Review: “The Morality Model” EP by Capital Murder

Mixed & Mastered by Bound In Fear guitarist Keir Campbell of Kascade Mixing And Mastering and with artwork by Jorden Bergman and Dan Loewen, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canadians Capital Murder blend Metal and Hardcore to create their sound. We first heard “Detox” when it premiered via the Slam Worldwide channel but interestingly the EP doesn’t include July single “No Clarity”. They claim influences in Code Orange, Deftones and The Acacia Strain so does coming from a frozen state mean their music is heavy enough to cause avalanches?

Hell yes! “204” starts things off with a news reel about stabbings and the homicide rate in Canada before the breakdown riffage kicks in. You’re left with something that sounds like it belongs to “Nomad” era Kublai Khan before a false ending and bring back for the punch in the face of a Downtempo breakdown. Wasting no time “Apostasy” is a barrage of staccato riffs while lamenting the loss of free thinking from birth. It’s Metallic Hardcore at its finest with grating unclean vocals that add salt to any fresh wounds while also saving a couple of almost Slam moments that pull away just before the menacing sense of tension reaches the opportunity to put something of that ilk into the mix. “Detox” was the first track we heard from the band and has a Nu-Metal esq spoken word element with riffs that remind of the now departed Coeur D’Alene Idaho Deathcore quartet Extortionist. Loaded with jackhammer footwork and a battery of riffs that could see them called up on an assault charge. “Panic” is the classic depiction of the very real fear of death that encapsulates your soul as poison sets into your veins while being equally loaded with breakdowns of skill and dexterity. Campbell has done well with the mix and given everything it’s rightful place with a clean and crisp drum sound that is second to none. He’s a master when it comes to heavier material than this but clearly has the ability to turn his hand to other styles if there is the call. “Fatal Patterns” cuts a bleak tale of life in the cold midwinter with a defeatist lyric while keeping the high energy fun in the musical department – and – finally landing that Slamming Deathcore roar that seemed to be inevitable from the start. The heavier end of Metallic Hardcore with some classy Deathcore moments, Capital Murder have delivered fine and fun offering to the Metal Gods [7/10]

Track listing

1. 204
2. Apostasy
3. Detox
4. Panic
5. Fatal Patterns

“The Morality Model” by Capital Murder is out now and available over at bandcamp