cliche.
The electronic samples on Magno Ineritus are certainly its greatest asset, as songs feel like they were constructed with them in mind rather than with them as an afterthought. It is common for synth and electronic passages to feel like they were simply added utop songs, but basically throughout this entire album it feels as though Cabal crafted these songs with the electronic passages in-mind rather than just adding them afterwards. This works to great lengths to make the album sound much more natural and cohesive, as an undeniable mood is radiated moving through the tracklist. This also works to give the record an atmosphere much more in-line with traditional black metal; while many deathcore bands attempt a “blackened” atmosphere by tossing some random symphonic nonsense atop boring chugs and slams, Cabal intertwines spooky synth samples with its guitar passages, many of which also seem to take influence from black metal. This is where I must tip my hat to guitarists Chris Kreutzfeldt and Christian Rihama, as the guitar work throughout this record is nothing particularly new but is consistently engaging and nuanced with an odd sense of fun. Track 2, “Insidious” is a perfect example of this, opening with a visceral tremolo passage backed by vicious blast beats before leading into an airy atmospheric section layered with an arpeggiated guitar passage. Despite this section being quick and concise before moving into a more straightforward deathcore section, sections such as this are used throughout the entire record. As a result, these relatively small nuances add up to have a colossal impact on the record’s overall sound.
In terms of songs, Magno Interitus is a consistently engaging effort that does not overstay its welcome but gets its point across successfully. There are no tracks on this album which feel extraneous despite the vast majority (not all, but more on that later) of them being relatively similar. There are however small variances that cause some tracks to lean in particular directions and become stand-outs because of this. Track 3, “Magno Interitus” for example is a particularly aggressive track making extra use of the ritualistic gang-like vocals which can be found throughout the record and a feature from Joe Badolato of Fit For An Autopsy to add to the aggression. The result is a banger which is bound to be a standout in a live setting. Track 8, “Violent Ends”, is a particularly fun and evil track which allows vocalist Andreas Bjulver to show off his demonic snarls to a fuller effect, colliding with spooky synths and moving grooves to almost give an almost cartoonish vibe in the best way possible (think deathcore Tim Burton score). Opening track “If I Hang, Let Me Swing” also deserves a quick nod for its more atmospheric and dissonant guitar passages and especially tasteful drumming from Nikolaj Kaae Kirk. On initial listens, these tracks may blend together, but subsequent listens reveal more and more nuances which not only give the album higher replay value, but give it an overall edge over nearly all of its counterparts. The only minor complaint I can come up with is that closer “Plague Bringer” does not particularly capitalize on its position as a closing track. It is in no way a bad track, and it certainly does not end the album on a sour note. However, it could have maybe done a bit more to separate itself from the preceding tracks.
Track 6, “Blod af Mit” deserves a paragraph to itself; this track is a particular standout due to just how strange it is not just for Cabal, but for deathcore as a whole. It is rare to find a track in this scene that makes you go “wow I truly have not heard anything quite like this”, but this track does just that. Placing particular emphasis on droning industrial passages, the track can be described with no better adjective than unsettling. The track has an abundance of Rammstein-esque electronic passages so high that they nearly outnumber the more traditional deathcore sections. Additionally, these ambient-centric sections give the heavy section additional impact, making the track inarguably memorable and infinitely interesting. The track’s placement is also commendable; being placed as the midpoint of the record, it breaks up the pacing perfectly and shows how Cabal put extra thought into the album’s flow. It is also followed up by another relatively strange track in “Exit Wounds”, which is not quite as experimental but does contain a sufficient amount of hardcore-esque bass-centric sections which are paired with the ever-present electronics to create a unique atmosphere. In this way, the track can almost be seen as a transition from the excess experimentation of “Blod af Mit” to the more traditional nature of “Like Vultures”.
One final aspect worth highlighting is the production; it is perfect. Everything is crystal clear and sits together wonderfully. Apart from maybe the bass at times, nothing is inaudible, and considering the prominence of electronic and synth samples throughout the album, this is an extremely commendable outcome. Even more impressive is that the entire production process, mixing and mastering included, appears to have been done by guitarist and primary songwriter Chris Kreutzfeltd. With this considered, it makes even more sense why the resulting atmosphere is so perfectly executed as it was done by the mastermind of the whole songwriting process. Bravo, Mr. Kreutzfeltd.
Magno Interitus is an album which manages to accomplish the near impossible in this day and age; it is a deathcore album which contains all the elements one would expect from a deathcore album that sounds completely unique. Through a clear ambition to create a distinct and nuanced atmosphere, Cabal places itself at the absolute top of the modern deathcore scene. One can only hope this sort of experimentation will become more prominent throughout an increasingly stagnated genre, and it will be a joy to see where Cabal goes from here.
8/10
Magno Ineritus is out this Friday, October 21st, and you can pre-order the record here.