Hailing from one of the modern Meccas of death metal, Montreal, BENEATH THE MASSACRE have secured their place atop of the heap of their Canadian brethren, along with Kataklysm, Crytopsy, Despised Icon, Ion Dissonance and Neuraxis. Over the past half a decade, several releases and many tours throughout North America and Europe, these Quebecois crushes have built a loyal, blood thirsty worldwide following by delivering a vicious brand of skull-crushing, brutally technical death metal. Whether it’s been on the road with Necrophagist or the annual Summer Slaughter tour, the band has brought buckets of brutality to the masses.
That fan base will most certainly not be disappointed with the band’s latest material, the five song EP, "Marée Noire." BENEATH THE MASSACRE recorded this time around with Chris Donaldson, known for his work with Cryptosy, and the album was mastered by Alan Douches (Hatebreed, Unearth). The band returned to artist Felix Rancourt for more of his disturbing, signature artwork. "Marée Noir" is a MORE than suitable follow up to 2008’s tour de force, "Dystopia."
"Marée Noire" will be available in a limited edition digipack CD and as a limited edition seven inch record. The band will be doing an extensive Canadian tour around this release, before they prep to hit the studio for their next full length. "Marée Noire" should whet the appetite of any previous fan of the band and to tantalize any fans of extreme, gut wrenching, double-bass pounding, guitar shredding, earthquake-inducing metal.
Hellbound.ca:
Beneath the Massacre, Tech grind death metal Quebecers are releasing a new EP for all you tech death heads out there. This 5 song ep called Maree Noire which translated into English is oil spil. I never thought of BTM as a political band but they clearly have issues with the BP oil spill judging from the song titles of this latest technical wizardry. “Drill Baby Drill” “Anomic” “Black Tide” clearly have oil, social and political overtones. While I applaud them for making a statement who the fuck knows what their saying, I didn’t have a lyric sheet so I am just going to assume they were against the oil spill.
Musically this album doesn’t deviate from the standard computer like sound of BTM past works. It has everything you would expect, ridiculously fast double kick, guitar licks like a robot was playing the 6 stringer and vocals guttural and abrasive enough to use on paint you need removed. The EP starts with “The
Casket You Slept In” it has a good grove in the break along with the chug a lug chug of any BTM song. “Black Tide” starts out with a ferocious little diddy of single notes strung together from there it is back and forth, scales to chug with vocalist Elliot laying waste to lyrics like it’s a nuclear apocalypse. Next up is “Drill Baby Drill” a short 43 second scales to chug fest with a voice over. Following the little break is “Designed to Strangle” and “Anomic” both are BTM songs through and through. Definitely some head bobbing moments throughout this album and if you like or love BTM you won’t be disappointed in picking up this little special edition EP, also coming out on 7” inch. If the proceeds go to the seagulls covered in oil that would be even heavier.