Artist: Blood Artillery
Album: Radioactive Utopia
Label: Extreme Chaos
Release Date: 28/02/2021
Country: Italy
Let’s take a quick look at a short release by Blood Artillery, in the form of their debut EP Radioactive Utopia, set for release on February 28th through Extreme Chaos.
Blood Artillery is a solo project by Soul Devourer (also known as Manuel Mazzenga), who happens to be the co-founder of the Extreme Chaos label along with Luciano Lamanna. Both founding members of the label happen to also be members of experimental power electronic/war metal band Intolerant, whose album Primal Future we also reviewed (read that here). Manuel is also involved in Nocturnal Degrade, Scent Of Silence and post-punk band Der Noir, in addition to some dark-wave and techno acts. Under the pseudonym Soul Devourer, he is responsible for all instruments and vocals on the release. Mastering was performed by Antihuman War Machine, while production was handled by Extreme Chaos and album art by Warhead Art.
Much like Intolerant, Manuel has brought with him that raw war metal quality to the music, mixing in some death metal elements but leaving behind the experimental electronic elements. There is nothing experimental and boundary pushing here. Rather, the project has stripped things back toa raw and primal form. Everything is lo-fi in nature and has a very DIY feel to it. The production is grainy and distorted, the instruments are all distorted and there’s a certain level of fuzz and feedback in the mix. These are the elements that draw many black metal fans toward the rawer war metal side of the genre.
With a blend between raw shrieked vocals and distorted more guttural death metal style vocals we get a nice bit of variety on the album, as well as some killer moments where the two styles overlap. The guitarwork is like a buzzsaw constantly grinding, with a harsh and grating tone to it. There are also truly impressive riffs and even a face melting solo or two on the album that should please many listeners. The drums are a constant barrage of cymbals and blast beats that never really lets up. We also get some interesting noise elements that play with feedback and other elements thrown into the mix at times. The whole album essentially crashes over the listener like a wall of sound and there is not much you can do but ride it out. That should not be too hard though given that the EP only features 5 tracks which average between 2-3:30 in length.
So, if you like your black metal raw and aggressive then this is probably worth your time. Personally, I really enjoyed the album and was left wanting more once I finishes it. I’m looking forward to seeing what both the project and the label have to offer going forward.
Listen to and order the album below:
Bandcamp:
