Christ Dismembered - Ov Vampiricy

Christ Dismembered is a black metal band from Australia, who formed in 2012.  Their latest release “Ov Vampiricy,” is their second full-length album; they have also released a live album.

It’s been eight years or so since their self-titled debut hit the scene but the band has finally returned with another blast of blackened blasphemy.  Time definitely hasn’t dulled their senses nor age made them more laid back—"Ov Vampiricy,” is one of the most uncompromising black metal albums I’ve heard this year.  

The genre has grown and expanded much over the years–and is now the metal genre with the most diversity.  For those who feel that is a bad thing and the genre has lost its edge, Christ Dismembered is here to sell you some comfort. And by comfort, I mean fast paced, eviscerating black metal that would be the soundtrack for hell if it had a music player (maybe it does). 

This is an album that embraces the old-school, at least to a degree.  You won’t find any keyboard passage, clean vocals, or outside the box ideas.  What you see is what you get—and there is nothing wrong with that.  Sometimes I don’t need anything flashy or epic—-that primal need for violent, pummeling music is always hanging around somewhere.  “Ov Vampiricy,” deals this out in spades.

With that being said, the album sounds great.  It certainly is raw, at least in terms of production and mix.  That could be a good or bad thing depending on your tastes for black metal but I find it makes their music sound even more sharp and explosive.  Who want this audio carnage buried underneath muffled truck stop toilet production?  Not I. 

After a rather ominous intro steep in Gothic, arcane horror, the band kicks it into high gear with the first full song, “Fool’s Gambit.” This particular song is such a blast of cold, North winds that it’s hard to believe the band is from Australia. The slow, sinister opening moments are quickly washed away with lighting blast drummer and throat, blackened screams.  This was definitely the right choice for the first song!

“The Numbers Oppose You,” opens with slick lead guitar, in place of actual riffs.  But soon a groove of pure disdain forms. Together, the lead and rhythm guitar act as a double dose of ferocity, riding on top of the drums as the song slams ever forward.  There is a certain charm to black metal that’s so anti everything and this song put a smile on my face.  I mean, grim.  I stayed grim!

The band is at their best when all the players come together for a full groove of blackened serenity like they do in “A Ritual Most Foul.”  This song is more catchy than it has a right to be!  In several places, the song hangs back for half a second before the seams burst open once again.  I really like the hallmark when the band slows the tempo down a little and let the riffs breathe a lot more. 

“Child Devouring Servants of Satan,” sounds like the title of a song that would scare normal people.  Oh wait, it is exactly that song.  What a twist!  The riffs wind up like the gathering winds of a storm then vomit forth a hurricane gale that is flesh stripping. Even on an album such as this, this song is frantic and bludgeoning as hell!  Subtle hints of melody in the later half of the song add just enough of a dynamic to get this banger raging until the end.

The final song is “Riddled With Sin,” and it begins surprisingly melodic but quickly casts a shadow so black that even the sun stops working.  After the 1:40 mark, the guitars/bass drop short, chopping riffs that make the song even more intense just before leading into a ripper of a solo.

All in all, Christ Dismembered’s “Ov Vampiricy,” makes up for its lack of variety by offering a hellish performance of pure disdain and seething hate.  As far as black metal goes, what more do you want?  

Rating: Solid