Masakari - "The Prophet Feeds"

Fenriz of the legendary black metal-turned-crust punk outfit Darkthrone recently honoured Masakari as his band of the week on the Darkthrone Myspace page. Such a nod seems fitting genre-wise; the debut album from Masakari shares more than a few similarities with Darkthrone's current punkish sound, yet there is a desire to explore other heavy genres that have enjoyed a recent revival as of late.

Album opener "XVI Rapid Dominance" kicks in suddenly with its rapid tempo- until the vocals kick in and the riffs thicken out. Even this early on there is a desire to shift from speedy hardcore to ultra-slow sludge/stoner rock. The album continues to change pace back and forth between the two throughout, though it favours the former. A greater balance between these two dynamics in the future would definitely help to separate Masakari from other bands within their roster, as The Prophet Feeds can become tiresome when it stays in the same place for too long. The vocals do not do much to commend this either as they are bellowed throughout. The drumming, however, is particularly brilliant throughout this album- it is tight, fierce and adaptable, giving the band a strong backbone.

Lyrically, Masakari touch on political and anti-war themes. Samples from speeches are also used sparingly throughout the record's brief yet busy twenty-seven minute running time, and these are actually the most powerful moments on the album. The climax of "XIV The Voiceless" contains a sample from a Christopher Hitchens speech surrounded by an intense finger-picking frenzy. These moments are particularly memorable as they provide timely breaks in the action as well as a more interesting alternative to the howling vocal style. They also showcase more adventurous guitar playing. "Outro" contains an excerpt from "Winter Soldier: Iraq and Afghanistan" in which an American soldier chillingly gives his account of racism in the army and speaks out against the greed of the American Government. It is the longest track on The Prophet Feeds- it is also its finest moment. The disturbing monologue is matched by the atmosphere created by the band's music here- everything is in its right place and the track gets more gripping as it goes along until it draws to a close and the listener is made to reflect on what they have just heard.

The Prophet Feeds is a strong start for Masakari. Hopefully they will continue to expand their sound and explore the different routes hinted at in the more audacious sections of this record on future releases rather than regress into a comfort zone.

"The Prophet Feeds" is out now on Southern Lord.