Polish technical death-metallers Decapitated have unleashed their sixth album and highly anticipated followup to 2011's Carnival is Forever. The new record, Blood Mantra, marks the band's second release since the tragic bus accident in 2007 that claimed the life of drummer Witold "Vitek" Kieltyka and also injured former vocalist Adrian "Covan" Kowanek. Guitarist and sole original member Waclaw "Vogg" Kieltyka has continued to move forward, joined by Carnival is Forever vocalist Rafal "Rasta" Piotrowski and new bassist Pawel Pasek and drummer Michal Lysejko.
Despite the changes, Blood Mantra features the band's signature well-executed style, but with the experimental twists that Decapitated have mastered over the years and have provided the distinguishing factor between albums. The band's trademark crushing technicality and heavy, aggressive grooves ("Exiled in Flesh," "Veins") juxtapose with new elements such as melodic passages and avant-garde structures ("Blindness," "Red Sun"). With more progressive moments on Blood Mantra, Vogg and company have incorporated much more melody into their iconic tech-death sound and proceed to push the boundaries of the genre.
(Nuclear Blast)Despite the changes, Blood Mantra features the band's signature well-executed style, but with the experimental twists that Decapitated have mastered over the years and have provided the distinguishing factor between albums. The band's trademark crushing technicality and heavy, aggressive grooves ("Exiled in Flesh," "Veins") juxtapose with new elements such as melodic passages and avant-garde structures ("Blindness," "Red Sun"). With more progressive moments on Blood Mantra, Vogg and company have incorporated much more melody into their iconic tech-death sound and proceed to push the boundaries of the genre.