Review: “Servants Of Violence” by Casket Feeder

Produced by Stu McKay (Malevolence, Ingested), mastered by Brad Boatright (Gatecreeper, Skeletonwitch) and accompanied by artwork by Roberto Toderico (Pestilence, Vomitory), the debut album from Casket Feeder takes aim at the darker side of humanity with a finger poised over a hair trigger, safe in the knowledge that both barrels are set to delivered with lethal force. The target is the proliferation of cults in their various guises around Globe hiding in plain sight, which serves as the over arching concept of ugly truth behind the record, documenting their contributing to the demise of civilisation as we know it…

…Casket Feeder have made their name with the combination of the buzz saw riff fury of Scandinavian Death Metal combined with the power of sledgehammer Hardcore with EP “Scalps” a well received burnt offering but with a bloodlust for sonic progression at the heart of every musician, is it possible to build on those foundations? After the opening couple of bars of “To The Hounds Go The Faithful” that sound like they’re from a classic Crowbar record, a sumptuous extended lead in classical fashion and then the hammer going down for a full on blast, the answer is a resounding yes! What the quintet have created is an album that is a tour de force of classic Metal with distinctive influences in bands like Stampin’ Ground and early Machine Head that is as instantly addictive as the latest designer drug. In many ways it’s a timeless record, one that could have surfaced at any point in the past 30 years and sounded as current then as it does now, the modern production coupled with the classic sound intense and fitting. Arguably the bands hardest hitting work to date, it pushes all the right buttons with galloping kit work and groove laden riffage, mid album cut “Wading Through The Dead And Deceased” in particular having instant head bang appeal.

The scathing vocals of Matt Downes are fiery and furious, his range from the shriller screams to some brutal lows sounding like they are the work of two separate beings across these cuts. His tongue is vicious as the points the finger and makes his presence felt in the best possible way, the fire he spits leaving every hair singed while the lyric sheet gives plenty to think about once the mosh pit violence is over. If you’re a lover of the mighty riff then the interplay between Connor Cazalet-Smith and Aaron Mackenzie will have you hooked, they’re armed to the teeth with classics and deliver them in fine fashion. In truth there isn’t much that hardened Metal heads won’t have heard before but when it’s all said and done everything here is executed to perfection meaning that the album as a whole has instantly gratifying appeal. It’s also laced with some really special moments like the drop to an almost ethereal classical acoustic section in the title track that is stunningly executed while two step appeal of “Sentenced To Death” an absolute pleasure, leaving an album that if someone asked what Metal was would be the perfect example [7.5/10]

Track listing

1. To The Hounds Go The Faithful
2. Mask Of Sorrow
3. Vulture Culture
4. Tyranny Begins
5. Doomsday Prophecy
6. Wading Through The Dead And Deceased
7. Servants Of Violence
8. Sentenced To Death
9. Manifested Ignorance
10. Edge Of Collapse

“Servants Of Violence” by Casket Feeder is out 20th May 2022