Album Review: Bonecarver - Carnage Funeral
Reviewed by Daniel Phipps
Bonecarver who between 2013 - 2020 were called Cannibal Granda are a Spanish band based in Madrid. Since the name change the band inked a deal with Unique Leader records, released the first record under the Bonecarver name last year and already have a follow up release ready to unleash. This new collection of material due for release in November is called Carnage Funeral.
Carnage Funeral brings a collection of 9 slabs of extreme metal in which the Spaniards compile the tracks with a variety of influences from a variety of styles all throughout. The bulk of the record focuses on a more deathcore sound, 2 step styled riffs which are death metalled up, huge breakdowns and a mixture of high and low vocal styles basically everything you expect from the deathcore sound can be found within the record.
Now Bonecarver don’t stick purely with this through the entire run length as they sprinkle in more of a dark black metal vibe at times during the record. These touches are nice and break away from the very formulaic deathcore vibe that can be found elsewhere on the record. Another touch the band adds to Carnage Funeral is symphonic and operatic elements to the sound. Be it large chanting vocal harmonies or string arrangements are what can be found throughout. In most instances such as the record's title track or ‘Morgue Desecrator’ fit very well within the structure of the song. But it’s not all roses ‘Pillars of Tragedy’ for example finds these orchestral elements just being forced into the track and combined with an overall bad song which in my opinion should have been left on the cutting floor it shows you can’t just add these sounds willy nilly.
Whilst definitely not the most exhilarating and exciting release you will ever hear, it would be fair to say that Carnage Funeral is one of the better, more complete deathcore records you will find. It has a good mixture of extreme metal styles added so it’s more than just a breakdown fest. If deathcore is your jam, definitely give this a go.
