Review: “Bury Me In Blasphemy” EP by Carnifex!

It’s been little over 18 months since San Diego Californian Deathcore crew Carnifex released “Slow Death” via Nuclear Blast. The decision to surprise release a new EP containing a single brand new track, a pair of covers and a remix may have come as a shock to some but it’s nothing new for the tactical release minded and keeps the band’s profile high. So what have we got? Opener “Bury Me In Blasphemy” is the sole original piece of material and is a solid mid tempo chugger of a song. Swirling dark atmospherics and blast beats bridge the gap between Cradle of Filth and older Motionless In White nicely with some well positioned synths in the mix as Shawn Cameron demonstrates his importance to the band in both the kit work and the keys department. Next up is the more surprising cut of “Head Like A Hole” by Nine Inch Nails. It’s one that has been done by others plenty of times and perhaps most notibly by Grand Rapids Michigan Metalcore Heroes Still Remains. What Carnifex do is deliver a modernised version with both kit work and programmed drums alongside some choice synths and a chugging phat guitar sound. The production value of the two tracks to this point is exceptional with each element given plenty of space and the audio mix is also spot on. Yes, it’s heavier than the original but not overly so. This is distinctly Carnifex with no attempt to carbon copy NIN.

“The Heretic Anthem” by Slipknot is perhaps a more obvious choice of cover for Carnifex and one they have brougjb to the live arena on many occasions in the past. Again it’s one that has been done well by other bands in the recent past, notibly Progressive DJentlemen Periphery. That being said, Carnifex deliver a solid modernised take on the track, keeping in all that’s good including the intro and maintaining that production value. Scott Lewis’s vocals aren’t Corey Taylor’s but are solid enough. What’s perhaps lacking is some of the intensity of the original and it’s one that could benefit from being more intense. The final track is a remix of the Nine Inch Nails cover by Host. Usually we’re not fans of remixes, with one or two notable exceptions. This time out however, this version is actually better than the other cut. That’s because it’s a more involved version that adds elements in without taking too much away. More synths, more programmed drum work and some interesting vocal effects. Overall, this new EP could be written off as a few leftovers pre-Christmas from a band who didn’t need to do it. Actually what you get is a solid and tasteful EP that bridges the gap to a new album soon. We hope. [7/10]