THE BEAST

Release Date: November 22, 2024
Label: Season of Mist

The brutal technical death metal titans Defeated Sanity are set to unleash their latest offering, Chronicles of Lunacy, and it promises to be a savage, uncompromising assault on the senses. With a career spanning two decades, this German-American powerhouse has long been revered for their unique blend of technical wizardry, relentless brutality, and jazz-infused complexity. On their latest album, however, they’ve dialed back some of the progressive experimentation in favor of sheer, neck-snapping heaviness.

Leading the charge is drummer and multi-instrumentalist Lille Gruber, the son of co-founding member Wolfgang Teske, whose influence continues to echo throughout the band's music. Gruber’s precision drumming and intricate compositions are at the heart of Chronicles of Lunacy, which sees the band returning to their brutal roots while still maintaining their signature technical edge. Gruber is joined by bassist Jacob Schmidt, vocalist Josh Welshman, and guitarist Vaughn Stoffey, forming a formidable lineup that delivers a crushing experience from start to finish.

The album’s opening track, "Amputationsdrang", wastes no time in setting the tone. Clocking in at just 2:30, it delivers a rapid-fire onslaught of blast beats and gut-wrenching riffs that immediately immerse listeners in Defeated Sanity’s chaotic world. The relentless aggression continues on "The Odour of Sanctity", the lead single, which showcases Schmidt’s dexterous bass work and Welshman’s guttural growls. Inspired by religious fanaticism, the track is both dizzying and haunting, and a true testament to the band’s ability to balance brutality with atmosphere.

Chronicles of Lunacy is not just an exercise in heaviness, though. Tracks like "Temporal Disintegration" and "Condemned to Vascular Famine" stretch the boundaries of conventional death metal with sprawling, complex structures that reflect the band’s progressive inclinations. Welshman’s guttural roars are especially prominent on these tracks, adding a visceral layer to the dense, intricate compositions. The band’s jazz and classical influences are felt throughout, particularly in the unorthodox time signatures and unpredictable shifts in tempo.

What truly sets Chronicles of Lunacy apart is its raw, unapologetic return to the band’s brutal origins. Tracks like "Extrinsically Enraged" and "A Patriarchy Perverse" pay homage to early death metal while retaining a modern edge. Stoffey’s guitar work is a standout, whipping tracks like "Accelerating the Rot" into a furious maelstrom of riffs that push the album’s energy to its highest peaks. Meanwhile, Gruber’s drumming remains a tour de force, pulling listeners into the madness with every perfectly timed fill and gravity-defying slam.

As always, Defeated Sanity's music is deeply conceptual. Welshman explains that each track delves into different forms of mental corruption and derangement. The album's thematic roots are reflected in the haunting cover art by Jon Zig, which evokes a twisted, gory nativity scene, perfectly complementing the album’s lyrical exploration of human madness. Welshman notes that "A Patriarchy Perverse" draws inspiration from the notorious serial killer Ed Kemper, while "Heredity Violated" serves as a fittingly intense conclusion to the album with its relentless pace and crushing grooves.

Colin Marston, known for his work with bands like Gorguts and Krallice, handled the production at New York’s Thousand Caves Studio. Marston’s touch ensures that the album is both sonically dense and ferociously clear, balancing the high-fidelity modern sound with the raw low-end crunch reminiscent of Defeated Sanity’s earlier works like Psalms of the Moribund. Tracks like "Condemned to Vascular Famine" exemplify this duality, marrying mind-bending technicality with caveman-level slams that will surely leave long-time fans satisfied.

With Chronicles of Lunacy, Defeated Sanity has crafted an album that bridges the gap between their experimental past and their brutal origins. It’s an album that invites headbanging and close listening alike, and for fans of old-school death metal, it’s a reminder that Defeated Sanity remains a critical pillar of the genre. Brutal, complex, and uncompromising, Chronicles of Lunacy is a must-listen for anyone who craves death metal that pushes boundaries while staying true to its roots.

Tracklist:

    Amputationsdrang (2:30)
    The Odour of Sanctity (3:36)
    Accelerating the Rot (3:22)
    Temporal Disintegration (5:52)
    Extrinsically Enraged (4:09)
    A Patriarchy Perverse (4:16)
    Condemned to Vascular Famine (6:00)
    Heredity Violated (3:48)

Total runtime: 33:35

Lineup:

    Josh Welshman – Vocals
    Vaughn Stoffey – Guitars
    Jacob Schmidt – Bass
    Lille Gruber – Drums

Guest Musicians:

    Danny Nelson and Paolo Paguntalan (backup vocals on "Amputationsdrang" and "Accelerating the Rot")

Production:

    Recorded, mixed, and mastered by Colin Marston
    Artwork by Jon Zig

Fans of brutal, technical death metal are in for a treat on November 22, 2024. Prepare yourself for a sonic assault like no other—Chronicles of Lunacy is coming.