Album Review: Fulci - Duck Face Killings
Reviewed by Sam Jones
Fulci are arguably one of the biggest names in horror-influenced death metal today, so when I saw they’d be releasing a new album soon I was fully on board. Formed in 2013 out of Campania, Italy, the band are named after one of Italy’s film directors best known for his horror features. Releasing two Demos and a Compilation in 2014, the band would unveil their first full length work a year later with 2015’s Opening The Hell Gates. Though they went quiet for some time, they’d resurface with a band with 2019’s Tropical Sun, a modern landmark of extreme metal and arguably the band’s finest work to date. Releasing Exhumed Information in 2021 the band would only proceed to release material with 2023’s The Morrisound Session. Now, just another year later, Fulci are primed to release Duck Face Killings, their fifth album, for an August 9th release date. Having bounced around various record labels, recently having signed on to Maggot Stomp, Fulci now find themselves the ranks of 20 Buck Spin. Now any band that gets themselves signed to that label is a band worth watching, not that Fulci haven’t already earned that right. Duck Face Killings is Fulci’s newest record and I am all here for it.
One reason why I enjoy Fulci is that, in spite of their brutal tendencies, their songwriting isn’t wholly devoted to speed and with so many track features across the runtime here, it works to the band’s advantage that the pacing is steadier and each track doesn’t always feel like a constant race to the finish line. It therefore enables us to delve further into the band’s aesthetic that, now several albums in, has become firmly established. But while the band’s horror influences are well known they don’t go full bore on us at every waking moment; there could be sequences whereby you can follow what’s happening really easily before Fulci then crank up the tempo and therefore the intensity. It’s rare herein that each track starts, progresses and ends at the same level of rapidity, the band are always looking alternating their pace in an ebb and flow style so you don’t grow tired of what’s on display. I’ve seen many Brutal Death Metal bands go all in on the speed, and while that’s a valid choice, I don’t think it’d have worked in Fulci’s favour; at least not with this record.
What did surprise me however was the inclusion of ambient or smaller instrumental pieces spread across the record. Given the number of tracks apparently inserted into Duck Face Killings, I was wondering what they’d be implementing and it looks to emanate from a keen Mortician influence. Fulci may not be known for playing long tracks but the short and sweet style they’ve applied to their ambient pieces works well since they’re not these heavy and lumbering sequences; rather they’re much more meticulous and a far cry of what you’d typically associate with Fulci’s devastating flurries. What I was not expecting at all, yet felt fully appropriate to the band’s vibe was rap? “Knife” is this otherwise instrumental piece that suddenly incorporates a short rap section that most bands probably wouldn’t even begin to attempt trying but Fulci have, and it doesn’t feel out of place for what the band could do. The ambient and audio pieces too may have their inclusion but they’re never used so often that you associate them as a vital part of Fulci’s sound. They’re never used as a crutch to Fulci’s songwriting; they’re merely a tool of their arsenal, such as the rap, unconventional as it is within extreme metal, and continues to subvert what fans may think they’re getting out of Duck Face Killings. The band have continued to push the envelope on what they may do and it’s no wonder as to why each record feels different to the last.
Whilst the riffs are classic Fulci entertainment, it must be said the drums inject bouts of bass into the record without the band having to massively ramp it up in the mixing process. Duck Face Killings is a surprisingly tame and reserved record knowing the band’s roots and actually makes for a pleasantly easy listening experience. Partway through the record you may realise it’s noticeably void of blast beats, the band instead opt for a much more retro approach to their drums which actually frees up the room for you to focus on the band in their entirety. You’re still getting the full brunt of Fulci’s performance, the cacophony of their heavy sound is pounding away, but it’s done in the same way one would hear a band playing from afar; you know it’s a truly consuming experience but it’s not weighing down on you and, at least for the moment, makes for a really comfortable situation. Even when the band’s intensity does spike, you never feel like hoping for the next track to commence simply because the current piece is getting a bit much. From a mixing perspective, it’s a wondrous achievement as it ensures legions of fans will want to return to Duck Face Killings, knowing they don’t need to steel themselves for a bludgeoning, suffocating time.
The guitar work itself flows so well here because it doesn’t seem to be actively gunning for your head at every waking moment. Much like the general mix, the riffs are spread across the entire band’s performance so the riffs, drums and demonic vocals easily meld together to craft that singular, collective strike. The riffs themselves are these chunky but well pronounced pieces that never fail to hit their mark. What impressed me was, as mentioned prior, their reserved nature, since the band don’t just launch them at us like some deranged artillery piece. There are times throughout where the chords played are quite sustained and even have a more cerebral, morose quality to them. The songwriting isn’t always a display of brutality, Fulci have crafted songs bristling with identity and though you have an idea of what to expect, and that expectation is met in droves, the band still do enough to keep you thoroughly engaged even with the fourteen total tracks found herein. The riffs manage to establish presence without being all up in your face; they command you to pay attention without harbouring any additional fanfare.
In conclusion, Duck Face Killings is a record chock full of tracks and riffs and turns for you to sink your teeth into and that’s even with the more experimental side as well. There’s plenty to discover inside, and for those wondering how Fulci manage to make fourteen tracks worthwhile, it ultimately boils down to track variety, good management of their pacing and some more unique incorporations of elements thrown in for good measure. I think it’s certainly the most experimental record Fulci have yet released, especially when including the fusion of audio pieces and the one rap segment, yet the overall vibe that Fulci first crafted for themselves back in the day hasn’t changed one bit. The band are still slugging out grand riffs and guttural vocals strong enough to keep you weighted down in your seat, and it works to their favour that every track is exactly on or under three minutes in length. The band give you plenty to soak in, but don’t waste a second of it as anything otherwise superficial or overtly fatuous has been cut out. Every time I experience a new Fulci record, they impress me with how far they’ve evolved, and have continued to do so, and it becomes no wonder as to why they’ve been signed on to 20 Buck Spin. Ending out their record with a massive instrumental piece showcasing saxophones, keyboards amidst crushing chords, Fulci close out Duck Face Killings with a grandiose bow. I’m fascinated with where Fulci go next, because I know for sure I’ll be there.
