Decapitated // Cancer Culture // Album Review

Ever since 1996, the Polish Tech Death Metallers known as Decapitated have been leading the charge in the genre. Blurring the lines between sounds and styles across a nigh-on 25-year career and all seven studio albums, the band continues to evolve and is upfront about the fact that they are no longer pure Death Metal, instead of making the music that feels right to them rather than remaining stagnant.

So where does Cancer Culture ft within the realms of the Decapitated world? Getting the basics out the way first, the album is 37 minutes long which is spread over 10 songs. The opening track is a musical intro that includes Industrial influence along with the Death Metal before the already released title track ‘Cancer Culture’ erupts into life.

If you haven’t heard it already, it is an Industrial and tech Death blend that clearly retains a Death Metal undertone. With rapid drums and chugging riffs, the song slaps across the throat and gives you the perfect indication as to how the album progresses.

Following up with the again already released ‘Just a Cigarette’ things get a tad harder as this goes back and for the between crushing drums with everything else stripped back to full force, guitars squealing and beats blasting everywhere. This feels like one for the long term fan of the band.

Before much longer ‘Hello death’ arrives, which has Melodical Death influences as it switches from full force assault to a cleaner vocal from a guest performer as the band are joined by Tatiana Shmayluk from Jinjer.

Following on with the guest appearances, Robb Flynn from Machine Head joins the party on one of my favourite songs on the album ‘Iconclast.’ Leaning toward the Thrash and Metal side of things, this would be incredible live and in the pit. You’d definitely need a breather afterwards though!

As the album runs through, there re a number of times you “oh I like this one” and then suddenly you are back at the beginning of the album. Whilst for me there were no specific stand out tracks, the album as a whole is very strong and the level of track is consistently high.

So will this please fans old and new? Some will need a few listens to admit that this is a good album, the elitist won’t admit it but will think it. Those free to think and express for themselves will happily say that this is a damn good album which indeed has something for all fans of things heavy.

Ed Ford

Cancer Culture will be released Friday 27^th May 2022 via Nuclear Blast Records.