Carnifex
The Rock / Tucson, AZ
October 11, 2023
October 13, 2023
Carnifex at The Rock, Tucson
(by Stephanie Green)
October 13, 2023
In support of Carnifex’s new release, “Necromanteum”, which dropped October 6th, they chose The Rock in the “Dirty-T” (Tucson, AZ) to kick off their “Necromanteum U.S. Tour”. Supporting them on this leg of the tour are Signs Of The Swarm, To The Grave, and The Last Ten Seconds Of Life. Due to The Last Ten Seconds Of Life having issues with their touring van, they could not make the Tucson show. Ocean Harvest, a Phoenix metalcore band was added to the line-up, and despite missing their bass player, still brought that heavy Phoenix sound down to Tucson. I later found them on Spotify and was quickly impressed with their blend of symphonic sounds with crushing bass lines and remarkable gutturals. If you haven't checked them out already, I would highly recommend it.
Already a fan of To The Grave, I was very excited to see these Aussie natives in southern Arizona. The perfect blend of heart and deathcore, this band is a testament to why Australia is becoming so prominent on the international stage. I absolutely love the transitions from gutturals to goblin snarls. If you're looking for a new track to add to your Spotify playlist, I highly recommend ‘Dead Skin Ski Mask’ from their Offcuts EP, which is also included in their latest release, Director’s Cuts (Deluxe Version).
After seeing Signs Of The Swarm over the winter on Whitechapel's ‘Playing The Valley In Full Tour’, I absolutely fell in love with this band. So much so that I ordered their complete available discography on vinyl. Signs Of The Swarm is nothing short of brutal with punishing riffs, heavy breakdowns, and unmatched vocals. If you're going to check them out, I highly recommend ‘Death Whistle’ as it is my favorite of their songs.
What can be said about Carnifex that hasn't been said before? These Titans of Death Metal still bring the same heaviness they did in 2006 when I first saw them. I categorize them more as death metal than deathcore because their sound is more refined and technical than their deathcore counterparts. They are definitely straddling the line between the genres. Their latest album, ‘Necromanteum’, is much darker and heavier than I expected, and I am not disappointed with it or their ability to bring it live.
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