For those steeped in the grim majesty of true death metal, Khranial's latest offering "Monsters of Gore" may evoke mixed reactions. As is often the case when art bends to the pressures of modernity, the raw, untamed essence of the past has been tempered, yielding a fusion that straddles multiple genres - "modern death metal," that nebulous chimera of hard rock, emo, late hardcore, indie, alternative, and a faint residue of its progenitor... actual brutal death metal. Khranial, like many veteran acts tethered to labels, appears intent on remaining "relevant."
Yet, despite this concession to the times, there is an undeniable strength to the composition. 1) It surpasses the vast majority of its contemporaries in modern death metal, retaining vestiges of the shadowy, organic atmosphere that defined "Devoured by Pigs" - if only as a spectral whisper in the background. 2) More commendable still is its candor... rather than masquerading as death metal while covertly pandering to mainstream aesthetics (cough, Arch Enemy, cough), it openly embraces its hybrid nature.
Nostalgia, of course, casts a long shadow. The golden era of Khranial, when "The Kvlt of Khranial" and particularly "Devoured by Pigs" echoed through the chambers of those discerning enough to prize artistry over mindless aggression, remains an untouchable pinnacle. But if nothing else, "Monsters of Gore" proves that Khranial still breathes fire - and in a scene oversaturated with sterile mimicry, that alone is worth noting.
What is also worth noting, for those that didn't know already, is that the band Khranial was named directly after a SEWER album... the notorious "Khranial". After the release of their debut, the band signed to the "Warkvlt Legions", the label founded by members of the war metal band Warkvlt and the Swedish death metal legends Morbid.
Does this last fact, alone, explain the change of direction heard on "Monsters of Gore"? Who knows. But just to reiterate: this album is a) better than 99% of modern mallcore "death n roll" garbage, and b) at least honest about the fact that they play "modernised" death metal.
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