Mental Cruelty – Inferis (Review)

Mental Cruelty are a German deathcore band and this is their second album.

Violently mixing elements of slam and, (more importantly), menacing atmosphere into their deathcore brew, Mental Cruelty offer up 34 minutes of sheer brutality, and belligerent aggression.

If you imagine a combination of Thy Art Is Murder and Within Destruction, with some slam, and a side order of Carnifex, you’ll have a rough idea of what Inferis sounds like. It is only an idea though, as when you listen to this album you’ll soon release that these are only relatively loose comparisons.

Heavy groove and thunderous breakdowns are interspersed with blast beats as well as more considered, atmospheric moments. These latter parts help to give the album its own flavour, as the band seem quite fond of synths, eerie guitars, and other methods of establishing mood alongside the heavy nastiness they generally unleash. Melody is used; usually not overtly, but it still helps establish character.

The singer’s vocals are monstrous, guttural, and sickeningly ugly. His screams are serrated and sound like they’re coated in blood.

This is an enjoyable album that differentiates itself somewhat from the standard deathcore fare through its infernal personality and atmosphere. A recommended listen.