Over the past 10 years, I’ve been lucky enough to see a few bands rise up from the underground metal scene & become well-established acts. Casket Feeder is one of those bands & over the last ⅔ years, the band have quickly become of the hottest hardcore influenced death metal bands on the block.
When the band released their “Scalps” EP it showed the band had already started to craft their sound within the extreme metal genre within a quick space of time. With a load of touring & some great supporting slots, Casket Feeder has become a tight yet unrelenting live act.
“Servants Of Violence” the band’s first full length has been a much longly awaited album not only by the scene but me included.
Featuring ten tracks & a nice run time of just over thirty-seven minutes “Servants Of Violence” sees the band’s next evolution & the birth of a rare case of mixing genres to create something unique & refreshing.
Starting the album with a wicked riff & intertwining lead section the band makes sure you know something epic & cataclysmic is coming your way.
As soon as Matt Downe’s wretched vocals burst on the track it added another layer perfectly before he switched to a guttural, earthy vocal. Giving you multiple sides to his vocal abilities is just one of the ways Casket Feeder keeps ahead of the pact.
As the track moves on you quickly learn that the duo of Connor & Aaron are a match made in heaven as guitarists. Feeding off each other, leading well into each other’s lead sections & just downright having one of the best HM2 clone tones in the current climate.
“Mask Of Sorrow” the following track gives another side to the band, a slight black metal feel. Everything from Matt’s high pitched vocals to the tremolo riffs that blend perfectly with Lewis Butler’s thick but punchy bass tone that cuts through which is a rare thing to hear. But quickly CF shows again that near the end of the song they can surprise you by throwing in a brutal hardcore style breakdown.
Later in the album “Tyranny Begins” lets the band flex their punk & hardcore muscle even further with a track that sounds like what it would be like if Leatherface took his chainsaw into a circle pit, yes you read that right ha. Also led to one of the heaviest breakdowns CF have written to date. Does stamping Ground meet Dismember? Count me in!!
“Sentenced To Death” is my favourite track on the album. Not only is it the hardest title on the album but the hardest track. Where the band go full-on with the Swedish death metal sound but still maintains their DNA throughout. I really hope this makes it into the live set, wink wink.
The closer “Edge Of Collapse” opens on a grand scale. Like the final bow before the curtain drops this track is a meld of everything that has come before but even on the tenth track CF can make little touches that make even the final track surprising and fresh! Also my favourite vocal performance by Matt on this track, Guy is a beast!
Casket Feeder is what the metal landscape needs right now. A band that has built on their influences but isn’t scared to take risks & write music breaks stereotypes. Ticking all the boxes for a death metal & hardcore lover “Servants Of Violence” is the perfect term for the use of deathcore or metalcore. Fantastic Swedish death metal meets UK hardcore. A perfect record that can’t be touched by any band right now.
Joseph Mitchell
Servants Of Violence is self-released on 20th May 2022
CASKET FEEDER ARE:
Matt Downes – Vocals
Connor Cazalet-Smith – Guitar
Aaron Mackenzie – Guitar
Lewis Butler – Bass
Graham Wallace – Drums
https://casketfeeder.bandcamp.
https://www.facebook.com/