MEMORIAM continues to crank albums out at a pace that most modern bands wouldn’t have a clue about. As soon as one has come out, work starts immediately on the next. It hasn’t been that long since The Silent Vigil emerged and now here is Requiem For Mankind. Sometimes having albums come out on a conveyor belt means a drop in quality…how about in MEMORIAM’s case?
This is actually the best MEMORIAM yet. It totally retains the old school BOLT THROWER/BENEDICTION feeling of the band but the pace seems quicker, the music a little angrier and the riffs a bit tastier. The material on The Silent Vigil sounded like a funeral dirge…here, MEMORIAM is striking back in anger. ‘Austerity Kills’ is a good example; this may be the most furious track they’ve unleashed so far, with ‘Shell Shock’ and ‘Refuse To Be Led’ not far behind. As you might have guessed, the themes still revolve around war almost exclusively.
There’s a bit more grandeur in cuts like ‘The Veteran’ and the title track as well. They have the flavor of mid-period BOLT THROWER, where songs became more ornate and grandly melodic. The final instrumental ‘Interment’ is almost literally the metallic accompaniment to a military funeral.
So MEMORIAM have done what they needed to do here and make a bit progress as well as adhering fiercely to their classic death metal sound.
Review By: Dr. Abner Mality
MEMORIAM
Requiem For Mankind
Nuclear Blast
4 / 6