Masakari

The Prophet Feeds

Southern Lord Records 2010

Incendiary both lyrically and musically, that is the way to describe the crust punk firestorm on the debut album from Cleveland's Masakari.  Rapid Dominance unfolds as a sludgy stomp that quickly builds into an intense flailing of guitar and vocal jabs that brings to mind His Hero is Gone crossed with Morne.  Pain Conceived As A Tool blasts you in you the face from its opening note and assails the use of dogs for man's entertainment through fighting.  Thick riffs, sped into a battle hardened assault on your ears is what Salvation Reigns brings to the fray, at times it reminds me of a doomier Unbroken, especially in its slower passages.  The Voiceless is a menacing, rhythmic beast that seethes with bile and spite, and then explodes like a Greek riot!  Like waves of shrapnel, Rise or Fall shreds your flesh with aggressive drums and angular riffs.  Then Echelon drags lumbering and sawing riffs to pound and scratch any remaining humanity from your shattered body.  Grinding rage surfaces during the songs final movement to drive home the urgency of the band's message.  Perhaps the most moving of the tracks on the album is the closer, Outro, which sets to music the testimony of a US Soldier speaking of his Iraq war experiences and pleading for the citizens to realize that racism and profit are the true reasons for the occupation of that middle eastern country.  The Prophet Feeds is an exhilarating album of fiery crust punk that seers the flesh from bone.  It calls to mind many of today's neo-crusters such as Morne, World Burns to Death and His Hero is Gone.   From the day I received this disk I have been unable to listen to anything else!!!