Halloween may have passed, but it is still the season for evil, and there are few things which could be more fitting than the appearance of a new offering from Philadelphia’s metalpunk fiends DEVIL MASTER. Their first tape last year was unbelievably gnarly, and on Inhabit The Corpse, these ghouls have truly broken loose from the restraints of mortal frailty and are unleashing a thrashing, chorus drenched wickedness unheard by the likes of any puny human. Thine ears cannot possibly be prepared for their unholy onslaught, yet it is here and there is nothing you or anyone else on earth can do to stop it.
Then again…why would you want to?
DEVIL MASTER in the flesh
Is there really a good reason to not surrender your soul over to absolute turpitude made manifest through what can best be described as the amalgam of Japanese black metal/punk rippers SEX MESSIAH and the (secretly Finnish) hardcore punk steamroller of a project 集団自殺 (SYUDAN JISATSU), or in other words: absolute shredding annihilation from beyond the veil? Many bands may try to unleash the darkness and have their invocations met with silence – or maybe a whisper if they’re lucky – as they fizzle out; but when DEVIL MASTER calls, death comes fucking ripping (and we should expect nothing less from villains who also have given us horrific creations as members of CAPE OV BATS, BLANK SPELL, INTEGRITY, and THE DRIP to name a few).
Artwork for Inhabit The Corpse
Inhabit The Corpse guides you down into a dark cavern – the opening pulsing electronic doom and piano driven gloom akin to Japanese industrial/electronics legend GRIM (but drenched in the occult far more than anything he has done) lures you in and leads you down into the unknown; and just as your torch goes out, your guide strips off his false skin and opens up into a frenzied barrage of spectacular riffs, driving drums, and howls of torment. There is nowhere to run from the assault, and all you can do is stumble in the blackness and pray for salvation. But it won’t come. In just four tracks, DEVIL MASTER shatters your nerves, breaks your will, and drags your limp and drained vessel back into the world, leaving you all alone with nothing but reflection of what has come to pass as you sputter and sob, waiting for the end. This is an experience which is not to be missed.
This year, instead of letting your Halloween spirit die, give in and let the devil be your master. You may yet live to tell the tale…
