Rocker (feedbot)
Gold Member
If music had a code of conduct, it would involve the phrase ‘Don’t talk about genre’. Nothing is more likely to start an argument. This is because genre is a vague classification, a few recognisable elements you can use to describe a band’s music, meaning you can spend all day arguing what style or genre it belongs to. Ultimately, it doesn’t matter. It’s about marketing. Who does the music appeal to? Florida’s Bodysnatcher refer to themselves as a deathcore band and their new EP ‘Vile Conduct’ dares you to disagree.
Following on from their well-regarded 2022 album ‘Bleed-Abide’, the opening track ‘Infested’ neatly sets the scene. It’s crushingly heavy, there are breakdowns, Kyle Medina’s vocals are gruff and powerful, making for a solid reintroduction to their sound. Yes, it’s deathcore, but it’s earthy and raw and relatively accessible.
What makes this interesting is that the other way a band markets itself is by suggesting who they are similar to. After all, make the wrong choice and the listener is going to be disappointed. It’s surprising then that Bodysnatcher are keen to compare themselves to Lorna Shore. They do not sound like Lorna Shore. The songs here don’t feature lush soundscapes or intense wall of bass-pedal drumming, the sound is not thick and layered, it does not rely on cinematic backing tracks. However, because their music leans closer to the hardcore end of deathcore, it has a surprising similarity to Knocked Loose. This is particularly notable on the rapid verse parts of ‘Human Distain’ and ‘Murder8’ and the whole of ‘Confession’. Both bands also feature barked vocals and favour slow, powerful breakdowns so it’s a reasonable comparison, the point being it’s surprising Bodysnatcher are comparing themselves to a big band they don’t sound like, not one they do, especially when their songs feel this exciting.
Ironically, with three of the band’s members being called Kyle, it’s the 25% that isn’t who proves to be the keystone. As drummer Chris Whited carefully deploys double bass pedal which foregrounds their hardcore punk flavour but also injects a surprising dynamic range. You’ll find yourself nodding along to the huge rolling groove of ‘Severed’ where his playing fits with the huge down-tuned guitar rhythm while retaining its own flavour. He also gives ‘Confession’ a breakneck pace which really lifts the EP’s second half. As producer he captures a sound that’s rough, powerful and uncluttered. This means that fifthly guitar tones are woven through songs like ‘Human Distain’ to create a wonderfully disgusting texture that doesn’t detract from their flow, a real bonus on an EP called ‘Vile Conduct’.
Despite having formed a decade ago, Bodysnatcher have been described as ‘one of the best new bands in deathcore’, the six songs here are a great illustration of why. It’s more hardcore than death metal but that’s no bad thing. Argue as much as you want, whatever you compare it to ‘Vile Conduct’ is a hard-hitting, varied and surprisingly accessible EP.
IAN KENWORTHY
Following on from their well-regarded 2022 album ‘Bleed-Abide’, the opening track ‘Infested’ neatly sets the scene. It’s crushingly heavy, there are breakdowns, Kyle Medina’s vocals are gruff and powerful, making for a solid reintroduction to their sound. Yes, it’s deathcore, but it’s earthy and raw and relatively accessible.
What makes this interesting is that the other way a band markets itself is by suggesting who they are similar to. After all, make the wrong choice and the listener is going to be disappointed. It’s surprising then that Bodysnatcher are keen to compare themselves to Lorna Shore. They do not sound like Lorna Shore. The songs here don’t feature lush soundscapes or intense wall of bass-pedal drumming, the sound is not thick and layered, it does not rely on cinematic backing tracks. However, because their music leans closer to the hardcore end of deathcore, it has a surprising similarity to Knocked Loose. This is particularly notable on the rapid verse parts of ‘Human Distain’ and ‘Murder8’ and the whole of ‘Confession’. Both bands also feature barked vocals and favour slow, powerful breakdowns so it’s a reasonable comparison, the point being it’s surprising Bodysnatcher are comparing themselves to a big band they don’t sound like, not one they do, especially when their songs feel this exciting.
Ironically, with three of the band’s members being called Kyle, it’s the 25% that isn’t who proves to be the keystone. As drummer Chris Whited carefully deploys double bass pedal which foregrounds their hardcore punk flavour but also injects a surprising dynamic range. You’ll find yourself nodding along to the huge rolling groove of ‘Severed’ where his playing fits with the huge down-tuned guitar rhythm while retaining its own flavour. He also gives ‘Confession’ a breakneck pace which really lifts the EP’s second half. As producer he captures a sound that’s rough, powerful and uncluttered. This means that fifthly guitar tones are woven through songs like ‘Human Distain’ to create a wonderfully disgusting texture that doesn’t detract from their flow, a real bonus on an EP called ‘Vile Conduct’.
Despite having formed a decade ago, Bodysnatcher have been described as ‘one of the best new bands in deathcore’, the six songs here are a great illustration of why. It’s more hardcore than death metal but that’s no bad thing. Argue as much as you want, whatever you compare it to ‘Vile Conduct’ is a hard-hitting, varied and surprisingly accessible EP.
IAN KENWORTHY