Fast, Tough and Juicy

Decapitated have been against the wall of controversy lately with their recent arrest, having been accused of gang-raping a fan on their tour bus in Washington state. However, this review will focus solely on the music and not the alleged actions of the band members. In that vein, Anticult is the 7th installment in the Polish death metal group’s catalog and it is an impactful addition to their legacy.

As with many metal bands, Decapitated slightly change their direction album to album, but Anticult is a real winner through its drive and raw power. The band uses the simple formula of fast drums, meaty guitar tones and traditional death metal vocals to dish out non-stop aggression.  

This can be seen as early as the first track, “Impulse,” which starts the album off in true death metal fashion. Echoing guitars eventually give way to a sinister lead guitar followed by spectacular blast beats. “Impulse” is a good starting point for Anticult, but it is soon pleasantly outshined by tracks such as “Deathvaluation” and “Earth Scar.”

The chord progression at the 1:28-minute mark in “Deathvaluation” may also just be one of the coolest riffs to hit death metal in a while. The track as a whole is an album peak, as it somehow gets more aggressive with each listen. If Anticult is was a power plant, “Deathevaluation” would be its primary generator. “Deathevaluation” then bleeds into “Kill the Cult” and “One Eyed Nation,” which keeps the action going. It also helps that the solo section at 2:30 in “Kill the Cult” is beautifully deadly in its execution and tone.

Anticult chugs along with rapid rhythms throughout most of its track listing, but the album strangely slows down for the last two songs. “Never” and “Amen” take the LP in a new direction by taking down the bpm a few notches. “Never” starts out with a fast pace, but it then pivots halfway through to produce a groovy result, finishing the song with a soft guitar outro. This sets up “Amen” to end the album on a docile note, but one that is intriguing in the new movement it presents.

Decapitated definitely retain their signature sound on this album, but they also manage to make much of it fresh and impactful. Anticult is met with no missteps and no query. The LP leaves a destructive trail of impeccable death metal and shows that the band’s  7th studio album is a signal for more greatness to come (that is, if they are able to remain a band).