Review Summary: Holy War; an Unholy Masterpiece of Metal
There's a stigma with deathcore; everyone knows it. The jokes about the indifference between binary code and deathcore tabs, the endless memes mocking the genre's tendency to take itself too seriously. People hate it, and in most cases rightfully so. It's sad that bands like Emmure and Traitors fall in the same category as this album; this record is on a whole different level from most of the deathcore of the past decade; it's a truly impactful, tasteful, brutal album.
I'm a year late; Thy Art is Murder's "Holy War" was released June 26th 2015;and had expectations to meet. I personally loved their 2013 work "Hate", a brutal hour of relentless atmospheric metal, and I expected at least as much from "Holy War". I felt like by "Hate" that TAIM had mastered their craft and sound; CJ's McMahon voice is unique and instantly recognizable, and all the musicians of that band have damn near mastered their instruments, and that was clearly shown on "Hate".
So come June, Holy War dropped like a ***ing bomb. To put it simply, I could not have been more impressed with the album. It was in every sense an improvement; everything from the sinister, cold atmosphere to the varied, meaningful lyrical content. Start to finish, I was wholly impressed, and that has never happened concerning a deathcore record.
One of the most noticeable improvements concerns the lyrics. Most deathcore I avoid reading the lyrics; more often than not they consist of repetitive edgy, needlessly profane wordsmithing; being honest most lyrical content in the genre is quite laughable. While "Hate" was a step up, with at least slightly poetic nihilism for lyrics, Holy War is their best effort yet. While the lyrics remain dark and sinister, they tackle themes and controversies no "core" band has ever embraced to my knowledge. While there is still the atheist edge and thoughtless attack on religion, there is so much more here. Animal abuse, deforestation, pollution, child soldiers, religious conflict; its all covered. TIAM is leaving no stone untouched, and it gives a great variation of lyrical content, and is surprisingly tasteful. Song's like "Tooth and Claw" and "Absolute Genocide" are nearly poetic in nature.
THE CARBON AIR IS STALE
FOUL WINDS SWEPT THROUGH THE IRON TREES
AS THE EARTH GASPS FOR AIR
INHALE THE EXHAUST
HOLLOW THE PINES
WE ARE NOT THE PREDATORS
WE ARE THE SUICIDE
SHEEP AMONG THE SHEEP
A WORLD OF ***ING COWARDS
OVERRUN WITH GRIEF
WE'RE ALL JUST SHEEP AMONG THE SHEEP
STARING DOWN THE BARREL OF A GUN
IN DISBELIEF
EDEN LAID TO WASTE
IN THE DUST AND RUBBLE
OF A TRAGIC RACE
As for the instrumental parts; all brutally efficient and, oddly emotional. The overabundance and reliance on savage breakdowns on "Hate" is replaced by a slower approach, many songs begin slow and atmospheric, and slowly grow to a climax that makes it all the more impactful. Such an instance is their title track "Holy War." What begins as an eerie lead guitar riff ends mid song with an absolutely driving breakdown and solo, before slowing itself down before the track concludes. It shows a real growth in song writing, and is a mature growth from the constant pounding brutality of "Hate."
"Holy War" a year later remains a tasteful release, and its a shame their lead McMahon leaves right as they find their sound. By this point Thy Art is Murder is a well oiled machine, with real tangible growth over the course of their records, and I hope they continue pumping out top notch deathcore.
