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Thy Art is Murder "Human Target" Album Review

Date: July 29, 2019

By Valentino Petrarca

Album: Human Target

Rating: 9/10

Review: Thy Art Is Murder have done it again with their newest album release, Human Target. While the album isn’t perfect, they are light years above what other deathcore bands are doing. This album really feels like a political, social, and emotional stance against conformity and complicity. The record does not shy away from deep subjects plaguing modern day society and delivers it with a sense of direct urgency. Themes of human nature, corruption in politics, and religion are weaved throughout the entire record. In terms of sound quality, this album delivered on some of the heaviest guitar work the band has released to date. The guitars feel chugging and enormous.

The band has never sounded so full and cohesive. The entire record feels like it’s constantly on the edge of a massive breakdown, and builds tension in the best possible way. One of the biggest things I noticed about this record was, no matter how heavy and chaotic the songs got, there was also a sense of structure. Nothing felt disorganized or jammed in for the sake of profit.

Everything in this album feels like it was thoughtfully put there. I could distinguish certain song structures in this album, which is unusual for most deathcore bands. The production on the album is very well done as well. Another important aspect to mention, all the songs feel like they would fit amazingly in a live setting. A lot of these songs feel like they were born for the stage and I am personally extremely excited to see how they translate live. The drum work deserves special recognition for being truly outstanding on every song. The drums are fast pace and absolutely vicious. The vocals are also incredible. There is a grit to CJ‘s vocals so that even when he isn’t doing a full death-metal scream, it still packs a punch.

This album is sadly not without it’s flaws. After a while the vocals do feel a tad redundant and not every guitar solo on this album feels as passionate as it could be. The longer songs on the record like Eternal Suffering and Eye for an Eye feels too long and static. Not every second of the longer songs is as captivating as it could be. There isn’t too much unexpected or spontaneous elements in this album. All the songs feel very similar, which is good in a way because it means the album is cohesive. However, I would have liked to hear some new elements in the mix. Stand out tracks are New Odds, Death Squad Anthem, Make American Hate Again, and Chemical. Overall, if you enjoy deathcore you should definitely check out this record. It has the lyrical intelligence to satisfy music critics, the heaviness to satisfy metal-heads, and the energy to satisfy casual fans. I think Human Target is a step in the right direction and should be an example for other deathcore artists in the scene.

 

You can listen to the full album below, or tune in to WSOU hear the new songs on the air!

Posted in: Album Review, Metal, Reviews, WSOU Exclusive, WSOU

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