★★★★
On the songwriting front, Whitechapel’sMark Of The Bladeis back to mid-tempo basics and brutal simplicity, anchored by Phil Bozeman’s low growl.
The album isn’t without its surprises, however, with much discussion already surrounding Bozeman’s decision to use clean vocals. ‘Bring Me Home’ sees the Tennessee rockers try their hand at the largely unexplored concept of the deathcore ballad, beginning with a tenebrous overture and featuring sombre clean vocals in the verses. These aren’t cleans for cleans’ sake – they have their place, adding some variety to an album where Bozeman keeps things nice and guttural.
As frontrunners of deathcore, Whitechapel often end up under the magnifying glass of the genre’s conservatives. Bozeman blasts open the ever-present problem of elitism in ‘Elitist Ones’. Furthermore, Whitechapel have been criticised for their use of three guitars, perceived to be a bit overkill and ornate, but it’s this melting pot that paves the way for the band’s gravid, unmistakable attack. The title track’s bruising steamroller riffs and crushing breakdowns serve as a prominent example of this technique’s effectiveness.
This isn’t a particularly groundbreaking album, it’s just Whitechapel doing what they do best – pounding you into submission from start to finish.
Whitechapel’sMark Of The Bladeis out now via Metal Blade.
