ITP V.011 REVIEW: DECAPITATED: CARNIVAL IS FOREVER

BAND: DECAPITATED (KROSNO, POLAND) GENRE: TECHNICAL DEATH METAL RECORD LABEL: NUCLEAR BLAST RECORDS RELEASE DATE: 7/12 and 15th, 2011

PREVIOUS RELEASES (CATALOG): LIVE AT RESCUE ROOMS (DVD-2009-EARACHE RECORDS), HUMANS DUST (DVD-2008-METAL MIND PRODUCTIONS), TRIBUTE TO VITEK (COMPILATION-2007-EARACHE RECORDS), LIVE NOTTINGHAM DECEMBER 20th, 2004 (2006-EARACHE RECORDS), ORGANIC HALLUCINOSIS (2006-EARACHE RECORDS), THE NEGATION (2004-EARACHE RECORDS), NIHILITY (2002-EARACHE RECORDS), WINDS OF CREATION (2000-WICKED WORLD RECORDS), THE FIRST DAMNED (2000-COMPILATION-METAL MIND PRODUCTIONS), POLISH ASSAULT (2000-SPLIT: WITH: YATTERING, DAMNABLE, LOST SOUL-RELAPSE RECORDS), THE EYE OF HORUS (DEMO-1998), CEMETARAL GARDENS (DEMO-1997)

BEST RELEASE (s): WINDS OF CREATION (2000), THE NEGATION (2004), NIHILITY (2002)

TRACKLISTING: DECAPITATED: CARNIVAL IS FOREVER:
01. The Knife
02. United
03. Carnival Is Forever
04. Homo Sum
05. 404
06. A View From A Hole
07. Pest
08. Silence




ITP RATING: ***
PRODUCTION: ****
SONGWRITING: ** 1/2
PERFORMANCE: ***

Founded in 1996, Polish technical death metal warriors DECAPITATED were considered the youngest of extreme metal prodigy, with band member ages ranging from 12 to 16. DECAPITATED have made a name for themselves combining bludgeoning brutality, awesome drumming, technical riffs and relentless touring.

At the turn of the new millinium, DECAPITATED inked a deal with EARACHE RECORDS unleashing NIHILITY (2002)and opening up the worlds ears to a quality Polish death metal scene.
In 2005, DECAPITATED announced lineup changes as vocalist Sauron ending his nine year
reign as lead growler to be replaced by COVAN (Adrian Kowanek) as DECAPITATED unleashed "Organic Hallucinosis" (2006).

On 10/29/2007, tragedy struck as DECAPITATED were involved in a van accident while traveling (on tour) in Gomel, Belarus, (Russia) as the bands vehicle collided with a truck carrying wood. On 11/2/2007 Witold "Vitek" Kieltyka was declared dead due to injuries sustained in the accident as COVAN ( Adrian Kowanek) is STILL recovering from cerebral hypoxia and is receiving 24 hour, around the clock paramedical care.
Just months before the accident, DECAPITATED had just signed a deal with NUCLEAR BLAST RECORDS.

After the tragic 2007 tour bus accident, (as DECAPITATED were without a permanent bass player at the time) VOGG, the only member of DECAPITATED left in the band, joined Polish death metal legends VADER (2008) and contemplated his future in music.

In 2009, DECAPITATED reformed with three new members, toured relentlessly including a co headlining appearance on the 2010 North American SUMMER SLAUGHTER TOUR and are now back with the bands first release since the 2007 tragic accident "Carnival Is Forever".

DECAPITATED's "Carnival Is Forever" kicks off with the track "The Knife", with intense MESSUGGAH like rhythm guitars, blast beats and barking (hardcore) vocals via new vocalist Rafał Piotrowski. DECAPITATED's "The Knife" invokes an uncanny resemblance to MESHUGGAH and enough barking dogs to summon the neighborhood hounds.

DECAPITATED's "United" kicks off with a quality guitar melody before resorting to tightly played MESHUGGAH like chugging, and hardcore barking, as lame as generic metal core wannabee's can be these days. DECAPITATED's "United" redeems itself with a quality guitar solo as Waclaw “Vogg” Kieltyka (guitars) and new drummer (Kerim “Krimh” Lechner) holds down the fort with quality double bass drumming.

The title track of DECAPITATED's "Carnival Is Forever" opens with an omnious ambient intro, and oddly timed chugging as (2:39)vocalist Rafał Piotrowski enters the brutality with mediocre death and screamed vocals for a mid paced extreme metal tune that references metal/CORE more so than the extreme,technical metal DECAPITATED were known for. DECAPITATED's "Carnival Is Forever" takes a dip into ambient strumming, perhaps a cheap, tawdry imitation of MESHUGGAH's lighter moments for a breather in the chaos. DECAPITATED's "Carnival Is Forever" again, invokes the same repetitive chugging rhythm's until you want to hit the snooze button.

DECAPITATED's "Homo Sum" features quality drumming (Kerim “Krimh” Lechner) set to tight and AGAIN, repetitive (MESHUGGAH) like rhythms and whom let the hounds out. What's with the barking vocals, BARK?

DECAPITATED's "404" invokes again, the same vocal and rhythm guitar patterns as MESHUGGAH complete with guitar squeals and pinch harmonics, as Waclaw “Vogg” Kieltyka
insightful guitar leads perhaps would offer an alternative to the mighty Swedes.

Despite it's long, ambient, alternative intro, DECAPITATED's new drummer (Kerim “Krimh” Lechner) proves his diversity with quality tribal rhythms as he carries "A View From A Hole". DECAPITATED's "A View From A Hole" is a less obvious rhythm guitar ripp off as the song invokes a crusty atheistic, despite it's obvious metal core appeal.

DECAPITATED's "Pest" invokes a SEPULTURA feel of varied tribal drum rhythms with vocalist Rafał Piotrowski quality and well timed scream at 1:09. While one of the better songs featured on DECAPITATED "Carnival Is Forever", "Pest" lapses into nu-metal/core abandoning DECAPITATED's death metal roots.

DECAPITATED's "Carnival Is Forever" closes with a quality strummed guitar instrumental, perhaps the most listenable composition of this disappointing release.

It is stating the obvious that DECAPITATED are NOT the same band after the 2007 tragic tour bus accident. DECAPITATED's guitarist VOGG chose to reform the band and continue by not reinventing, but rehashing other European bands riffs. DECAPITATED's "Carnival Is Forever" does not progress on the groundwork of technical death metal forged on the THE NEGATION, NIHILITY and WINDS OF CREATION releases, instead opting for a metal core influenced sound, mall core for a new decade, complete with teen angst, and an upbeat CD title.

DECAPITATED's new vocalist Rafał Piotrowski employs barks instead of growls as his screams are too clean for the relentless, technical brutality DECAPITATED were known for. DECAPITATED's new drummer Kerim “Krimh” Lechner plays well varying diverse rhythm's and mid paced blasts as filling VITEK's shoes isn't an easy task.

However, vocalist Rafał Piotrowski and drummer Kerim “Krimh” Lechner are not adequate replacements for COVAN and VITEK in the frame work of DECAPITATED's musical vision of combining tight technical death metal with brutality, as the new members can't pull it off, or have different musical inspirations, there fore the musical schism between the OLD and NEW DECAPITATED.

Err, MESHUGGAH want their riffs back and DECAPITATED fans wish they could have VITEK and COVAN back.

Perhaps if DECAPITATED expanded to a five peice with dual guitarists the band could get back to the bludgeoning brutality, and technical death metal intensity of old, as the band is working within their range, perhaps limited with a new lineup.

It is never easy to lose band mates and friends in a tragic accident. Waclaw “Vogg” Kieltyka (guitarist- DECAPITATED) literally lost his brother (drummer) Witold "Vitek" Kieltyka in the 2007 tour bus accident.

In the time and courage it takes to pull ones self from the wreckage, it will take longer for DECAPITATED to define their musical identity.

ITP RATING: ***
PRODUCTION: ****
SONGWRITING: ** 1/2
PERFORMANCE: ***

RIP Witold "Vitek" Kieltyka
WISHING A FULL RECOVERY TO "COVEN" Adrian Kowanek
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Covan-Wake-the-Fuck-Up/263167700378914

Thanks-Stay Metal, Stay Brutal-\m/ -l-