The Brotherhood Of The Blade
Whitechapel
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Live albums are a tradition on Metal since the 70s. On those times, double live albums (due the vinyl discs time limitations back then) were done with no overdubs, just the band and the public. And maybe that feeling sometimes is lost due the abusive use of modern technologies, because there's a sensible fear of releasing and album with live errors. But it doesn't mean that good live albums can't be done nowadays. Of course it can be done, as the North American sextet WHITECHAPEL had done on "The Brotherhood Of The Blade".
Deathcore is what they are about, done in an aggressive way, abusively abrasive and ruthless, but technical and brutal. But they have some different melodies, a Djent way in the guitars (using three guitars, a different feature that it's not usual nowadays on extreme Metal bands). And their music is abrasive as hell, and really can tear apart some convictions about this style. Mark Lewis made the recording, the mixing and the mastering. And the sound quality is very good, with abrasive tunes and all in their due places. But I believe that some overdubs done really turned the sound quality too clean for a live album, and the noise from the public is too low in some moments. These are mere details, but they must be commented.
Well, the songs are very good, but as I told, the quality is too clean. But nothing that will take the value of songs as "Our Endless War" (a thunder of pure aggressiveness, fast and presenting extreme vocals and riffs), the technical and brutal "Section 8" (with very good slow tempos, presenting very good guitars once more), the hooking "Faces", the bitter and well worked grasp of "Prostatic Fluid Asphyxiation" (very good contrast of vocal tunes), the protest for a normal life called "Worship The Digital Age" (filled with a violent and technical work from the rhythmic session), and the explosive "Possibilities Of An Impossible Existence" (wow, very good melodies arising from the guitars, and very good technical work from all the band members). These are just mere recommendations, because the album is good as a whole.
Good live album, and it has a DVD, with a documentary about "The Brotherhood Of The Blade" and a live show with all the songs from the album except for "This is Exile."
8 / 10
Excellent
"The Brotherhood Of The Blade" Track-listing:
1. Rise
2. Our Endless War
3. Section 8
4. Faces
5. I, Dementia
6. Possession
7. Prostatic Fluid Asphyxiation
8. Vicer Exciser
9. Mono
10. Worship the Digital Age
11. The Saw Is The Law
12. Possibilities Of An Impossible Existence
13. This Is Exile
Whitechapel Lineup:
Phil Bozeman - Vocals
Ben Savage - Guitars
Alex Wade - Guitars
Zach Householder - Guitars
Gabe Crisp - Bass
Ben Harclerode - Drums
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