Album Review: Mercyful Fate - In The Shadows

Mercyful Fate - In The Shadows

Metal Blade Records - 1993

8.5/10

Following two of the most compelling metal albums of the '80s, Mercyful Fate would disband, seeing King Diamond and a few of the others form a separate band under King's stage name. About a half-decade of more classic records passed through a tweaked formula, the influence of those years would sneak into Mercyful Fate's sound after reuniting. Starting the '90s on a fresh note is always a good time. Thus, In The Shadows brings back our favorite dual-guitar duo for a refreshing look into yet another change in the band's dynamic.

By now, the overly Satanic themes and dark coatings of hellish worship take a backseat, as the record's main focus is narratives around general horror with a clear step towards more complex writing. This isn't to say you won't find your straightforward bangers or your little odes to The Evil One, but an aim at something more complex is quite noticeable. My personal favorite example would be "The Old Oak," an eight minute journey that offers up a gradual build of slow riffs crossed with pummeling drum kicks, acoustic toppings, and faster guitar layers. The vocal chants describing a spooky narrative around a tree feel far more menacing than you'd expect, however I'll admit this one probably could have been trimmed a little. Same goes for "Legend Of The Headless Rider," another strong tune that might have benefitted from the littlest bit of trimming.

However, I absolutely adore the magic in tracks like "Egypt," a haunting opener, reminding us that King Diamond and co. can still write an anthemic, choir-oriented earworm. A similar approach is taken on "Thirteen Invitations," with its minor-toned melodic ride paired to a memorable chorus and a strong ear for memorable passages. To the opposite end, "Shadows" is a beautiful marching banger with some of the best riff stomps, erupting solos, and an immaculate chorus. The placement of this next to "A Gruesome Time" allows the two to feel like a fun pair with all sorts of charm and rhythmic simplicity; as I've said before, sometimes less is more.

Across the board, In The Shadows might feel a little disjointed or a little overwhelming at times, but the direction the band was headed is executed wonderfully and clearly. The strong points here are very strong, and the lesser points are easy to overlook. A slightly more linear direction with the smallest amount of trimming would have been helpful, but I really can't complain. For the weirdos that say the '90s saw heavy metal on its deathbed, let this be one of the countless counter-examples.

EP Review: Mercyful Fate - Mercyful Fate

Mercyful Fate - Mercyful Fate

Rave-On Records - 1982

7.5/10

Before Mercyful Fate signed to Roadrunner and put out one of the greatest metal albums of all time, they'd have a bit of a trial run. Their first EP simply titled Mercyful Fate certainly wasted no time to make a statement, if the album art alone doesn't give that away. Moreover, the lyrics jump right into the dark territory that King Diamond and co. would stay within, giving a taste of their sped-up brand of heavy metal as a sample. The lineup is also the same, making it surprising that there was such a drastic shift in creativity following just one year.

I say this, because despite how strong some of the chops that Mercyful Fate beheld are, it was clearly underdeveloped by a landslide. King Diamond hadn't yet gotten down the way to project those howling outbursts that feel compelling rather than overwhelming, and the songs themselves don't stick together super well. That's not to say they aren't good, as I do enjoy every track on this album, but it's null of one clear direction outside of doing heavy metal and writing about Satan. But really, could you ask much more from a debut EP?

Absolutely not, and that's why I'll forgive this, as all four tracks have some level of charm. Opener "A Corpse Without Soul" boasts some of the tightest guitar licks and solos one could open with, cranking out six minutes of strong leads. Personally, I think Denner and Sherman outdo King on this EP, and the first track is the most blatant example, as their guitar work is pristine while his vocals get to be a lot. "Nuns Have No Fun" follows, focusing more on melody with a dash of some of their most raunchy lyrics. "Doomed By The Living Dead" jumps back to the former tricks of looking more towards intricacy, while closer "Devil Eyes" is nothing more than a rock 'n roll number with steady drum taps and a repetitive chorus.

For a debut cut of only four songs, it would be fair to say that Mercyful Fate started out on the right foot. You may have to get past the rough production and vocals, a lack of clear narrative, and a bit of edginess, but overall this is something I enjoy revisiting. I described Don't Break The Oath as an album written by adults that are fascinated by the occult and evil. This one leans closer to music meant to piss off religious parents. At the expense of sounding contrarian, I think this gets a little overhyped, and had another band without that massive name done it, the praise wouldn't be as high. If you're new to the band, listen to the first two albums, then give this a listen.

Album Review: Mercyful Fate - Don't Break The Oath

Mercyful Fate - Don't Break The Oath

Roadrunner Records - 1984

9.5/10

Not even a full year following the tremendous effort known as Melissa, the Danish occult metallers Mercyful Fate would return with another record showing signs of evolution very quickly. While a little less unique than the never-replicated first effort, Don't Break The Oath would basically cement their overall theme and sound on a more general scale within the genre. Continued are the melodies, heavy riffs, and clean singing that would never really go away. However, gone is the emphasis on unsettling, soft edges with a ghostly undertone that concocts such a cool atmosphere.

Instead, Don't Break The Oath opts for something far more reminiscent of its album art, a warmer approach with the aforementioned musical traits. Traditional metal riffing is sharpened with a hotter crunch, the atmosphere is cleaned up to allow both of King's high howls and lower snarls to break in clearer, and the song structures themselves feel a little more orthodox. No eleven minute songs with sixteen different riffs will be found here, however the gains are worth the loss; in other words, this album still has an identity of its own. Sweeping solos amidst arguably harder drum kicks and sharper rhythms make for a record that's heavier in execution in lieu of the coldness.

Really, this is made evident immediately when the record opens on the powerful punch with gradual guitar layers in "A Dangerous Meeting." Closer "Come To The Sabbath" counters this wonderfully, utilizing the same technique but with smooth vocal layers that break into an otherwise straightforward tune. As a matter of fact, the catchier earworms considered classics standout nicely here, namely "Gypsy" with its swift execution, bouncy bridge, and singalong verses. "Welcome Princess Of Hell" snaps on the same tactic with a softer tone, utilizing more emotion to match the poetic expression and macabre feelings pairing with hidden Satan worship. You'd never realize how dark some of these tunes are without paying close attention to the lyrics, as they're once again so warm in feeling. But that's also what helps the memorability!

On the other hand, you can hear intricacies that would become prominent as Mercyful Fate would progress as a band. A harpsichord makes its way into the mix for several tracks, and "Nightmare" borders power metal territory as its pace is picked up after the bridge. The bass and drum combo is heard wonderfully here, progressing with some strong might. To the same end, "The Oath" is a menacing stomper, being the only tune that doesn't have a shred of inviting energy. It enters with a cold and dark set of keyboards and undertones that break into power metal ranges amidst its pummeling drive. These subtle contrasts with the rest of the album are still mixed in wonderfully, almost acting as a transition to break the record in half. For a second, you may think we're getting a surprise doom metal attack before it makes a smooth one-eighty into something faster.

If the menacing quintet's first album was a fierce execution of freezing expressions with the darkest presentation of traditional metal, then their sophomore is its counterpart. Here the devil disguises himself in pretty colors and comfortable coats to trick the listener into trekking right into hell. But the songwriting isn't nearly as edgy as the description I just gave, it simply fits the same vibe without a trace of awkwardness. Ya know, as if adults interested in the occult wrote it, rather than kids aiming to upset their religious parents.

Film Review: Halloween Ends

Halloween Ends
2022
David Gordon Green
5/10

Following the shitshow that was Halloween Kills, and ending it in a way that all but had Michael killed, it was really tough to imagine how the David Gordon Green trilogy was going to wrap things up. As each film somewhat paid tribute in some degree or another to the original three Carpenter films respectively, there was no way they were going to make Halloween Ends reflect Season Of The Witch. But man, they kind of did!

Ok, not really, that was more of a joke about the fact that most of this movie has very little to do with Michael Myers. What is true is that it created such a massive divide between fans, much like the original third film did, and I imagine in a decade or so this will gain a cult following much like Halloween III. Unfortunately, I don't have nearly as much praise to give Halloween Ends as I do the Silver Shamrock side story. Don't read me wrong, as my reasons for struggling here aren't because of the typical nonsense complaints it gets around being "too different" or "not even about Michael" or "them killing him and making him weak was stupid" or "Corey Cunningham was an awful character." I actually appreciate all of those things, and the direction that the story took. I like that it almost gave the remaining characters a new start with a breath of fresh air, bringing on a new antagonist that starts out as the protagonist, and gradually changes in a similar vein to Walter White. You pity the guy, then you hate him. The concept of teaming up with a weakened Michael Myers is very interesting, and there are some neat parallels with the Carpenter classic Christine with taking a town outcast that gets a vehicle and a girl and starts murdering others. 

However, I don't think the execution was very good. The relationship forged between Allyson and Corey is paced ridiculously fast, and while yes, it somewhat needed to be that way for brevity, it was extremely awkward. Building up to the "burn it to the ground" schtick felt far too corny for what the film was trying to do, and Allyson as a character is far less likeable this time around. The same can honestly be said about Laurie and Deputy Hawkins' weird encounter at the store, which is basically forgotten about until the very end. I really struggle to buy the dialogue with the kids that end up bullying Corey, and how jarring the mood changes from their first encounter as well as Laurie's with the grave keeper's sister. The way that the Haddonfield citizens handle Allyson and Corey in public every damn time seems way too far-fetched, from Nurse Deb's stupid comments to Allyson's ex confrontation with Corey at the cafe. The ceremonious-type ending with all of Haddonfield showing up? Come on. Even Allyson driving away crying at the end, and minutes later being back, totally fine, forgetting that Corey even existed as the final Michael encounter wraps up was tough to take seriously. In general, I guess it's safe to say the pacing as a whole is awkward, feels so forced at times, and much of this is packed with unnecessary stuff that hurts otherwise good characters. 

The irony of taking an unrealistic concept such as The Shape seriously while not overlooking all of these things isn't lost on me, but 2018's Halloween made this foreign enigma feel very real, while everything here didn't. I enjoy the goofiness of the Thorn Trilogy sequels, as they fit the vibe of those movies, but this trilogy is totally different, and is less about the festive charm and more about the plot. Moreover, some of this is just tough to make sense of. For one, how the hell did Laurie know that Corey was close by, when she went to set up that fake suicide trap? How did two shots to the chest and a neck stab not kill Corey, but Michael twisting his head does? I know that Michael sort of has that indestructible element to him (until he doesn't), but nobody else is really granted that. Especially when the beginning implies Corey's intro to be part of all sorts of other completely human-made tragedies from the "madness" that now haunts Haddonfield, removed entirely from The Shape. Again, come on.

With that massive block of complaints and issues out of the way, I can still come around and say that I enjoy watching this, and I see it in the same way that I see Halloween 5: The Revenge Of Michael Myers. My issues with that are nearly the exact same as the issues I have here. Ridiculous pacing, extremely awkward dialogue, scenes that I just cannot buy, etc. Yet I still enjoy watching that one and this one in the same way. They're a lot of fun, they both introduce an interesting idea, and tucked in the cracks of Halloween Ends is all sorts of things I can appreciate, outside of the ideas themselves. The tongue gag on the record player (pun intended) was incredible. Ronald is a fantastic character, and I enjoy every scene with him. In fact, I'd have traded all sorts of the other schlock for some more relationship development between him and Corey. The bar scene where Laurie discusses Corey with Jeremy's father was really well done, and tied wonderfully into the theme around the same evil in Michael's eye's being in Corey's; it actually felt very realistic. And really, I do enjoy much of the final showdown with Michael once Corey is suddenly forgotten about without so much as another acknowledgement. Had only Allyson, Laurie, and Deputy Hawkins carried the body to the junkyard, that ending would have felt far nicer. At least closing with the classic Blue Oyster Cult tune was neat.

So at the end of the day, I'm pretty much 50/50 on this one. The idea of it is great, and it's easily the furthest the franchise has divorced itself from the 1978 film outside of Halloween III, but for everything I enjoy about it, I find something I dislike about it. A good idea is executed poorly, or a poor idea is pleasing in some ironic way. I guess at least it helps further humanize The Shape into nothing more than the simple deranged man that the 2018 film stressed, just with superhuman strength and a struggle to take down to match his representation of fear. If nothing else, I am glad that this at least did something that felt original, rather than just giving us another fan service crock of bullshit that the prior one did.

Film Review: Halloween Kills

Halloween Kills
2021
David Gordon Green
3/10

Considering how well the direct sequel to Halloween went forty years following, there were a lot of directions that Halloween Kills could have gone. The biggest question was how in the hell Michael Myers gets out of that burning inferno that was Laurie's self-made prison, but this is resolved rather quickly. Sticking to paying nods to the former sequels, this one also takes place on the exact same night as 2018's Halloween, with the Haddonfield Memorial Hospital playing a large role in the plot. So what really could go wrong?

Unfortunately, just about everything. If the former film did everything to avoid falling into trap after trap of the typical slasher, this one seems like it did everything it could to do exactly that. Incompetent characters who's deaths could have easily been avoided are all over the place. Characters from the 1978 film are all back in full flesh, sheerly for the sake of pleasing the nostalgia crowd, only for almost all of them to get killed brutally anyway. Tommy, Lindsey, Sheriff Bracket, Lonnie, and Marion all make a comeback, and only Lindsey survives. You get these weird fan-service speeches by them at the beginning, as if we needed them to explain who each character is, and they talk as if none of them had seen each other in the last forty years, and suddenly all met up at this bar. These characters would have been better as little cameos worked in on their own, rather than being the center of a half-baked plot. Outside of fan service, the entire film is practically held-up by showing some of the goriest kills we've seen from The Shape, one after another, without much of any real plot other then Michael going through Haddonfield to get back to his house. I said that the kills in Halloween were merely an afterthought that worked within the actual plot, in Halloween Kills that basically is the plot!

It doesn't stop there. The side plot we get to intersect all of this is the one following the other escaped patient that gets caught up in the mayhem, who just happens to wind up at the hospital where the angry mob is (because we all know that that's where an angry mob would congregate and cause all sorts of chaos, right?). Not only is this angle completely pointless, being nothing more than a distraction, but it's not even fun, charming, or worth the stupidity the way it is in the likes of the thorn trilogy. Adding insult to injury, there's the ridiculous "evil dies tonight" chant that leads us all the way up to the escaped inmate's suicide. There really are no real characters introduced that we can follow or grow any kind of attachment to, as basically everybody is simply fodder to be fed to the gore machine. Several of the kills seem to just be Michael drawing them out as another person watches, such as the grave keeper watching him kill her husband at the beginning, or Allyson watching Cameron get his head dragged through railing posts. Karen was never one of my favorite characters in the film before this, one of my very few complaints about it, but she's far more annoying here. I really didn't even care for the showdown at the end, as the mob beats Michael to smithereens, only for him to stand back up, murder most of the crowd, and disappear as Laurie gives a speech on how the fear powers him. I guess maybe that's a nod towards Carpenter's original idea for Halloween 4, where he physically grows larger as the town is more afraid? That would be neat, except for the fact that the next film disregards that entirely.

There is only one real saving grace here, as well as a little side gag that's somewhat fun. Little John and Big John, a gay couple living in the Myers house, was all sorts of entertaining despite how silly it was. On a more objective level, however, the first fifteen minutes of this are incredible. Cameron finding the injured deputy, and throwing back to 1978 to see the aftermath of Loomis firing six shots into Michael was not only a genius idea, but was executed wonderfully. It was extremely visually pleasing, using the lighting schemes and music from the original film to fell more authentic, and the accuracy of the mask as well as the setting was very much on par. Tying Hawkins to Michael's character was a nice touch, and they way they pulled that off in the flashback was absolutely stellar. It's truly a shame, because such a strong opening makes the rest of the film feel like an even bigger let-down.

Halloween Kills is something that I could equate to Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise Of Skywalker. It's fan service by-the-numbers in every way possible, acting as an insult to half of the audience while bowing down to the other. You basically have to look for the worthwhile things, and almost all of those are found in the very beginning. It's visually pleasing, but there is zero charm, no real plot, no new characters to follow or care about, including the ones we did care about in the prior film. It's like if we took all of the ridiculous things from the other sequels, stripped away the element of fun that they had, and smashed them all together for one giant gorefest of a film with no backbone.

Film Review: Halloween (2018)

Halloween
2018
David Gordon Green
9/10

Considering that it's now been almost seven years since the release of the latest direct-sequel to the original Halloween film, I'd imagine that it has had plenty of time and rewatches for me to dive into it on a deeper level. While I'm a sucker for some of the original sequels in the '80s, it was neat to see a whole trilogy drop in real time throughout my twenties, in a scope far more in line with John Carpenter's true vision of The Shape from 1978. 1981's Halloween II may have been directed and written by Carpenter, but it was more of a reluctant choice (one that I'm still happy we have).

Nothing will top the original movie, and holding the same place on my scale will always sit Halloween III: Season Of The Witch (one that was also more in line with Carpenter's original plans of an anthology series). But after many years of revisiting Halloween from 2018, I can safely say that this is the runner-up for me, and the only one since Halloween 4: The Return Of Michael Myers that I view several times around the spooky season. The earlier sequels are all sorts of fun, feeling festive, visually appealing, and packed with endless charm, but I'd be hard pressed to say they're really unique or well-written; that's not even to say that they're poorly written, but calling them great may be a misfire. But the 2018 sequel of the same name manages to sidestep that description.

For starters, the plot itself has a refreshing feel to it, rather than simply being another onslaught of kills that the typical slasher builds itself around (they saved that for Halloween Kills three years later). Rather, the killing and the brutality of this film is merely an afterthought, and while some of the gore here definitely has that frightening shock to it, I still wouldn't describe it as over the top. Instead of jump-scares and Rob Zombie-like overloaded blood, those elements of shock tend to be implied, or they lie within something around the aftermath of the kill. My personal favorite example would be the off-screen one that you get of the gas station attendant, when it shows his mutilated face, with minimal blood in exchange for an eerie, dead expression with the mouth agape. The few drawn-out ones have more of a point, such as Michael taking out Dana Haines in the dingy bathroom, or the slow leadup to Dr. Ranbir getting his face stepped-on.

More important than the execution of the kills is the way the plot itself is carried out, somewhat working as three parallel stories that eventually meet each other at some point or another. On one hand, you have the aforementioned Dr. Ranbir's obsession with Michael, showing not only a soft spot for The Shape, but actively sees him as a project of his own, implying that he's to blame for the bus accident leading to Michael's escape. Then you have the Laurie Strode angle, which directly follows her traumatic experience from the classic film, and how it affects every aspect of her life. Her family has a complicated, somewhat non-existent relationship with her, she's locked away living in paranoia behind all sorts of security and weapons, and like the doctor, almost has an obsession with Michael, portraying herself in a way that almost feels like she wanted him to escape. There's a parallel to be drawn between the two characters, but that's an article of its own. She could then personally take on her demon, potentially bringing closure to her conflict that has haunted her for four decades. And then finally, perhaps the "main" plot is Allyson's encounters, which start as nothing beyond a teenager trying to get through the Halloween season without her family drama bringing her down, while partaking in the partying and debauchery that a young mind may want to indulge in. All three of these are paced wonderfully, collide with each other at the perfect time, and end up resolving themselves in a way that made sense. Michael's somewhat short-lived killing spree is shown for the purpose of divorcing The Shape from Laurie, reverting him back to the character he was in the first film; a deranged psychopath that escaped a mental institution that's simply out to stalk and kill. This is one of the real selling points, as one could assume he even forgot about Laurie until she, ironically, put herself in front of his proverbial shotgun.

It helps that Halloween is pretty self-aware, and has likeable characters. The tropes of sex, drugs, and booze hardly make it onto the screen. Allyson fills the shoes of the original Laurie Strode type character as the one who doesn't partake, but even those that do, it's either minimally shown or is the cause of a problem, not represented as the norm (see Allyson's fight with Cameron over it). There are also loads of nods to the original sequels, from re-using names like "Mr. Elrod", to Silver Shamrock masks, to the daytime bathroom kill, or the older woman cutting ham, and so forth. Joke lines and tongue-in-cheek dialogue that doesn't feel too on-the-nose make their way in, such as Laurie referring to Ranbir as "the new Loomis." Making the Nelson family realistic people that the audience could relate to, while working in old recordings of Dr. Loomis and little snippets of day to day life seal these things up nicely. Something I also can't overlook is how incredible the opening scene is. The unsuspecting journalists that in what we could assume a mental asylum setting would look like in the modern age was a solid way of setting this up, before adding in suspense with the holding of the mask scene, and the reactions of the other patients building it with the score.

And that, of course, brings us to the last factor, the general feel. The score in this is really well written, working in the classic theme with new touches and a modern energy in the new tunes, and everything is visually pleasing as well. As much as I may be a fan of the goofy Halloween 4 mask, reworking the original one was absolutely the right move. The neighborhood feels like something you could find in any suburban U.S. town, Laurie's home for the final showdown is a beautiful setting to end things off with, and modern production and newer minds once again lets things feel very realistic. I won't pretend this film is without flaw, as some of Oscar's scenes, and the teens' dialogue were rather dumb, but all of this type of thing is kept to a minimum, and I don't think any nitpick straight up spoiled any scenes. The worst parts of this occur about halfway through with the babysitting scenes, working almost as comedic relief over anything else, or perhaps a cheap way of bringing Laurie's plot and the doctor's together.

But at the end of the day, I can't knock this very hard for that. The importance of stressing Michael's detachment to Laurie and the stark contrast of her attachment to him is one of the key parts of linking this back to the classic film. It's far more of a slasher than the original ever was, but not in a way that's trashy or over the top, and it isn't what holds the movie together. Rather, the characters, the settings, the smart placement of events, the narratives, the even pacing, and jarring tactics are what do that. No hate for the original sequels, but this is easily the best one that isn't Halloween III.

Album Review: Mercyful Fate - Melissa

Mercyful Fate - Melissa

Roadrunner Records - 1983

10/10

As the spooky season fully sets in and permeates my music and film choices, it should be no surprise that Mercyful Fate makes its way into heavy rotation. Melissa is a pretty undisputed classic within the metal sphere, and while I've loved this record since my first listen many years ago, it's only grown as something even more significant. It's no secret that King Diamond and co. put a heavy emphasis on the Satanic themes and dark undertones, but to this day I don't think anything they've ever done has matched the cold feeling found on the debut. This can be attributed to several different angles, all completely divorced of the lyrics alone.

On an objective front, it's very impressive that Melissa can more or less invoke this lone feeling under a scope of nearly contradicting proportions. The record is only seven songs long, two of them in the back end being written with a completely different backbone than the front five, without a sense of exiting the record's focus. Themes of the occult may help them stick together, but it really comes down to the ghostly tones that Denner and Sherman are able to breath through their dual attacks. Obviously, this pairs with King's signature howls and a somewhat soft production that burrs all edges in a way that invokes a liminal atmosphere. By this, I mean the riffs contain plenty of heavy aggression, but they exchange blistering sharpness you'd find in the rising thrash metal scene for glowing tint that just feels haunting; perhaps unconventional.

The easiest example to use would be the intro to "Black Funeral," the record's shortest number that somehow makes one of the strongest impacts. There's no denying the heaviness of those rhythms, but the blow is delivered with a higher pitched, softer tip that feels more discomforting and jarring. You can find this everywhere, though, whether it's in the almost baroque intro of "Into The Coven" or the howling vocals that compliment the slower, fiercer "Curse Of The Pharoah's." But if you strip all of this away, you'll ultimately find catchy rhythms, melody, and poetic clarity. Opener "Evil" makes this pretty clear with it's damn-near rock 'n roll aesthetic, and "At The Sound Of The Demon Bell" drives that home with even more intricate composition.

Yet, we haven't even touched on the giants that flip all of this on its head. The five aforementioned tracks could easily lead one to believe that it's all just a big Halloween scare, until you fall into the endless abyss that is "Satan's Fall." The famous sixteen-riff masterpiece removes the melodic front, exchanges catchy licks for a disturbing, disorienting bottom, and give's King some of the most ghoulish outcries on the album. Gone are any senses of security or safety, until the resolution near the end that breaks into speed metal territory. Winding this down with "Melissa" was the perfect way to end things in an unclear way, once more emphasizing that liminal feeling we get from the start. I'm still astounded at how such varying degrees of writing can feel like one perfect, lineal path from catchy temptation straight into Hell. A discomfort that we enjoy, similar to watching Clive Barker's Hellraiser.

Mercyful Fate themselves, and many bands that would follow would never replicate this formula perfectly. It may have helped shape the rising black metal movement, but you'd be hard pressed to find any black metal in here. It's spooky, and has an identity of its own, but that doesn't make it any more than a masterfully crafted heavy metal record. Removing the tones and production, some of these songs wouldn't feel out of place on a '70s Scorpions record. Satanic lyrics are something other bands were exercising at the time, face paint had been around since KISS and Alice Cooper, and pummeling beats could fit right in with thrash. But that's what makes this so special. It's a sum of its parts, of things we've seen before, presented with a new, frightening identity before coarse shrieking, blast beats and tremolos were ever needed. Much like Slayer's debut for completely different reasons, this scratches an itch that nothing else can reach.