Baby Stab Horror - Manifesto Infernale Review
by Billy Gamble
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Lately New England metal has consisted of hardcore and metalcore mainly within the Boston area. Hailing from Fall River, Massachusetts Baby Stab Horror brings something a bit heavier than the nearby Boston scene, yet maintains the modern sound while maintaining some black metal credentials. Baby Stab Horror calls themselves Thrash/Black Metal but they in all actuality sounds like the result of a Lamb of God/Dimmu Borgir super group. The album possesses black metal characteristics, but sometimes it's hard to hear due to the modern day influences overlapping that old school sound. Just about every song on the album flips back and forth from Lamb of God riff replications to old school black metal signature devices and sounds.
When reviewing the band's roster I was a tad confused. Baby Stab Horror has the traditional set up with guitars, keyboards, and bass. Anyone who can appreciate music can recognize these instruments, but Baby Stab Horror has Sardon Skullgrave who is responsible for the 'sermon' on the album. Also D. Blast performs 'Sadism' on the album. How those 2 things are translated into the record is beyond me. I assume that one of the two, if not both, deliver the multiple sets of vocals heard on the album. The other thing which I've become curious about is where do the drums on this album come from? The drums are extremely difficult and apparent. Between the blastbeats and the china crash rides, the beats on the album are probably what give the album the majority of its black metal credibility.
Just about every song on 'Manifesto Infernale' has a Lamb of God sounding riff on it which creates a speed metal tempo. Demither (guitars/keyboards) has made the keyboards stand out in the mix in a way that complements and almost challenges the guitar as the leading instrument on the album. If the band were ever to go on tour they'd probably have to recruit other members so that Demither could perform either guitar or keyboards. Maloderous Rex's bass lines are very fast and usually just follow the lead. The vocals switch back and forth but constantly stick with the black metal buzzsaws and death metal growls. The two styles work well with each other and fit with the traditional percussion.
Overall the album makes its own hybrid of Lamb of God speed metal and the sounds of Dimmu Borgir's Stormblast debut. On "Crown of Four", for example, the song begins with the slow metalcore sound laden with harmonizing keyboard parts, but then surprises the listener with an epic solo that combines the slow pace of Viking metal to a vicious black metal that could melt faces with ease. The Lamb of God influence couldn't have been any more there on "Vermin Revelation" where the opening riff is possibly a song off As the Palaces Burn called "For Your Malice". The band does end up redeeming themselves on the track when there is a break and a volcanic eruption of extreme black metal lava come pouring out of the speakers to melt some serious faces. Baby Stab Horror takes a different approach to black metal and help its evolution into the 20th century.
Track Listing
1. Progress
2. The Fallout
3. The Crown of Four
4. Vermin Revelation
5. Masochrist
6. Sentinel
CD Info and Links
Baby Stab Horror - Manifesto Infernale Label:Indie
Rating:7.0
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