Maniac Butcher - Masakr
Negative Existence
Black Metal
6 songs (29:47)
Release year: 2010
Maniac Butcher, Negative Existence
Reviewed by Goat

Unbelievably here releasing their seventh album, Czech underground legends Maniac Butcher are the very meaning of ‘true’ – true to themselves, true to the music they play, and true to you, reforming after a decade-long hiatus to bring you more of their form of Black Metal. Their motto? "No keyboards!! No female vocals!! Only pure black metal storm!!" And whilst there are various interludes that break these rules, like the intro to opening track Desatero krutych zim prezitych v teple zhnouci zare slavy minule with its synthesized animal calls and deep primordial hum, the music itself most certainly does not – like the warrior on the front cover, Maniac Butcher take no prisoners, offer no mercy, but constant slaughter, and the sludgy opening riffs and ridiculously slurred growls soon turn to blasting speed and hateful snarls as the barbarians ride into a Hellhammer-esque charge. Unlike some, however, the band take you along for the ride, varying riffs and tempos to keep the listener’s ears pinned back – there’s even an ambient part at the end of the track with male and female vocals interwoven, like early Celtic Frost from a completely different perspective.

I was expecting to enjoy this, true, but it’s a pleasant surprise just how much I do. The Immortal-esque thrashiness that opens Projizdka hvozdem hlubokym za oucelem scitani stavuch vlkuch a vlkodlakuch is a delight, epic flourishes mixing with raw ripping speed, a jaw-droppingly perfect solo shrieking out above the music before battle resumes. It’s little short of brilliant, the band knowing exactly what they’re doing, the songwriting expert (something I can rarely say about Black Metal!) and the effect glorious. Rozhodnuti nezvratne vsecken mir rozhodne rozvracejici is as good if not better, Darkthrone-y guitar lines above solid drumbeats, and a wonderfully epic atmosphere as the swirling blackened thrash assault takes your mind without pity or forgiveness. The buzzsaw blades of Bezbozne rouhani zpovedni před tazeni vojnoveho zapocetim follow swift at its heels, the more melodic Masakr krvavy pro plneni zajmuch vyssich i rezniceni nadbytecne pro kojeni puduch nizkych follows on, and still you’re hooked, the dark atmosphere on the latter track especially gripping.

The album is over before you know it, a perfect slice of Black Metal action that frenziedly delivers on its promises and leaves you wanting more. As other fans of the band will be aware, that sentence could sum up virtually any of their releases, but so what? Maniac Butcher are a great band, and repeating that makes their music no less powerful. Masakr lives up to its name, and is a powerful addition to a discography that can be returned to again and again, whether you understand those lengthy song titles or not.

Killing Songs :
All, especially Rozhodnuti...
Goat quoted 84 / 100
Other albums by Maniac Butcher that we have reviewed:
Maniac Butcher - Cerná Krev reviewed by Tony and quoted 87 / 100
Maniac Butcher - Barbarians reviewed by Goat and quoted 78 / 100
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