Carnal Tomb - Abhorrent Veneration

By its first seconds, no one would say Carnal Tomb “Abhorrent Veneration” is a putrid and virulent album. It’s so because the first seconds are sweet and innocent as a baby. But soon evil shows its malevolent face and the carnage starts with furious guitar riffing and thundering drumming in the speed of light. “Abhorrent Veneration” is an album that really reminds me the good old days of Extreme Metal when vociferating and blasphemy were the rule interwoven with rotten but dazzling guitars. Carnal Tomb follow the maleficent steps of first Black and Death Metal bands when speed was the new world order.

It’s particularly noted two conflicts within Carnal Tomb’s music which are between the mundane and ethereal; the harsh and gentle. The first is philosophical, the second is musical. Let me, please. “Abhorrent Veneration” lyrics are about mundane pleasures, or displeasures, as the title says, but this abhorrent veneration is surrounded by nebulas through incubations. Well, a lovely mix, isn’t it? Musicwise, there is the contradiction of a strong and big guitar tone which constrasts with some of sweetest and delightful guitar solos I’ve ever heard. Not to mention the metalic sonance of the bass in “Amid the Graves” that calls all the attention. “Abhorrent Veneration” is really a troublesome album to review. Of course in the good sense. As we all know, basses are the ugly ducklings of Metal music. So sorry bassists, but you know it is the truth. Ah, last but not least, the drumming is completely nuts with all the tempos and countertimes and the blast beasts – oops, beats.

As I was telling the last reviews, there are bands that really know how to make a fan comfortable by playing whatever one desires to listen. Carnal Tomb’s “Abhorrent Veneration” is what any Extreme metaller expects from a band. I don’t have to say that for us it is such a pleasure. I can’t tell the same about our popper friends that imagine a world where the wheel gets to be invented in a daily basis. Sometimes all we need is a little musical safety to buy a record blindfolded and don’t be surprised. Carnal Tomb’s “Abhorrent Veneration” offers that.

Carnal Tomb “Abhorrent Veneration” was released on July 27th via Testimony Records.

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