Cave Canem! - Inter Bella
Hailing out of Russia, Cave Canem! are new to the metal scene. Debuting with their 2008 release of Inter Bella, the band tries create an album that is technical, but more interesting than a headache as some mathcore bands are apt to do. Throughout the albums listeners can expect a lot of hooks, plenty of solos, layered drumming that isn't just blast beats or monotnous (in fact a lot of times they sound very percussive), and splatterings of electronic samples to add a slight industrial edge to the metal. While the band considers themselves 'technical death metal,' it is a bit unbelievable. Yes, the album is very technical and well structured, but with the vocals included the idea of death metal is just thrown out the window.
When fans expect death metal, they expect SOME sort of growling- low like that of Chris Barnes of Torture Killer, mid paced such as Mikael Stann of Dark Tranquillity, or even higher such as Alex Lahio of Children of Bodom. Cave Canem! doesn't deliver anything like that vocally. Instead, much of the music is conveyed behind spoken words in the Russian langauge that sound like a maddened priest giving his sermon on how to conquer the world. There's bits and pieces of shouting and roaring but it's only just as laughable. However, despite this little problem, the vocals don't ruin the rest of the music altogether. There's even a few instrumental tracks where the music sounds absolutely flawless and technical without the vocals getting in the way.
Some tracks do live up to the technical death metal standard such as "Ad Arma Vocamur." It's heavy in the way all the instruments assault the earhole, but the guitars do a great job of being anything but the same chord for more than a second and the electronics keep up an interesting beat along with the bass. While the vocals may ruin it with their spoken mumbo jumbo there's no denying the band's skill instrumentally. "Reformatia II" is an even better example because there's no vocals at all! And even better, a great percussive beat is played behind the long, wailing guitar, giving a very tribal feeling to the music. For the most part it's a mystical track, but every once in a while the guitars will chug together to creat a crashing disharmonic effect that is, ironically, very harmonic. Other tracks like "Lex" feature a single guitar and bass but the song is simplistic and very jazzy; a good showcase of technical music work. "NIsus" follows a similar suite, except that it is much more middle eastern influenced, but the lack of vocals really give the song its flavor. Unfortunately, these moments of genius are left behind in the dust as the next few tracks go back to the technical death metal fury with the poorly performed vocals. However, the final track is a weird opus in the way that it is the most electronic track on the album, sounding like anything but death metal, but the sheer difference of it from the others is a great addition, and way, to close the album altogether.
When fans expect death metal, they expect SOME sort of growling- low like that of Chris Barnes of Torture Killer, mid paced such as Mikael Stann of Dark Tranquillity, or even higher such as Alex Lahio of Children of Bodom. Cave Canem! doesn't deliver anything like that vocally. Instead, much of the music is conveyed behind spoken words in the Russian langauge that sound like a maddened priest giving his sermon on how to conquer the world. There's bits and pieces of shouting and roaring but it's only just as laughable. However, despite this little problem, the vocals don't ruin the rest of the music altogether. There's even a few instrumental tracks where the music sounds absolutely flawless and technical without the vocals getting in the way.
Some tracks do live up to the technical death metal standard such as "Ad Arma Vocamur." It's heavy in the way all the instruments assault the earhole, but the guitars do a great job of being anything but the same chord for more than a second and the electronics keep up an interesting beat along with the bass. While the vocals may ruin it with their spoken mumbo jumbo there's no denying the band's skill instrumentally. "Reformatia II" is an even better example because there's no vocals at all! And even better, a great percussive beat is played behind the long, wailing guitar, giving a very tribal feeling to the music. For the most part it's a mystical track, but every once in a while the guitars will chug together to creat a crashing disharmonic effect that is, ironically, very harmonic. Other tracks like "Lex" feature a single guitar and bass but the song is simplistic and very jazzy; a good showcase of technical music work. "NIsus" follows a similar suite, except that it is much more middle eastern influenced, but the lack of vocals really give the song its flavor. Unfortunately, these moments of genius are left behind in the dust as the next few tracks go back to the technical death metal fury with the poorly performed vocals. However, the final track is a weird opus in the way that it is the most electronic track on the album, sounding like anything but death metal, but the sheer difference of it from the others is a great addition, and way, to close the album altogether.
- Seditio Jam Est
- Ad Arma Vocamur
- Novum Horizon
- Reformatia I
- Reformatia II
- Lex
- NIsus
- Dubia Vertunt
- Seligens Vitam
- Invita Detrectatio
- Porsus Gradus
- Hronos
Self released
Reviewer: Colin McNamara
May 4, 2010
May 4, 2010
Next review:
Morgue Supplier - Constant Negative
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