I remember in THIS interview I did with Martin, he talked about how lucky the band was with basically unlimited studio time. Well it really shines through. This album sounds amazing! It is obvious everyone took there time and was precise and that Colin Davis (IMPERIAL MASTERING) put hours and hours of hard work into mastering this. Such extreme attention to detail is very appreciated, especially in this genre of music where so much can easily go unheard or unnoticed. You will have no problem listening to this! It is pleasant on the ears in every way. Great musicianship meets suburb recording and mastering!
band photo taken by Martin Tonning-Strand
If you have not picked up on this yet, I love this album. “Post Mortal Coital Fixation" has impressed me beyond expectations. It had me smiling and bobbing my head the whole way through. I really enjoy writing reviews and posting them to this stupid blog, but sometimes I lack the motivation to write about records that do not stand out. This is not the easiest style of music to play while still being original and maintain a unique sound. Kraanium have done just that, making a great brutal, slamming, groovy, disgusting album while hanging on to their signature sounds and enhancing them in all the right places. Made for an easy and enjoyable review!
"Post Mortal Fixation" kicks things of with a beefy, simple, perfectly brutal instrumental track and is the perfect warm up and foreshadowing to what you are getting yourself into. What comes next is a “Stillborn Necrotic Fuck Feast" and it is delicious. It features massive servings of that perfect attention to detail I was talking about with a few pinches of groove. Martins vocals have improved by miles and I love them on this album. Vocalists do not get to these levels without putting in hard work and dedication and he is taking this very seriously. The end of this song is like a gradual buildup to nothing, which is actually quite satisfying due to the drums and subtle changes of pace and dynamic.
"Bursting Rectal Sores" uses repetition and simple changes. Catchy riffs are counter acted by something so different yet so fitting. Creativity flows freely here, like ooze from a rectal sore. I love the blasty parts with the drums and the fills. Also notable are the spots where the drums have a more minimal and tasteful approach, complimenting but not overbearing. Martin gets to show off his range here, something that is so gross and powerful that it reminds us that vocals can be such an effective instrument. “Compulsive Mutilation Disorder" starts with possibly the best sample ever and is luckily followed my an equally awesome three minutes. The pings and punches and pops and splashes and whatever other words you might use for these drum sounds, are perfect. The steady snare backbone keeps you bouncing along while everything else floats above. “Slurping The Vaginal Pus" is where I fully noticed the amazingly warm bass tone on this album. Straightforward chugging riffs mixed with melodic tremolo riffs lead up to around the 2 minute mark where everything melts into a gorgeous, swaying slam punctuated by splashing drums and disgusting vocals.
"Crack Whore Pounding" has a non stop chugging, pounding feel only to slowly bash your skull in before “Coprophagial Asphyxiation" fades in and brings you back to that familiar Kraanium sound, full of drum fills and pounding, repetitive riffs that are basically predictable but oh so satisfying. Has a sound around the 1:30 mark that I cannot figure out. Anyone? It doesn’t add much but it doesn’t take away either. Everything here is great and it speeds up for just a moment before one last return to this songs catchy riff.
The band released “Slammed Kranial Remains" via youtube as a sort of single before anything else was released. Smart move; in the midst of these tunes this one is actually quite amazing. I mean we all already thought so, but this track is way better surrounded by all of it’s ugly siblings rather than part of a diverse youtube playlist.
"Sculptures of Perverse Suffering" showcases the brilliance of having two guitarists and creating atmosphere. Very creative songwriting. These drums are awesome and I think everyone will love the snare sound on this album. Martins vocals remind me at times of Angel Ochoa’s earlier works.
The last two songs ( before the actual last song, an Abominable Putridity cover) sort of seem like they should be one. The brilliantly named “Baptized in Boiling Sewage" is a simple, short, catchy song that leaves me wanting more anyway. Then it perfectly fades into “Orgy of Cannibalistic Fornication", which starts with a woman screaming and a guitar in the background is playing a riff that sounds way too close to the one in “Baptized". These two songs make for one really good one with a sample in the middle.
Overall, this is easily Kraanium’s best release to date, and will be one of my favorites of the year. Go order it here:
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