Cuntastrophy

You know, normally I'd run from a deathcore band with the name Cunt Cuntly. You can tell that you're in for some stupid shit with a name like that, especially when the band try to fit the word "cunt" into the titles of twelve of the twenty songs on Cuntastrophy. But I stuck around mostly because the band's name reminds me of the kind of stuff that my friend says, so it seemed worth showing him. And what do you know, it isn't anywhere near as bad as I'd expected it to be, and if anything it's actually pretty good as far as deathcore goes.

First of all the guitars are very down-tuned and distorted, which I guess is not particularly out of the ordinary for deathcore. It's pretty damn heavy though, and despite the fact that most of the songs are comprised mainly of chugs I don't find it particularly bad, as the thundering nature of them seems to disguise what they are. I think the groovy nature of the riffs is also important as it gives me something to actually listen for, and in particular the slower sections have a sludgy feel about them that I really like. There are also several more technical sections in there as well, and while they aren't the strongest I've heard they do keep things fresh. Although I can't particularly make out the bass apart from the quiet sections without the guitar, I'm fairly certain that it's presence is what makes the band sound so heavy so I have to give a bit of credit there, and what you hear of it is pretty technical.

The drumming should also be given a mention as it's insanely technical in some sections. I have a feeling it's programmed due to the sheer speed that it's played at for large parts of the album, particularly on the song 'Death Bed Cuntfession'. Elsewhere it swaps between fast and slow with ease and it manages complex patterns in the blast-beats that I can barely comprehend. Still it adds something to the music and acts well as the backbone to the music.

I have to say that instrumental music is easy to get wrong, but Cunt Cuntly manage not to. Vocals are the most diverse part of a band and they can add a level of connection that can appear missing if they aren't there, but in this case I think vocals would detract (especially given how bad deathcore vocals can be). Instead the listener is forced to really pay attention to the band and listen to the music that they're creating, and although occasionally you have to question what the hell is actually going on, it is very captivating for the most part. For fans of groove metal I'd suggest giving this a shot, and I reckon you'll like it a lot more than you probably would have thought. I certainly did, and despite the lack of seriousness this band is very competent.