BURY TOMORROW
Cannibal
MUSIC FOR NATIONS / SONY
9/10
PUNISHING BRIT (METAL)CORE: With Cannibal, Bury Tomorrow has delivered just what the doctor ordered in these uncertain times we’re all currently adapting to—punishing metal filled with razor-sharp riffs, epic hooks, brutal grooves, and pummeling vocals from frontman Dani Winter Bates, whose words bleed like a sieve onto wax, each more personal than the last as he turns the record to his own personal sounding board in order to deal with mental health issues.
Cannibal is all killer and no filler. “Choke” is a venomous blast of the ‘core, complete with truly soaring melodies. The title track follows suit with even more barbed shreds and infectious melody (complete with lines like, “The sky is turning dark, the ice is wearing thin, I feel like ending it here, before the void sinks in, we have been living in an endless world of hate…I’m not sorry for the things I’ve done, I swear to god this path has only just begun”). “The Agonist” is an unforgiving monster, a surefire stomper with some of the records best guitar work. “Quake” comes as close to anything resembling a ballad on Cannibal, but it still fucking shreds. “Voice & Truth” is a hellacious beast as Bates shows off his true range, from breathing straight fire to hitting the highest of highs via clean tones. And “Cold Sleep” offers perhaps Cannibal’s best hooks. Bury Tomorrow leaves a lot in the tank on closer “Dark Infinite,” a true banger that registers as one of the album’s best works.
For those suffering from mental health issues or know someone who is, remember that you are not alone. Cannibal can serve as something of a coping mechanism. It also just so happens to be one of the best heavy records we’ve heard this year, so that’s a nice added bonus. ~ Brian Campbell
