Kruelty : "Profane Usurpation"

These guys are now a three-piece and seem to be getting things done well enough on their new ep, which stays true to the merging of death metal with hard-core to create a dense dark slamming take on this combination of styles. "I preferred 2020's " A Dying Truth" over their last full length, and things seem to look back in that direction, as their guitarist taking over the growls, gets things to a simpler more brutal time, without just devolving into another death metal band, which seemed like the direction they were heading on the last album. Rather than relying on breakdowns, they go after you by chugging into aggressive riffing. 

A little more of the death metal side bleeds through on the title track. This less relenting style is still powerful, but I preferred the subtle songwriting on the first song. There are still deliberate chugs that kick your face in. "Bloodless Mankind" also descends into death metal more that finds things coming closer to picking up where they left off on the last album, Since this is an ep they know they can't afford any filler, so it still works as a song, it just depends on if you want them to be another death metal band or not. 

Some of my criticism is going to come from a place of what makes this band stand out. There are already many death metal bands going there, and you are not going to out-brutalize any of them. "No Fear of Judgement" must mean they do not care if they sound like another death metal band even if this is not playing to their strengths to the extent we have already heard them explore, though they do remember to add groove and give it some hook. It's not easy to bounce back like this after a line-up change so all things considered they represent themselves well. I 'll give this album a 9 as it feels darker than the last. 

 

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