Search - Cephalic Carnage :: Xenosapien

Crank and speed can't do this much to a band!

S. Chamberlain | Rowlett, TX United States | 06/02/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Every once and awhile a band releases a new album, and the people tell their friends, "High on Fire must've been on speed for Blessed Black Wings" or "Metallica must've been drunk or in therapy to release St. Anger". The new Cephalic Carnage has arrived and all this reviewer can say is there is no drug in the world that can create this kind of chaos. "Xenosapien", the follow-up to Anomalies is a compact slice of complete insanity. Basically, this release pushes Cephalic Carnage into a whole new territory as a metal band.



To describe what kind of genre Cephalic Carnage goes into, you would have to list off about 5 or 6 genres just to come close to what it really sounds like. While Anomalies did have more memorable songs, "Xenosapien" is the more complete package. When the band experiments, it works to perfection whereas Anomalies more experimenting moments (Piecemaker or Kill for Weed) just slowed the album down.



The musicianship is as tight as it gets. What I love about Cephalic Carnage on this album is they play very tight throughout the album but still have great songwriting. While I appreciate Psyopus and bands similar to that, they just can't write memorable songs. "Touched By an Angel" and the soon to be classic "G.O.D." displays a great sense of awareness of not over doing it. Where does "Xenosapien" really show that Cephalic Carnage has progressed? The album's closing tracks display that the band was truly ready to make a complete package. Tracks 8 through 11 are some of the most brutal and amazingly written songs the band has ever produced. "Ov Vicissitude" is a complete part of your balanced metal meal. With shredding guitar solos and blasting beats, the band makes you quiver to your knees and surrender. The production for the album also has to be commended for the simple fact that every instrument is heard very clearly.



Speaking of which, my MVP of the album has to go to Nick Schendzielos, the bass player, who has such a technical presence throughout the album. It is refreshing to hear the bass not overdone or unheard on such a brutal metal album. It should be stated that the guitar work on the album is very much worth challenging Necrophagist for most insane guitarists right now. Both John Merryman and Lenzig Leal are amazing as they have been in the past, but I just thought the guitars and bass were greatly improved.



We still have a long way till' the end of the 2007 metal season, but I would love to see some band challenge Xenosapien for album of the year. Overall, I give the album a 4.9 out of 5 ( 0.1 deducted for the cost of the clean-up)





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Most underated band in metal!

M. | Mass. | 05/29/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This new album from Cephalic Carnage blends the crazy jazz/fusion of 'Lucid Interval' with the heaviness of 'Exploiting' and the precision of 'Anomolies' into their best album yet. By far the most underrated band in metal."

More Carnage from Colorado's finest

A. Stutheit | Denver, CO USA | 10/06/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"You will be sorely disappointed if you listen to "Xenosapien" and think it will be a continuation of 2005's "Anomalies." In fact, you're better off not even beginning to speculate what this album sounds like at all if you haven't heard it because I can already tell you that your predictions are going to be wrong. In other words, the only thing fans can expect from Cephalic Carnage is the unexpected.



However, that's not to say that this Denver, Colorado-based five-piece has gone soft or anything of that nature - in fact, "Xenosapien" is more fast and brutal than anything they've released to date. And CC's core sound (a melting pot of head-spinning technicality, crushing grindcore, death, black, and doom metal, and even a little Dillinger Escape Plan-style free-jazz) is still the same as it always was. But this album differs from some of the band's previous releases (especially "Anomalies") because there are no silly or haphazard-sounding tempo changes this time around. As a result, "Xenosapien" sounds much tighter, and more focused, professional, cohesive, and easy to digest.



Most of these eleven songs are all-out speedsters that are as brutal as one would expect from a death-grind band. Opener "Endless Cycle of Violence" breakneck, thunderously b-b-brutal assault of pummeling, rapid-fire blast beats and scary, frog-throated vocals. Following this, "Divination and Volition" is a bass-driven schizophrenic freak-out, and "Molting" and "Touched by and Angel" are two more hyper-speed onslaughts (even though the former track has shockingly gentle guitar harmonies at the end.) Despite being a bit more groove-oriented, "Vaporized" is still blisteringly fast, and also features strong, rubbery bass line and some super scary, Vital Remains-worthy bellows.



It isn't until midway through the album, when the mostly restrained sixth track ("Heptarchy") approaches, that the listener is allowed to catch his or her breath or even blink. Then we're dealt another curveball with "G. lobal O. verhaul D. evice," a really dark and ominous piece of straight-up, bone-chilling doom metal which has a gentle acoustic intro and clean backing vocals that are sure to throw you for a loop.



But immediately after these two monotony breakers, the breakneck onslaught commences. "Let Them Hate so Long as They Fear" is a vicious, face-ripping sneak attack, and since it's only one minute and four seconds long, it's over before you even know what hit you. Next up, the fiery "The Omega Point" is backed by fiery, chugging riffs, and a weird, Primus-esque slapped bass part; and "Megacosm of the Aquaphobics" is highlighted by a terrifically deft, ten-second drum solo. Finally, "Ov Vicissitude" is easily the record's crown jewel, thus also making it a perfect way to end it. It is chock-full of rocketing speeds, scorching riffs, and impeccable drumming, and an excellent, lengthy, blazing-yet-simultaneously-melodic guitar solo also sprouts up.



To conclude, as if it weren't already painfully obvious, "Xenosapien" is further proof that Cephalic Carnage are, almost without question, the smartest and most inventive, interesting, and unique true grindcore band on the planet. And it's doubtful if anyone will eclipse them of that title anytime in the near future."