The German Extreme Metal band KADAVERFICKER released their fifth full-length album "Superkiller (A Musical Journey Between Life and Death)" last month on September 29th, and it is their first album with German record label Massacre Records. The four-man group from Dortmund, Germany is known for blending elements of Sludge Metal, Death Metal, and Grindcore in their music. I personally never listened to Sludge Metal before, so I was intrigued about this band. After listening to "Superkiller (A Musical Journey Between Life and Death)," I am inclined to say that while it would be harsh to say I didn't like the album, it also didn't quite meet my expectations.

To begin with, the album is a staggering 21-track record that runs for about an hour and 11 minutes. On average, each song is 3-4 minutes long so the high number of songs isn't too bad, all things considered. The first track "Counterfeit" consists of steady-paced drumming and slow, heavy guitar riffs. In addition to Goreminister's clean vocals, this album opener is basically a Sludge Metal song with little to no Death Metal or Grindcore elements. However, over the next few tracks, the band slowly intensifies their sound. "Unethical Machines" is a perfect mixture of Death Metal and Grindcore, especially with Thrash beats and double bass drumming from Corporal Cruel. KADAVERFICKER return to their Sludge Metal sound on "All the Corpses Dance" as Goreminister's vocals also take on a more Hardcore Punk style. "Waves of Demise" is an intense Grindcore song with a heavy breakdown and blast beating in the second half of the track, but it strangely winds down with an acoustic guitar from Major Maggotfeeder. The following songs "Lost in the Light" and "Death on Demand" are more Death Metal like, with guttural growling from Goreminister and mid-tempo drumming from Corporal Cruel (with blast beats and double bass patterns in between).

After another good Death Metal song out of "Hail the Promiscuous Death," which closes with an incredible melodic guitar solo, the clean vocals and Hardcore-style music makes a surprise return on "18 and Death." There are still harsh vocals from Goreminister, as well as another breakdown, and the song ends with applause from an audience. "Not so Bad, but Bad" takes on a more Thrash Metal pace, due to Corporal Cruel's rapid skank beats and Major Maggotfeeder's shredding guitar riffs and solos. The band reverts back to slower, heavier Death Metal on "Pale Shadows," the longest track on the record at 5 ½ minutes. There's also a bit of experimentation on this track with the inclusion of violins, which wasn't exactly my taste. "The Fan and the Bellows" sounds like a Melodic Death Metal song in every aspect, except the clean vocals in place of the death growls. The guitar riffs become more harsh-sounding on the next song "New Corpse," as the lead vocalist abandons his clean vocals again. "Bad Taste" is the last of the few songs on this album that is strictly Sludge Metal, while "Krom" and the closing track "Psycho Killer" fuse Sludge Metal-style riffs with Goreminister's guttural growls and high-pitched shrieks.

"Superkiller (A Musical Journey Between Life and Death)" was an interesting record, to say the least. I could definitely hear the elements of Sludge Metal, Grindcore, and Death Metal on KADAVERFICKER's newest work. However, I felt that the album was not as cohesive as it could have been. It sounded like there were mostly Death Metal songs, with a few Sludge Metal songs in between and hints of Grindcore here and there. I definitely give my compliments to the German lads for their creativity and experimentation, but I believe they have room for improvement with their musicianship. Regardless of my own opinion, do I recommend that you give "Superkiller (A Musical Journey Between Life and Death)" a try? Yes, I do. Listen, if you dare.