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Misery Index: Heirs to thievery
20/07/10 || InquisitorGeneralis
As I write this review, I will try and loosen the solid grip I have had on Misery Index’s collective nuts ever since I bought “Discordia” four years ago. Don’t believe me? Click here, here, here, or here to see my collective thoughts on all things Misery Index. Here’s the short version: they play a creative mix of death and grind metal, are relentless and aggressive, and are insanely left-wing anarchists who want to burn every government building and church in sight. Got it? Ok, let’s move on.
“Heirs to Thievery” is the long awaited follow up the band’s acclaimed 2008 release “Traitors” and certainly does not ease up in any way, although the shape and form are a bit different. Misery Index moves a bit away from grind on here and really pours on heaviness…and the results are fucken fantastic. Don’t worry grinders, there is plenty of blasting and speed to be found on “Heirs to Thievery” but the songs that are A-1 dominators on here are the ones that slow it down a bit like “The carrion call” and “The seventh cavalry”. Add on to this heavier style a killer production that just pounds your ass like drugged-up homorobosuper-rapist and you have an album that is guaranteed to dominate.
“Embracing extinction” and “Fed to the wolves” are two blistering, fast tracks that definitely sound like the band’s early material and should please all you speed freaks out there. The opening riff from the “Carrion call” is rad, tubular, and gnarly and kicks off the beginning of the true asswhuppin’ on here. A much more death-metal inspired track, it is arguably the best on “Hate for the Tea Party”. The title track features a catchy chorus a la “Traitors”. The strongest part of the album is the four-pack that starts with the blistering “Illuminaught” which sounds a lot like “Conquistadors”. That is not a bad thing at all. Next up is the Morbid Angel evoking “The seventh cavalry” which slows the pace wwwaaaaayyyyy down and features a massive main riff and heavy drumming by Adam “hairy knuckles” Jarvis. This really is an awesome track and really stands out amongst its faster brethren. “Plague of objects” and “You lose” are pure high-speed death metal beat downs.
As far as lyrics go Misery Index continue their all-out assault on the lies, corruption, and hypocrisy of popular society and government. “The seventh cavalry” deals with the slaughter of the 7th Cavalry by the Indians at the Battle of Little Bighorn but clearly is a reference to America’s ongoing involvement and occurpation of Iraw and Afghanistan. The following lines are just plain awesome…
Bleak Dakota, in a crimson snow
A Ghost dancer, in a grave unknown
Off in the wind, their shots resound
As we become, one with the ground
“The carrion call” describes nature’s revenge on man for buttfucking mother earth with no Vaseline for the past few hundred years. Think Green Peace whacked out on a cocaine/heroin speedball…
Life comes screaming, overdue, on a landscape free of man
Beasts of a broken line, fill the void on silent earth
Heed the carrion call… rebirth
What more can I say? “Heirs to Thievery” sounds fucken fantastic, contains brutal, aggressive, and interesting tunes, and is pretty much quality from beginning to end. Jarvis’ drumming is fantastic, the guitar riffs are heavy, grindy, and interesting, and the songs are varied and diverse. Misery Index as a band is slowly evolving into a heavier, more death metal sound but the change is not drastic or immediate. This record will definitely please the old-school grindfreaks who have been fans of these fellas since they left ditched Camp Dying Fetus almost ten years ago.
If you are a fan of “Traitors” and other earlier records you will love “Heirs to Thievery” and not be let down one bit: all expectation will be exceeded I promise. If you have not checked them out yet, it is about time that you fucken did because this record will absolutely make you a fan. Cheers fellas, another job near-perfectly done! The best record yet in 2010.
- Information
- Released: 2010
- Label: Relapse
- Website: www.miseryindex.com
- Band
- Jason Netherton: vocals, bass
- Mark Klöppel: vocals, guitars
- Sparky Voyles: guitar
- Adam Jarvis: drums
- Tracklist
- 01. Embracing Extinction
- 02. Fed to the Wolves
- 03. The Carrion Call
- 04. Heirs to Thievery
- 05. The Spectator
- 06. The Illuminaught
- 07. The Seventh Cavalry
- 08. Plague of Objects
- 09. You Lose
- 10. Sleeping Giants
- 11. Day of the Dead
