"Cutting The Throat Of God" by Ulcerate | ALBUM REVIEW 

Nice impression of Needledrop

A bit surprised you didn't dig their last album but I also find it amusing that Ulcerate of all bands apparently has a drinking game-worthy fanbase.

I loved the last album. But it kinda makes me laugh that people think you don’t understand dissonant and tech metal when one of your favorite bands is Gorguts and one of your favorite albums is Obscura which many people can get into sadly.

I hope you listened to this one correctly this time, Melty!! In a Darkened room with nothing but a bucket, a straitjacket and a cheese grater?

I loved stare into death… and I found the muddy/thick production suited the elemental nature of the record. It really felt like you were gettin consumed by volcanic ash and magma and then getting sucked out to see by a rip current. But I can see that not working for everyone lol and that’s fine. Really loving this new one. Doesn’t hit the same heights as stare into death but it’s close.

I find this one to be a masterpiece, with truly epic, sprawling, mesmerizing tracks throughout.

I love Ulcerate, they are one of my favorite modern tech death bands. Their last album Stare into Death and Be Still is one of the best of 2020, so I have high hopes for this new album, especially since the songs released off it so far have been amazing.

I totally agree with your assessment of the album, I haven't heard it all but heard half of it. I personally like dissonance but as an extra ingredient not when it totally takes over the style. I just don't like it where songs seem to never climax but turn on themselves instead to the point of sounding repetitive. I tried to like their previous album but I must say it was a chore, and as artistic as they are I think they really compromise enjoyment in their music. I believe that Suffering Hour work that balance of dissonance and dread better because you can actually pinpoint out individual songs and riffs you can remember in your head. But that's just my opinion. Thank you for the excellent reviews as always.

Hell yea! It’s my favs of theirs since Everything is Fire. Lp got here yesterday too! Glad you’ve liked it more. For me it ends better than it starts actually. Last 3 songs are 🔥!

I'm eagerly waiting til the official release on Friday, but I'm so excited to hear this album. Seeing positive reviews from you and MetalTrenches has only made me more pumped. I honestly completely understand your mild criticisms here, as well. Ulcerate has a particularly sadistic way of arranging and producing their music (especially considering the density and volume), and I always find their albums to be endurance tests, kind of in the same way as a sludge or post metal band like Neurosis. I also find other avant-garde bands like Portal and Artificial Brain easier to return to for that reason, but I respect and love what Ulcerate does, even if I do feel exhausted afterwards, haha.

Did you seriously pose that this album is a dud???!!! It's a fucking masterpiece. I think everyone knows this by now.

I find it absolutely amazing. This and the last one is two of my favourite albums of all time. Yes I know it just came out, but this just hits all the right spots for me 🤘

Just seen that you gave a previous one a 2/5 so I guess 3,5/5 is an improvement, but seems to me that you still miss the point with Ulcerate. That is fine though. Good that this is 'not for everybody' band. I am even surprised that it gets as much praise and recogniton publicly as this is very dense and not so obvious music. My first Ulcerate experience - Everything is Fire took me like 10 listens to understand its genius to the full - and usually it takes at least 5-6 to really grasp the structure and athmosphere of their records

I actually didn’t know you and Ulcerate had a history. Sorry you had that experience. I didn’t know they are the Death Metal equivalent to Tool fans lol. But to me Ulcerate’s take on Dissonant Death Metal is so unique. One moment they’ll make some of the most heavy dense death metal you’ve ever heard and then another minute they will have this more monotonous, sludgy and more atmospheric moments, then build up to something that helps pay it off. I loved Stare into Death and I thought this was almost at the same level, except I think the mix on this is slightly more irritating to me and some songs did drag just a little. 4/5 Again I do apologize if you had a bad experience with the fanbase. happy you liked and gave this one a chance.

You felt exhausted and overwhelmed?! Sounds like they did their job perfectly 😎🪿

I've been pretty crazy into tech & prog death lately, I like melodeath and atmospheric death, I got into some dissonant death & some pretty abstract out-there stuff, and I dunno what it is but Ulcerate just doesnt really do it for me. I previewed some stuff and didnt hear anything bad, some of their ideas of melody+dissonance are really pretty cool, but the end result just doesnt quite grab me. It all feels a little overly busy and all their compositions seem to be long dirge-like journeys. Some of the stuff on Stare Into Death sounded a little better to me than this one (though rougher), but I have not heard anything that compelled me to sit down and play these records all the way through. Maybe it's the kind of thing where it helps to be kinda baked.

Music is subjective, everyone is going to have a different opinion and that’s the beauty of it, While Some genres work for someone they might not work for you and that’s ok. I enjoy your reviews regardless, good job 🤘

I can get pretty underwhelming with the whole dissonant noiser Avant garde metal but with Ulcerate I actually enjoyed the elements what they're using.

4/5 this shit is very good

Hey man!! I´ve been following your channel for quite a while and really like your content. I don´t know if you checked the newest Inter Arma record. If you haven´t I strongly recommend you to do so :) All the best!

Good review. As someone who does really like dissonant death metal, I never was too impressed by Ulcerate. Not a bad band, just not one I get too much out of, and new album, which I haven't heard yet, I know it's on youtube, I'm waitng till it be on streaming, won't change much. Probably gonna be a 7 like most of their works, but if not- I'll edit the comment.

I’m not surprised on the insane hate you got haha. Many ppl consider Ulcerate one of the greatest extreme metal bands of all time. I’m almost there myself. I think they are a god level band. But I wouldn’t say they are for everyone.

Incredibly depressing music that challenges you to look at yourself from the perspective of knowledge accumulated by centuries of human experience

So far I’ll say the album is good but these songs feel very flat production wise. There’s something about their mixes that just don’t sound right. I don’t know if it’s the imaging or lack of openness in the stereo field but they need to outsource their production to someone else other than who usually does it. Enough.

Really liked the singles, I’m hoping the rest is as good.

Haven't fully watched the review yet, just wanna say the Rush shirt is fire

I can see what you mean in the first couple of minutes of the review. Dissonant extreme metal is an acquired taste. It took me a while to get into it, but diving deep into it was a rewarding experience. That also applies to Stare Into Death. When it came out, it took me several listens until I digested it and eventually , I enjoyed it quite a bit, especially while studying and working. This new album has a bit more diverse elements and I think I like it more too. 4/5 for me.

Funny how we are so different on the last two Ulcerate albums! I actually prefer Stare Unto Death more than the new one. I guess it was the time period that I found it in (2020 COVID-19 lockdown) that really impacted my relationship with the record, and if I had remembered it for my 2020 end of year list, it probably would have been reasonably high… not number one, but maybe around numbers 6 to 8 or somewhere like that. Plus, that album title hit a little too close to home during those days with all of the bad news around that time.

You're being modest, Melt. You are not an ordinary expert, but a first-classs professor of metal music.

There is a point to be made about "listening the right way" actually. But let me say it with a lot more charity and kindness than they probably did. The best example I can give is old school Norwegian black metal. At face value it's nothing but noise with shit production and cat being tortured to death live on the mic. But if you listen for the aesthetic, atmosphere and "vibe" it's a way different experience. Sounds pretentious but it's true. Same goes with disso-death/black/ whatever. But at the end of the day if you don't like an album or genre that's just personal taste and sometimes no amount of "listening in a different way" will help

While i wholeheartedly disagree with your opinion on Stare Into Death and Be Still, anyone saying those things are not worth yours or anybody's time F*ck those people. While i wouldn't say "you're listening to the album wrong" (what does that even mean ?) i would say that Ulcerate aren't a band for everyone and definitely take time to get used to. What may sound repetitive to most is just how Ulcerate sound. They developed their sound a long long time ago and have been honing and perfecting it ever since so them not changing or changing ever so slightly isn't a miss for fans of the this band. More Ulcerate is what we want and Cutting The Throat of God is what i've been looking forward to all year and it did not disappoint one single bit

Since Ulcerate fans do not agree with your opinion, then Ulcerate must not be as good as they say. Great review

I feel like its 2nd part of "Stare..." but just done way better, def in my top 10 of the year so far but still not even close to Everything is Fire and Shrines of Paralysis imo

Even though the album is an aoty contender for me, I completely understand it isn't for everyone and can be overwhelming. For me, something just clicks when listening to Ulcerate. Their music creates a dissonant but also meditative atmosphere. But yeah, that's probably quite subjective. Some might find that kind of thing anxiety enducing and the repetitive nature of the riffs boring.

Banger

I think you’re being a bit melodramatic. It doesn’t make a lot of sense that you can like aspects of the new album and think that the previous album sounds like a ‘grey blob’ lol. These albums are so similar. I agree that the new album is better balanced, produced and mixed. But the band has only made minor adjustments. There are no massive shifts. You then go on to say that the mix is too loud. This is at odds with what you said earlier. I’m all for constructive criticism, but only when properly articulated. Ulcerate are one of those bands that you either like or hate. There’s not a lot of middle ground. Seems like they’re not for you.

Yup that about sums it up

You will probably enjoy it more if you play it in the background and not think too much.

Agreed 100%. Extremely talented musicians who have created a very interesting sound but it is monotonous without a doubt. People who are offended by our opinions need to grow up lol it’s just music.

I usually like a song or two from this band and then no more. I cannot listen to a whole album - it becomes the big, gray blob you mention.

I also love ulcerate, but the only way I make it all the way through an album in a single sitting is when I'm high as fuck lol.

Instant like

oh nooo technical lol.

They need to take the production back to vermis and the destroyers of all era. I can’t tolerate the last 2 albums production wise.

Sounds like you get as much hate as I do on YT

Imagine if Bruce Dickinson wrote and recorded several songs with Ulcerate !?

Gave this album an try and I couldn't get into it. It's an 4.5/10 for me.

At this point in my life, edgelord bands who choose titles like this are just embarrassing and I won’t even give them a chance. And I’m certain they’d be delighted to know that an old fart like me isn’t listening to them 😄