With their fifth album, Slay Utterly, Carrion Vael utterly slays! (Not sorry, I could not let that pass up.) Available now, the band fuses their technical proficiency with a case study into human darkness. From the layered riffs and precise rhythms of “19(fucking)78” to the theatrical progression of “1912,” Carrion Vael manipulate tension and release to serve the narrative of each song as much as aggression. With clean vocals punctuating growls, they add a haunting clarity to songs like “40 Echoes Upon the Parlor” and “Lord of 74,” while guest riffs and rapid fire leads push the intensity without feeling indulgent. The lyrical lens swings between killers and victims, by revealing obsession, control, and madness with careful attention to historical detail. Even reworked material like “Black Chariot” seamlessly integrates and proves the band’s skill at turning past work into something freshly menacing. Slay Utterly is relentless, precise, and unsettling. It’s a record where technicality and narrative collide in a visceral and unforgettable way.
