Carnosus - Visions of Infinihility Review

Band: Carnosus
Album: Visions of Infinihility
Label: Independent
Genre: Death metal, Thrash metal
Country: Sweden
Release Date: February 10th, 2023
For Fans Of: Revocation

Carnosus are an interesting band out of Örebro, Sweden making tech-y death/thrash in the same vein as Dave Davidson and Revocation. These guys are all in their late 20s, and they don’t seem to have any other real projects (aside from a couple demos). This is their sophomore record, and I was very, very impressed with their debut. The display of professionalism, virtuosity, melody, and unhinged aggression on Dogma of the Deceased was infectious, even if that record felt like it ran a little long. For their sophomore record, they are opting to release it independently, sending the record out into the world via a Google Drive folder over a month in advance. In a world of stream-only watermarked promos, I have to respect their confidence.

These guys are clearly huge fans of Revocation, and while it still shows here, you can hear Carnosus beginning to develop a different approach than their inspiration. On this record, Carnosus opt for less of the high-flying virtuosic insanity of their debut, instead developing a hard-hitting, bass-heavy style that relies much more on precision and rhythm. In doing this, they make use of a thunderous bass tone and seven-string guitars in order to hammer away at the listener. Their sound is refined and can border on modern, but they manage to retain the tonal depth that amplifies heaviness rather than undermines it.

Visions of Infinihility was not what I was expecting, but ended up being something I couldn’t deny. I was expecting more of the unhinged, erratic energy that the band showcased on their debut, but on their sophomore output Carnosus have grown to have a real maturity in their sound. From the expansive production to the pinpoint-accurate riffing, this record is both impressive sonically and technically.

Nearly every song on this record is high-quality, hard-hitting death/thrash, and Carnosus also incorporate some technical elements that are handled expertly and maturely. The band’s virtuosity extends beyond the guitars as well, as we are treated to some of the most versatile vocals I’ve heard in a long time, with unrivaled rhythmic precision and some tasty variation in tones.

The band never leans too far into one style either. Between technical flairs and sci-fi thrash riffing, the band always stays grounded with their cataclysmic open-string hits, thanks to the band’s deliberate use of seven-string guitars. As a result, their sound is firmly planted in a heavy death metal tone, creating a wonderful dynamic contrast.

It took a lot of deliberation on my part, and a lot of back-and-forth, but I can’t deny Visions of Infinihility. There are some imperfections, but ultimately this record is a monstrous composition that cannot be contained. And at only 35 minutes, this thing demands to be listened to on repeat.

Rating: 8/10

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