Gatecreeper – Dark Superstition
Gatecreeper- Dark Superstition
Nuclear Blast
Release Date: 17/05/2024
Running Time: 37:18
Review by Rory Bentley
9/10
In this embarrassment of riches that is the modern Death Metal scene there is a need for all manner of bands. We need dazzlingly technical bands like Dääth and Atræ Bilis, we need brutal sluggers like Ingested and Aborted; as well as Doomy Sludge mavericks like the mighty Civerous. What we also desperately need to complete the picture is a band that writes total fucking ragers to bellow along to in a big, sunny field this summer. Enter Gatecreeper.
One of the earlier adopters of the OSDM revival, Chase Mason and his crew of angry lads have already made a name for themselves with 2 excellent full lengths and a brilliantly innovative EP, but now they’ve returned to brutalise the heavy music world at large and throw down with the big boys with “Dark Superstition”. This is a lean, densely packed sub-40-minute set of Death Metal hits.
‘Dead Star’ swings like King Kong’s ball bag on a windy day, nothing but pounding heavy grooves and Chase’s commanding belch, nasty enough to make John Tardy applaud, but decipherable enough to hit the back row of an arena like Johan Hegg in his prime. The guitar tone is filthy and the drums smack you in the gut with every strike of the bass pedal and if you’re not nodding along by the time it segues into the equally beefy ‘Oblivion’ then I’m not sure Death Metal’s for you.
Those wanting a bit more than just the finest meat and potatoes on the menu will find a lot to like in the more melodic numbers. ‘The Black Curtain’ is driven by a melodic guitar hook and a propulsive Phil Rudd-style beat that essentially accomplishes everything Six Feet Under wish they were capable of executing, keeping things simple without sounding rudimentary. Meanwhile ‘Masterpiece of Chaos’ shows that Gatecreeper can pick up the pace at the drop of a hat, with brutal blastbeats weaving in and out of some frankly disgusting caveman riffs that sure as shit got me performing on leg day at the gym!
Each song is finely balanced with no wasted motion. ‘Superstitious Vision’, for example, veers between a classic Heavy Metal lead line and some of the robust Melodeath In Flames used to churn out on the reg, complete with those classic twin guitar harmonies. Another great example is the stabbing staccato chords in the otherwise full-tilt ‘A Chilling Aura’, every time this section kicks in it hits like a ton of bricks as it’s juxtaposed against some tremolo riffing straight out of the “Slaughter of the Soul” playbook.
Perhaps my own personal highlight is the crushing “Caught In The Treads”, which is about a tank that gets possessed by the ghosts of fallen soldiers and goes on the rampage, fuelled by revenge. Not only is everything about that description unbelievable fucking cool and Metal as fuck, but the music itself manages to create this narrative perfectly with riffs that sound like Bolt Thrower on steroids. Absolutely stunning.
The album concludes with some sinister, Gothic Doom vibes a la Paradise Lost and My Dying Bride, and I ain’t talking about the flowery end of either of those band’s repertoires. Sure there’s tons of lovely melodies, but things are bleak, brutal and black as tar as things end on a crushing slab of melancholic majesty; and don’t worry nobody ruins it by doing any singing.
Not that I’m complaining, but it’s always a ballache reviewing a record stacked with so many highlights without resorting to doing a track-by-track (which I’ve essentially ended up doing anyway). While it’s not as sonically experimental as the EP that preceded it, there’s still plenty of new ideas added to the standard Gatecreeper formula, and every single one of them hits the target. “Dark Superstition” is everything a modern Metal album should be regardless of subgenre, and I can’t wait to see these songs with a beer in my hand in front of a massive stage because that’s exactly where they belong.
TRACKLISTING:
01. Dead Star
02. Oblivion
03. The Black Curtain
04. Masterpiece Of Chaos
05. Superstitious Vision
06. A Chilling Aura
07. Caught In The Treads
08. Flesh Habit
09. Mistaken For Dead
10. Tears Fall From The Sky
LINE-UP:
Metal Matt– Drums
Eric Wagner– Guitars
Chase H. Mason– Vocals
Israel Garza– Guitars
Alex Brown– Bass
LINKS:
Disclaimer: This review is solely the property of Rory Bentley and Ever Metal. It is strictly forbidden to copy any part of this review, unless you have the strict permission of both parties. Failure to adhere to this will be treated as plagiarism and will be reported to the relevant authorities.
