The Killing Gods

I've read a lot of lukewarm reactions to this album, but it's simply solid Misery Index. The Killing Gods is a bit more refined, melodic, and more grandiose in scale compared to their first LP Retaliate. This album is not as good as their previous two albums, which in my house have achieved all-time classic status, but it's different enough to stand on its own.

This is definitely more on the death metal side of the fence than grind, and the production shows that too. My singular complaint with Heirs to Thievery was the production was lacking that punch that Retaliate and Traitors had. They found it again on this release, as all the instruments hit hard and can all be heard clearly. If you've ever heard Misery Index before, you know exactly what to expect as far as instrumentation goes; savage vocals, masterful death and grind riffs and drum patterns, socio-political lyrics, incredible replay value, and enough headbanging to last you a lifetime. A previous reviewer brought up the lack of classic songs on here, and I have to agree. That being said, this works best as a complete album, but there are a few songs I find myself playing the most such as Conjuring the Cull and Gallows Humor.

The Killing Gods has really grown on me as time has gone on, which is why I waited so long to review it. Misery Index is one of my absolute favorite bands so I wasn't entirely sure how much I liked the new direction and progressive passages. I'm probably 30-40 listens in now and I love it at least as much or more than Retaliate and Discordia. Even if you didn't like this album at first, I would suggest listening again because it really is a grower

The Killing Gods is another Misery Index release that I have thoroughly enjoyed. Before we begin this review, I need to lay my credentials and biases out on the table. I have every major release from this band including Pulling out the Nails. They are my favorite band, tied with Goatwhore, for a mix of objective and subjective reasons. I gave Heirs to Thievery a 100% rating on this site because frankly, I think it is the epitome of the death-grind genre and I still find its mix of melody and brutality and sheer immersion intoxicating.

Now, The Killing Gods is not as good as that album. In my opinion, it is their third best album behind Heirs and Discordia. Now, that being said, this album is a monstrous effort and though the finer points are not as polished, it is absolutely enjoyable in every respect.

I have two main problems with this album to discuss first. To begin with, the riffing is great, but not "classic." Remember the first time you heard the intro to Raining Blood? Or Number of the Beast? Or Hammer Smashed Face? This album doesn't have a song on it that you will always remember forever. Every track is good, and every track is well written, but none of them really transcend. Secondly, the bass and drums are out of the mix on this. The guitars and vocals really take the forefront. This is absolutely nothing new or unique, but it does stop the album from really being all that it could be.

Now then, let us not waste anymore time. If you like death metal or grindcore or, dear god, a mix of the two you need to buy this album. I am primarily a death-head myself and have drunk long and deep of the genre in all its glory and failure and find this entry a great quaff of the refreshing kind. It's intense for one thing, which is a prerequisite. It's interesting. It's heavy, it's engaging, and the songs all flow effortlessly from one to another. As stated above, this album is mostly guitar-centric and this is it's most redeeming aspect. The guitar lines shred and dip and dive and chug from one riff to another with aplomb.

The one thing I think Misery Index does better than or as well as anyone else is literally force you to get involved. The band are masters at making you bang your head or mosh or move or SOMETHING. Their music refuses to become ambiance, and this release is no different. Did he just throw a dive on a whammy bar? Not really, but it sounded like it. "Man this is really intense but it is kind of droning... No wait, shit, there was a sick riff change!" You can't get comfortable with this CD, and I mean that as a compliment. The vocals are awesome, but mixed differently on this release. Not worse, but differently. I leave that up to the listener to decide if they like, and I will just say they are nothing special, just good.

So when it is all said and done, this album is at the top of the "Very Good" category. It is intense and a great listen with enough melody to keep you interested without getting formulaic. I think that it is a really really really REALLY, should buy, but will stop short of calling it a "must have." Personally, I'm proud to have it in my collection and will pop it in without reservation in the future. If you really want to check these guys out, please buy Heirs to Thievery or Discordia. Those albums will put the hooks in you and make you want more. But don't be shy about this one, there is nothing on here to not recommend.

After four years of the release of their fourth album, Heirs to Thievery, Misery Index returns with its successor, named The Killing Gods. After being absent for four years, the first question that comes to one’s mind is wether the band did or did not bring something interesting to the table to justify the long wait. Ladies and gentlemen, fear not, for the Maryland quartet have returned stronger than ever.

Misery Index are, between many other genres, labeled as grindcore, and while the grindcore influence has been really strong in the band, since Heirs to Thievery and now with The Killing Gods, the band started expanding its musical boundaries and adding more thrash and death metal influences to their music. Changes in the riffing and a different approach in terms of composition show the band facing music from other perspectives apart from grindcore.

The inclusion of Darin Morris in replacement of former guitarist John Voyles was a change that helped the band considerably, as his playing skills and his melodic style, as well as the employment of techniques such as sweep-picking to revitalize the compositions, make a good contrast with the aggressiveness of the band. As a result we get a bigger inclusion of melodic guitar solos and leads without forgetting the energetic, vigorous and dynamic aspects of former albums. Darin’s work in the main riff and the closer melodies of 'Conjuring the Call', the guitar solos of 'The Harrowing Cult' (I specifically highlight the last one, it’s great), 'The Killing Gods', 'Colony Collapse' offer a breath of fresh air to the band. Also, as I said before, they don’t fear to venture into thrasher territories and they come up with the groovy 'Gallows Humor' with a beautiful break around the 3:30 minutes and its verses that incite us to sing along Jason’s furious screams, the riff-feast of 'The Weakener' or 'Sentinels'.

Despite all these changes, the essence of the band remains intact. The guys know what their fans expect from them, and even though they make use of the melodic side of their new guitarist, they don’t forget their grindcore roots and manage to deliver some very good tracks in this vein. One of the pillars that hold the aggressive aspect of the band is drummer Adam Jarvis. His way of playing is still clearly rooted in grindcore territory and his dynamism behind the kit, though a bit turned off by the production of the drums, contributes with an incredible energy that compliments the work of his band mates. This can particularly be heard during the first half of the album, as from 'Gallows Humor' on, he calms down a bit, so to say, and even though they’re still present, the blast-beats and grindcore-ish fills are not so predominant. Jason Netherton is the same Jason that everyone knows. His bark-like growls are at his best here, and he doesn’t do anything else than scream and spit the truth about the reality we live in. If I have to recognize something about him, is his intention to tell people to open their eyes about what’s happening rather than saying 'fuck the government, the government is shit, fuck it!'. I won't go into a detailed analysis of the lyrical content in this album as it is not the main point of the review, I'm trying to give a general vision of it, but I encourage anyone to read his lyrics, they’re really worth it.

All in all, Misery Index succeeds at something that is quite difficult, that it is to remain consistent without losing the essence of the band. The inclusion of new nuances to the music and the change of guitarist renewed the band and allows them results in an album that you won’t get tired so easily of.

Misery Index is a band from my hometown of Baltimore that, for some unknown reason, I never paid much attention to. I was introduced to drummer Adam Jarvis by Evan (MDF organizer) several years back but still didn't decide to pick up anything by them. From the little I had heard they were a death metal/grindcore mix that just didn't grab me enough to get any of their releases. With the release of their fifth full length, The Killing Gods, I can now say that I will be paying more attention to this band. It seems that a lot of the grindcore elements have been stripped away leaving is with some relentless, riff driven death metal. Not only did this album make me notice this band, this album is now, at the very least, going to be in my top ten come year end.

This album is just a full out onslaught of huge riffs, killer solos and even some cool melodies that made me really stand up and take notice. This album even goes into epic territory with the way they wrote the first five songs that constitute a mini concept within the album. Starting with "Urfaust" as an intro they come out with all guns blazing with "The Calling" and right away you get the idea that this is a pure death metal album. The riffs are driving this song and some are brutal and pummeling while the tremolos are providing just a slight bit of melody. The solos are all metal are just amazing with lots of melody and enough technicality to make them believable. You get the idea here that this is not just another death/grind album but a musical statement. The vocals remind me of Johan Hegg for the most part and just fit this crushing music perfectly. The highlight of the concept portion of this album is "The Harrowing." This song begins with blasts, crushing riffs and a lead that is just punishing. This may even be my favorite song on the album. The solo is, once again, godly and melodic and just makes the song even better.

The remainder of the album is a good balance of death metal and some grindcore elements so this album will appeal to fans of both genres. The production is modern but not too polished or compressed but has the perfect mix. The title track has some interesting grooves in the riffing and is the longest song on the album. But the time is not wasted as the aural assault just keeps coming throughout the song. Songs like "Gallows Humor", "The Weakener," and "Heretics" are further examples of the cool grooves that they put into the riffing while still maintaining the brutality. Then you have "Sentinels" that just beats the living fuck outta you for two and half minutes with serious blasts and massive riffing. These are just some examples of the variety of songs that you have here on this album. These guys aren't fuckin' around here, they are here to kick your ass. But they do it with finesse and with huge amounts of technicality. Oh, and did I mention the solos, yet? Well I'm doing it again because they are a huge reason why this album is so good.

So now that I have finally picked up my first album by this band, I will be revisiting the remainder of their catalog. All I know is that this album made me finally take notice of this brutal but technical band. So if you like your death metal with a hint of grindcore, serious grooves, and killer solos then get this album.


http://elitistmetalhead.blogspot.com/

It’s been four years since Maryland death/grind masters Misery Index gave us Heirs to Thievery, a unrelenting lesson in all things metal and one of the best albums of 2010. Now signed to Season of Mist, home to the likes of Cynic and Atheist, they have returned with their much-awaited full-length The Killing Gods. You can almost sense the thousands of prying eyes, waiting to see if Jason Netherton and company will slip up after an almost pristine four album run. As the instrumental opener “Urfaust” forms a bridge from folksy riffage to the pure blasting mayhem of “The Calling”, it’s clear that the band haven’t failed to deliver.

Compared to the albums predecessor, perhaps most startling is the presence of melody and the expanding of the bands ability to conjure up extraordinary atmospheres amidst all the blasting turbulence they’re well known for. The aforementioned second track is very much something of a calling card for the band, blistering speed at the hands of drummer Adam Jarvis interspersed with strong lead-work from guitarist Darin Morris, all brought together by a tenacious melody. It’s a track that wouldn’t feel out of place on any of their previous works, but sandwiched between two short interludes complete with dissonant arpeggiated chords and ambiance provides the semblance of maturation that the band needs to give them a true sense of distinction with this release.

With the replacing of ex-Dying Fetus member John Voyles on guitar, there arose a concern that this record would lack the technicality that fellow Baltimore residents are renowned for. But with songs like ”Cross to Bear” and “Sentinels” replete with scrambled riffing and bouncy breakdowns, its relieving that not only has this component of the bands sound been preserved, but also that Morris has no trouble carrying the torch. In fact, his style melds superbly with the rest of the band and is so similar to Voyles’ that you would never think he left in the first place. It’s a style best served by a crisp and tight production ethic, and there’s no doubt that The Killing Gods is blessed with a modern sheen that would put similar artists to shame. But if you’re of the camp that likes their death metal raw and unfettered, you’re looking in the wrong place.

Its long been a unique quality of Misery Index’s to be able to appeal to grindcore and death metal fans alike, though the grind elements have dissipated somewhat in their later releases in order to focus on the more groove-orientated sound present on this album. This isn’t to say that there’s no grind to be found here, as carefully tailored sections of tracks such as “The Harrowing” and “Colony Collapse” contain enough blasting to counteract the crunching grooves of the brilliant “Gallows Humor”. Though there’s perhaps not quite enough in here to satisfy grindcore aficionados in the same way that Cephalic Carnage or Cattle Decapitation might.

Four years away from the fold is too long for a band capable of producing such consistent and exciting material. The Killing Gods is an intense and hugely satisfying record, bursting at the seams with pure speed, malevolence and fierce musicianship. An essential purchase for death/grind fans of all ages.