Exhumed / Molder / Nunslaughter / Traffic Death – Four-Way Split (Well-Balanced Chainsaw to the Head)

 

I feel like true underground status is earned by reviewing at least one split per year for any site that dares still claim it engages in music journalism of the darkest sections of the industry. And this one may have me covered for at least two, maybe even four if we’re being generous, because it has a whopping four bands crammed into it, slicing out with some quick cuts that serves as an introduction for the newbs and a statement of persistence for the elders. I figured I was in for a chainsaw through the face starting backwards (see cover art), and I’d say that’s definitely the case with this nice toss from Redefining Darkness Records.

   

Let me start with my old problem with splits. Most typically, they lean so heavily towards one band that it might as well have been a cassingle or something because half if worthless. In this case it could have been 3/4 worthless, and that’s dangerous as hell. Balancing the music is exceptionally difficult with these as a good set, with some purpose, needs to be established, otherwise it just seems like the bands in question got together to toss out some Bs that no one would have given a shit about otherwise. But we don’t find that here. Pulling together the strengths of Exhumed, Molder, Nunslaughter, and Traffic Death, in that order, this collection builds upon itself like a good split should. Noticeable, too, is what seems to be attention given to the arrangement of the music, as Exhumed hits harder than the rest, and as you go from Molder to Nunslaughter to Traffic Death, the last leaning more into powerviolence and crust, it feels like listening through a band’s transformative discography over the course of several years. Thus, you get a fine mix where one compliments the other and none of them pale in comparison to another. The only paleness here will be the figurative loss of blood from chainsaw injuries, because this is a straight-up rip, as it should be for a true split!

 

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Written by Stanley, Devourer of Souls

Exhumed / Molder / Nunslaughter / Traffic Death – Four-Way Split
Redefining Darkness Records
Cover Art: Alexandros Pyromallis (Ink Rituals)
4.3 / 5