Defeated Sanity // Chronicles Of Lunacy // Album Review

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Within the landscape of brutal death metal, Defeated Sanity has always been the shining beacon and one of the most consistent bands pushing the boundaries of the genre.

Last year saw the band celebrate their legacy of 20 years of brutality, and now, with the next chapter in their discography, “Chronicles Of Lunacy,” the band harnesses their early sound to create a knuckle-dragging display of the macabre.

This marks the first album on the seminal Season Of Mist Records for Defeated Sanity, and it features over thirty minutes of some of the most ridiculously heavy music on the label to date.

Wasting no time opener “Amputationsdrang” goes straight for the jugular.

Drummer & musical mastermind Lille Gruber’s perfect cranked snare blasts away while newcomer guitarist Vaughn Stoffey’s arsenal of chugging & fast fingers grabs you straight away.

Vocalist Josh Welshman’s signature ultra gutturals are on display right from the off & he truly is one of the most insane frontmen within BDM. His textural tones from the lowests & even some more mid-level screams with great pronunciation are here. Giving the band that classic BDM feel.

Capped off with Jacob Schmidt’s superb bass tone & effortlessly locking in with Gruber to create the tightest rhythm section within the genre. Moments of the bands technical ability peak into the track & hearing Schmidt’s supersonic fingers lay this smooth but punchy bass tone underneath the track but also cuts through so well. Rounding out the band’s now iconic sound.

The albums leading single “Accelerating The Rot” is a non-stop barrage of fury. Its first few moments are chaos before the band reign it in & give us this chunky groove chug section before unleashing the blasting terror again.

Its fast pace still has one of the key features that helps DS stand out from that pact. Their fast, blastbeat sections might have a sea of technical riffage but they still keep a catchy groove element to it so when they move into a slower powerful section the blend is seamless & hits HARD. This dynamic allows the band, and on this track to ride that line of straight out lunacy (no album title pun i promise) & controlled power that hits you hard right in the gut.

Feeling like a merging of classic Cannibal Corpse & Cryptosy “Extrinsically Enraged” is a deranged display of the grotesque.

With a more caveman feel but still full force with the brutality this track is a stand out on the album & a real catchy earworm type. With riff after riff that has you headbanging constantly. When the track does have flourishes of chaotic elements it’s just enough to break the song up & give the listener a breather before the next sledgehammer riffs kicks in.

“Condemned to Vascular Famine” near the end of the album might just be the most experimental & perverse track the band have recorded to date. A six minute lesson in depravity & musical prowess. It might just be the most technical the band has been in some time but also the most locked in when it comes to rhythmic patterns. Also a strong showcase of Welshman’s unmatched talents this track really has it all. The true standout track on the album & my favourite. Hey it even includes a sick sample from Bram Stoker’s Dracula so don’t skip this one, you will thank me later.

Defeated Sanity really cannot be matched with their intensity, unbridled brutality & mechanical but raw tightness. “Chronicles of Lunacy” feels like such a well rounded album. Its raw but precise production gives it that punishing punch the group harnesses so well but the clarity they need to show off what the moment calls for it. Dipping their toes into the bands older sound but also keeping its other foot firmly in the sound the band have crafted over their last few releases, this album might just be the perfect showcase for the bands legacy & their most flawless album to date.

Review: Joseph Mitchell

Chronicles of Lunacy is out via Season of Mist on 22th November 2024

Tracklist:
1. Amputationsdrang (2:30)
2. The Odour Of Sanctity (3:36) [WATCH]
3. Accelerating The Rot (3:22)
4. Temporal Disintegration (5:52)
5. Extrinsically Enraged (4:09)
6. A Patriarchy Perverse (4:16)
7. Condemned to Vascular Famine (6:00)
8. Heredity Violated (3:48)
Total runtime: 33:35

Lineup:
Josh Welshman – Vocals
Vaughn Stoffey – Guitars
Jacob Schmidt – Bass
Lille Gruber – Drums

Guest Musicians:
Danny Nelson and Paolo Paguntalan provide backup vocals on “Amputationsdrang” and “Accelerating the Rot”

Recording Studio:
Thousand Caves Studio in January 2024.

Production:
Recorded, mixed and mastered by Colin Marston.
Produced by Colin Marston and Defeated Sanity.

Cover Art:
Artwork by Jon Zig
Title lettering by Liz Schmidt
Layout by Alex Eckman-Lawn

Pre-order & Pre-save: https://orcd.co/defeatedsanitythecroniclesoflunacy

Follow Defeated Sanity
Bandcamp: https://defeatedsanity.bandcamp.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DefeatedSanity
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/defeated_sanity_official
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/0dy6peOuKo2QkwaNWPoJpx
Deezer: https://www.deezer.com/artist/380399
Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/artist/defeated-sanity/277268753
TIDAL: https://tidal.com/browse/artist/3683042

Available Formats:
Digital Download
CD Digipak
12″ Vinyl Gatefold – Black
12″ Coloured Vinyl Gatefold – Transparent w/ Black Splatters
12″ Coloured Vinyl Gatefold – Yellow, Red & Black Marbled

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