Labels can cause great confusion in the minds of Metal fans. It's because few words can't describe fully what a musical work means. It demands an explanation to understand what a band's musical work is all about, so never in your lives accept a label as a whole interpretation of what someone's playing. And such idea fits perfectly on the work of CANCER, as their second full length called "Opioid" shows.

First of all, this is not the UK classic Death Metal masters, but a duet that comes from Australia. And their work is labeled as Depressive Black Metal. Sorry, but this labels doesn't mean a thing, because they're a Black Metal band with a solid technical work, a sharp and cold energy flowing from their melodic lines, and a creativeness that is really excellent, sounding brutal and fast sometimes, on others is melancholic and deeper. Maybe their lyrical themes can refer to depressive matters, but not their music. And it's really very good!

The vocalist John Pescod mixed and mastered by the songs of "Opioid", and even bearing that roughness that's usual for Black Metal bands on its sonority, all can be fully understood by the senses. It's really a very good work, besides their musical work needs something better, for it's not as poor as can be heard on many bands.

Musically, the duet shows that they can evolve more and more, that their music is full of possibilities to be explored deeply in the future. But for now, songs as the thunderous "The Eater" (a fast and technical song with very good and sharp guitar riffs), the melodic outfit that embodies the brutality of "The Dreamer" (the contrasts on vocals tunes are very good, reminding something used by Finnish Black Metal school), and some parts of "The Depths", a six-parts epopee (what means six songs linked by the same concept) as "The Child I Am" (and amazing flow of energy with a solid work from bass guitar and drums), "The Dames of Affliction" (this one has an introspective and bitter set of melodies that contrasts with fast brutal parts), "Sunken Piers" (a grasping and somber song with an atmospheric touch) and "In Memorium" is proof of a band that really has a lot of to offer.

Remind that labels are not enough, so give to it to you the best way possible: hear "Opiod" out loud, and enjoy the trip that CANCER gives.