28 March 2024
To me, brutal death metal is a genre that can be enjoyed when done well. If you are not good at what you are doing, you may serve a cacophony under the name ‘music’. Therefore, this genre of metal, due to its complexity to perform, is difficult to deal with and make a name in the scene. On top of that, in a scene where Gore themes are dominant in terms of visuals and lyrics, you have to offer a packaging that will stand out from the logo to the artwork, so that you can be noticed among thousands of other bands.
When it comes to brutal death metal, the best example is Suffocation. This, so to say Genre-definer band responsible for the ideas that are considered the ancestors of blast/hyper beats, is of course a prominent example. However, bands such as Spawn of Possession, Defeated Sanity, Disentomb or Afterbirth can be cited as prime examples that have managed to do it in a noticeable way, standing out from the rest.
Similarly, since their first album, Brodequin are one of those who have managed to create visible and ear-catching works in terms of logo, artwork and lyrics. They made three full length albums and an EP between 2000 -2004, and then disappeared. The band, founded by the Hailey brothers in 1998, has made a comeback 20 years later. They must have thought about what they could do to make a solid re-entry into the scene, so they included a great talent, drummer Brennan Shackelford, who is only 27 years old, into the band.
As we discussed with my dear friend Bilge (Gorebringer, Daelkyr, Booze Serpent etc.), drums serve as a second guitar in the album. Brennan uses the drum, which we expect to be responsible for the march and rhythm of the music, in a unique way to affect the harmony of the music, and he did it quite well.
The album hits the nail on the head from the very first song and ends as quickly as it started, leaving no room for breath. I don’t know if the album is a Woe harbringer as its name suggests, but with the eerie atmosphere they achieve to create in most places, it is certain that they put the listener in a heavy mood while listening to it. Of course, they do not glorify torture or murder. As can be understood from the fact that they named themselves after a medieval French torture device, they tell that people are capable to do great evil to each other. Sometimes, while doing this, they brutally hurt each other by resorting to unimaginable methods, and even while punishing, they can prepare a painful end instead of a conscientious/peaceful death. While doing this, they manage to leave the listener devastated, like a shocking horror movie would do.
As a result, a very good brutal death metal album that reflects the 20 years of experience of the veterans who pushed the limits of harshness from start to finish and managed to be so effective by staying within the dynamics of the genre.
8,5/10
