Slaughtersun – Black Marrow Album Review

Another EP to dive into today, this time from Slaughtersun. Formed in 2023 by bandleader Ben Karas of Thank You Scientist and Windfaerer, this band takes a unique approach to death metal, blending influences from giants like Gorguts, Death, Cannibal Corpse, and At the Gates. With Black Marrow, Slaughtersun delivers a chaotic yet intriguing offering that might not blow the roof off the genre, but definitely leaves a mark.

The opening track, Unearthly Propaganda, starts things off with an ominous tone. While I’m not entirely sure how it ties into the rest of the album just yet, it sets the stage with an unsettling atmosphere that feels like the calm before the storm.

Track two, Fall of the Firmament, brings the chaos with a mix of guttural and squeal-style vocals over melodic, mid-tempo riffs. It’s not about blistering speed here but rather well-structured songwriting. Around the halfway mark, the track slows into a heavy, chugging rhythm that carries through a brief solo and back into the main riff. It’s solid death metal, and while it might not hit any groundbreaking highs, it’s definitely a track I’d come back to.

Relentless Thelemic picks up the pace with a galloping rhythm and a raw, chaotic energy that feels more classic death metal than technical. It’s straightforward, relentless, and unapologetic. A brief slowdown midway through gives just enough of a break before launching back into full-throttle madness.

The fourth track opens with a riff that feels downright unsettling, like you’re on the brink of madness. About a minute in, the tone shifts to a slow, cosmic, and atmospheric section, pulling you into a pulsating groove. By the end, the track becomes a full-on assault of blast beats, rapid picking, and varied vocal styles, closing with pure intensity.

Track five is a standout. From start to finish, it’s furious, but what sets it apart is a “treble strings” solo near the end, by that I mean violin, yeah – you read that right, Violin on a Death Metal track. It’s one of the most unique moments I’ve heard in a death metal release in quite some time. Slaughtersun wasn’t afraid to experiment here, and it absolutely paid off. This track takes the top spot for me on this EP.

The final track is a live session of Relentless Thelemic. While it doesn’t stray far from the studio version, you can hear the violin more prominently in this recording, adding an extra layer of texture that’s worth noting.

The guitar tones across the EP are what stand out most to me. They’re twisted, unsettling, and carry a level of psychopathy that feels intentional. It’s like “letting the inmates run the asylum,” and somehow it works. At first, the tones might feel a bit off-putting, but the more you listen, the more they burrow into your brain, creating a sound that feels just right in the chaos.

Slaughtersun is still early in their journey, and this EP shows they’re not afraid to push boundaries. With Karas’ violin leading the charge, Cody McCorry on bass, Jason Quinones on drums (dubbed the “hammer battalion”), and Justin Hillman delivering “unearthly wails,” the band has crafted a raw and experimental debut EP that’s worth checking out.

While Black Marrow might not instantly become a go-to favourite, it’s an exciting first step from a band clearly not afraid to take risks. If their debut EP is anything to go by, I can only imagine what they’ll deliver in future releases.