BIOMECHANICAL — Cannibalised (review)

BIOMECHANICAL — Cannibalised album cover Album · 2008 · Technical Thrash Metal Buy this album from MMA partners
3.5/5 ·
UMUR
"Cannibalised" is the 3rd full-length studio album by UK progressive power/thrash metal act Biomechanical. The album was released through Earache Records in February 2008. It´s the successor to "The Empires Of The Worlds" from 2005.

"Cannibalised" continues the "hard to define" music style of "The Empires Of The Worlds (2005)", which means that it´s a combination of thrash/groove metal riffs, screaming US power/heavy metal styled vocals, progressive ideas, and symphonic orchestral keyboards. Although the tracks feature regular vers/chorus parts, "Cannibalised" is not an easy listening experience, which is due to the many influences fighting for domination and often the tracks are multi-layered and quite busy. At times it´s quite a chaotic listen and as a consequence some tracks (like the title track) take several listens to fully grasp.

The 10 tracks on the 48:05 minutes long album are very hard edged and energetic, and it´s only a few times during the playing time that Biomechanical turn down the volume and allow room for more mellow parts (like the case is with "Breathing Silence"). Other than those occasional moments where the listener is allowed to breathe a little, you´re constantly bombarded with pretty extreme screaming vocals (think of Rob Halford on steroids), very fast-paced frantic riffing, and aggressive rhythms.

This approach to playing/singing of course requires great skill, and Biomechanical have that in abundance. The instrumental part of the music is very impressive, and lead vocalist John K. is an incredibly powerful and talented singer too. His performance could have prospered from a little more restraint and focus on melody, instead of almost constantly screaming at the top of his lungs, but it´s still impossible not to recognize how skilled he is.

"Cannibalised" features a powerful sounding production, which is obviously the work of a professional, but when it comes down to it actually lacks a bit of clarity, and the already busy music often ends up even more chaotic sounding that it already is. So I´m a bit biased when it comes to evaluating "Cannibalised", because on one hand I´m very impressed by the musicianship and the often jaw-dropping moments of technical bliss that is a result of that, but on the other hand the songwriting could have been more memorable, and the sound production more detailed and clear sounding. A 3.5 star (70%) rating is deserved.
Share this review
more

Review Comments

Post a public comment below | Send private message to the reviewer
Please login to post a shout
No shouts posted yet. Be the first member to do so above!

Review Index

Member Zone

Username:
Password:
Stay signed in

Metal Subgenres

Artists Alpha-index

MMA TOP 5 Metal ALBUMS

Rating by members, ranked by custom algorithm
Albums with 30 ratings and more
Master of Puppets Thrash Metal
METALLICA
Buy this album from our partners
Paranoid Heavy Metal
BLACK SABBATH
Buy this album from our partners
Moving Pictures Hard Rock
RUSH
Buy this album from our partners
Powerslave NWoBHM
IRON MAIDEN
Buy this album from our partners
Rising Heavy Metal
RAINBOW
Buy this album from our partners

New Metal Artists

New Metal Releases

A Sonication Technical Death Metal
OBSCURA
Buy this album from MMA partners
Hin helga kvöl Atmospheric Sludge Metal
SÓLSTAFIR
Buy this album from MMA partners
The Cycles of Suffering Black Metal
BURIAL OATH
Buy this album from MMA partners
The Suns of Perdition - Chapter IV: To Shadow Zion Black Metal
PANZERFAUST
Buy this album from MMA partners
Facilis Descensus Averno Death Metal
SAEVUS FINIS
Buy this album from MMA partners
More new releases

New Metal Online Videos

DAWN OF REVENGE - Sanctuary [official music video]
DAWN OF REVENGE
Bosh66· 6 days ago
DAWN OF REVENGE - Farewell [official music video]
DAWN OF REVENGE
Bosh66· 6 days ago
DAWN OF REVENGE - Curtain of Death - [official music video]
DAWN OF REVENGE
Bosh66· 6 days ago
DAWN OF REVENGE - Vengeance [official music video]
DAWN OF REVENGE
Bosh66· 6 days ago
DAWN OF REVENGE - I Need You [official music video]
DAWN OF REVENGE
Bosh66· 6 days ago
More videos

New MMA Metal Forum Topics

More in the forums

New Site interactions

More...

Latest Metal News

members-submitted

More in the forums

Social Media

Follow us
Follow us on Twitter Become a Facebook fan RSS Feed