12th September 2023

Review: “A Cold-Blooded Torture Chamber” by Krocophile (3rd Anniversary)

Three years ago having dipped their toes in the icy cold waters of Lansing Michigan having escaped the tar pit, Slamming Death Metal act Krocophile who specialise in cryptic writings by reptiles for reptiles released a split EP with Indignity on Rotten Music. Titled “A Cold-Blooded Torture Chamber” it raised the profile of a band shrouded in mystery and put them firmly on the Slam Worldwide map. What would follow would be “Slamzilla: The Returning” and in light of that incredible record we return to roots for an anniversary review. If it’s good for Max and Igor Cavalera then it must be good for us… right?

A Grindhouse movie style sample ushers in “Feeding Frenzy“, warning that these reptiles have been fed flesh and will arise to tear zoo visitors limb from limb… and that’s exactly what the band do. Slicing and dicing with wave after wave of Death Metal meets heavy end Metallic Hardcore riffs and a lethal dose of percussive battery, Krocophile roar like an untamed beast. While the lyrics may not be heard into Boa Constrictor strangulation that is this blood gargling vocal performance of pure unadulterated Slam, it doesn’t take a genius to work out what might be said on a cut like “Interspecies Erotica“. The riffs keep coming with a Groove laden energy and the bree moments are majestic. This is music you just feel in spite of its sheer brutality, a call to the mosh pit that you simply can not ignore. An introduction in Japanese brings in “Lamian Concubine“, the band playing with some downtempo brutality in the final third that you simply don’t want to come to an end. Earworm riffs galore, you have no choice but to get tinnitus listening to this at deafening volume. The Eagle eyed amongst you will know that the bands self titled single released the same year does not reside on this record however this review gives us the opportunity to talk about it when otherwise we couldn’t. So “Krocophile” by “Krocophile” is some kind of attempt at inception level madness, just lacking a self titled EP to reach that Bermuda triangle. A more vicious little ditty to start a career in Slamming Death Metal, it has at its beating black heart a couple of incendiary blast bursts that dial up the intensity a couple of notches. The bree moments incredibly well worked, as are the vocal tone shifts, the samples adding a decent amount of spice [8/10]

Track Listing