Saturday, October 11, 2008

CANCER - Spirit In Flames


CANCER
Spirit In Flames
Copro Records - 2005
8/10




2005 has been the year of the comeback for many an extreme band and now metal fans will rejoice with the triumphant full-length return of legends of musical brutality Cancer.

On “Spirit In Flames”, the listener will discover a much more streamlined version of the group, who settle into a tight thrash metal groove on the standout track “Mindless Reactions.”

Although Cancer retain the intensity they have always been known for, this record reflects a more commercial side than the group displayed on their previous efforts such as “Death Shall Rise”, which featured the hottest guitarist in death metal at that time, James Murphy.

The group is much more focused here, blazing through monolithic, crushing gems like “Spirit In Flames” and the doomish, chugging “Solar Prophesy” that ultimately prove that in their maturation as songwriters and performers, the band have moved tremendously forward.

An eerie aura surrounds the track “Hell House”, which just may be the best track the band has offered to date in terms of both memorability and in bearing a vibe that transcends the barriers of metal genres.

Lead guitarist David Leitch really tears things up on this album, his intricate, blistering fretwork spread across the album like a wildly burning fire. You will find that John Walker’s voice has also matured, with the frontman switching things up vocally in order to bring a new dynamic to the group’s sound that just wasn’t there before.

Easily this revered ensemble’s most auspicious work to date, a record that fans of any type of metal cannot afford to miss.



ERIN FOX © 2005 - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

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