This being their fifth album, fans of The Acacia Strain pretty much know what’s coming by now. Still, that doesn’t mean it doesn’t kick you in the stomach whilst punching you in the head every time you listen to it.
Opener ‘The Beast’ starts with the alarming whir of guitars and a calming robotic voice giving out helpful advice on killing without remorse, before the trademark anvil-heavy chugs begin and vocalist Vincent Bennett opens his mouth to give us all an idea of what it’s like to look through the eyes of a man who fucking hates
everyone.
“I wanna breathe my final breath, knowing you died a painful death” is just one of many seemingly childish lyrics littered throughout ‘Wormwood’, but when they’re bellowed with such guttural conviction it’s hard not to fear this man and the machine gun firing medicine balls backing him up. ‘The Hills Have Eyes’ speeds things up whilst still pummelling your every limb with precision double-bass and flawless production from Chris ‘Zeuss’ Harris and ‘Ramirez’ crushes all in its path before you even know what’s hit you.
The band’s trademark beatdowns are even more pronounced on ‘Wormwood’ and as previously heard they are often overlayed with dissonant chords that make the whole experience even more harrowing. ‘Terminated’ brings a regimented, robotic vibe to the bands no bullshit policy and ‘Nightman’ is a short, anything but sweet kick to the teeth. All doom, all gloom, all awesome.
It can be difficult to stomach so much hate and chug in one sitting, but even listening to the album the whole way through its difficult not to nod your head along to the rhythmic malice. ‘Unabomber’ is definite ‘last boss’ music and ‘Tactical Nuke’ brings the hatefest to a fittingly militant close, laying waste to anything and everything in sight with its droning, unrelenting power.
‘Wormwood’ is a severe punch in the face for earth and it’s every human inhabitant and will no doubt get your blood boiling and set your brain to ‘destroy’. Menacing, provoking and downright nasty, The Acacia Strain prove once again they’re the big bully of the class, but only because you’re an absolute dick and you deserve to die.
Latest content from The Acacia Strain
- Currently no further content
More content from 'Prosthetic Records'
