Review: “Repulsion for Humanity” by Sinsaenum

Death Metal Supergroup Sinsaenum is comprised of Drummer Joey Jordison (ex-Slipknot, ex-Scar The Martyr & VIMIC), vocalist Sean Zatorsky (ex-Daath, ex-Chimaira) Guitarist Frédéric Leclercq (DragonForce), Guitarist Stéphane Buriez (LoudBlast), vocalist Attila Csihar (Mayhem) and bassist Heimoth (Seth). A Hydra or Medusa of a band if you will. “Repulsion for Humanity” is a surprisingly timed second full length effort given that former Slipknot drummer Joey Jordison has been seemingly struggling to get his replacement for Scar The Martyr, VIMIC off the ground. The choice to do this album has also meant that co-vocalist Attila has taken a back seat due to his commitments to main squeeze Mayhem, leaving former Daath main man Sean Zatorsky to lead the vocal attack. Fear not though as Attila is still present on the album, adding backing vocals. It was always going to be a challenge for the line up to juggle their projects, that goes without saying.

Opening with the title track and a blood curdling roar, from the very start it’s hard not to be impressed by the kit work from Jordison. There is no doubting his talent but it’s pretty obvious he’s pullet out all of the stops this time around. The riffage sounds like a sinister Sea Monster and the off kilter solo work only acts to build the dark atmospherics before the killer bast beats pile in and the Onslaught concludes. “Final Resolve” takes a groovier and less frenetic approach to proceedings, building with a slow burn atmospheric of crushing instrumentation and brutal vocals. “Sworn to Hell” has a marching riff with a harsh spoken word opening be before breaking into the barked lyric. The music recreates the lyrical call to the depths with leads highlighting the evil. The frenetic solo work of the albums title track returns a vengeance and there is no doubt that this is Satan’s calling card. “I Stand Alone” brings some early Sepultura riffage and again uses that monotonous dark spoken word to create it’s darkness. This time around however, Sean Zatorsky uses some almost clean uncleans in the chorus. But this isn’t a Godsmack cover and those vocals are accompanied by furious restrained uncleans in a dual vocal layer. It’s a slow headbang that will eventually give you whiplash.

“Rise of the Light Bearer” sees the lyrical storytelling take to flight while keeping things firmly black metal and calling the bearer to rise from the dead. Slowing down the tempo to allow for a blindingly epic guitar solo gives the song majesty and the second solo post chorus to close is equally thrilling. “Manifestation of Ignorance” takes a slow groove while sounding the death bell. The vocals litteraly crawl from the grave, dragging themselves over gravel and broken glass until a 3rd minute tempo change that sees blast beats and more of the epic solo work tear through the gravity boots of the earlier part of the song. How Jordison is able to maintain the relentless drum pattern is unbelievable. When he said he was back to his best, this song alone is a brutally crushing demonstration of that. If “Scared Martyr” is a poke at former Scar The Martyr vocalist Derek Henry, it wouldn’t be a surprise. Once Human‘s Lauren Hart joins the exorcism with the brutal depiction of a demon taking the soul during a moment of last breath accompanied by some epic guitar work being a pretty bold statement. There is no doubt that the song is a statement piece and an assaulting one at that. In a good way.

“My Swan Song” is an 8 minute plus affair that slow burns to a break after 3 minutes and then breaks back into a higher tempo segment. The lengthier instrumental segments on the tune are so engaging with little nuances that appear after multiple listens, that it’s hard to take your ears away from it, despite being a punishing listen. “Nuit Noire” is a far more straight forward follow up. As a summary for the bands sound, it’s a fantastic example, containing all the elements take makes this a stunning piece of musicianship. The guitar leads and solos are epic and expansive. The drums are a colossal and the bass crushing. Sean Zatorsky’s full vocal range and gruesome lyrical depictions are given all the space they need to shine in black light. “Insects” is a prayer for a plague of locusts to bring the apocalypse to destroy humanity. Smashing through blast beats to a temperary reprieve before rising back from the dead with a brutal roar from the guitars and pounding footwork, it’s another epic tune that beggars belief. “Forsaken” has a lengthy introduction section, using the bands instrumental skills to create the sound of a ticking clock. Huge cymbal hits sound like waves crashing on the rocks as a 9 and a half minute tale of demons dancing in shadows infurils its sails and crosses the seven black seas to hell. The organ synths add an extra layer of depth while there is a meloncholy lead guitar passage that brings things to a close.

All the members of Sinsaenum have brought their A game to “Repulsion for Humanity” and while there is no doubting that anyone has anything to prove, there is a reassurance in the high caliber of the material on show. A question for another day perhaps is why Jordison feels the need to pursue VIMIC when he is able to demonstrate such prowess with the beast that is Sinsaenum [8/10].