Black Knife offer 11 hard hitting tracks of punk rock infused blackened thrash not short on aggression and carnage.
Black Knife are releasing their third full-length album Murder Season, among several split EPs, on March 5th. Murder Season is a progression in sound for Black Knife, from the raw and gritty self-titled debut and the almost street punk Spell Caster. This third album has combined the two into a heavy blackened punk thrash sound. These Lexington, Kentucky natives are a unique blend of thrash, black metal and hardcore. They have taken the concept of crossover into much darker realms. Black Knife seems to be as comfortable with leather, bristles, and studs as they would be with corpse paint and sacrifices. Murder Season was recorded “with vile intent and hate for humanity in 2020”.
The intro track, “Leaking Christ(Intro), does its job in setting up the album. It is building and bludgeoning. “Murder Season”, the title song, is heavy on black metal elements (tremolo picking, gravelly and harsh vocals), but has chord progressions and drumming that scream punk/hardcore.
“They Kill At Night” has the speed of thrash, with the crushing delivery of old-school death metal. This song is an unrelenting fury of brutal rhythm. A somewhat common theme within extreme metal, and music leaning towards the darker side of life, is that of serial killers. “Bloodbath Orgy” uses this theme and is pure carnage. While lyrically gruesome, it also offers some interesting chord changes and technical playing that took some focus to truly appreciate. “World Of Piss” could be a disgusted with the world, anti-establishment, anarchist anthem. It is fast, it is angry, and presents a clear message to any who would oppose.
For “Death Divine” things slow down and get a bit sludgier. Much more bass is felt and heard coming through. Chugging riffs and a more complex arrangement is a slight break from the breakneck punk progressions earlier in the album. “My Knife In Your Skull” is crushing and hard. The back and forth vocals of the chorus add fuel to the fire of this aggressive song. Black Knife credits Venom as a major influence. It is very clearly heard on “Satan’s Wolves”. This song reaches back to the days before black metal had a footing as a genre. When heavy metal and punk were just venturing into darker, more evil, imagery. “Satan’s Wolves” is tough as nails and menacing.
“Leatherface”, a song about that Texas killer with a chainsaw, is fast with a simple beat. Quick and to the point. The lyrics tell a tale just as horrific as the movies, and the true stories that inspired them. The brutality continues with “Feed The Beast”. With pure punk rock heavy metal mayhem, Black Knife blend and transition between styles with ease, uncluttered. To close Murder Season, “Unholy Ritual” leans on doom riffs and fantastic bass playing. It has the longest run-time, at just over 6 minutes, and is the best showing of musicianship and talent of the album. The solo is incredible and smooth. “Unholy Ritual” fits the rest of the album, but in some ways it doesn’t. It shows the varying ways Black Knife can sound, and all of them are good.
Black Knife have concocted a sound full of sleaze, aggression, brutality and evil. Murder Season is suited for 30 punks stuffed into a 2 bedroom house, and simultaneously for the coldest dungeons of black metals birth. Murder Season is a multi-label, and multi-format release. CDs and vinyl will be available from Husk Records(through the Black Knife Bandcamp), with vinyl also being available through Jems Label. Morbid and Miserable Records will have cassettes. Murder Season is upon us March 5th!
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