Misery Index – Complete Control (Review)

Misery Index are a death metal band from the US and this is their seventh album.

Complete Control is the follow up to 2019’s Rituals of Power and contains 34 minutes of death metal carnage. Yep, Misery Index can always be relied upon to deliver some crushing grind-laced death metal. Complete Control is a masterclass in death metal with a hardcore edge and grindcore intensity.

This is a very engaging, dynamic, and vibrant collection of tracks. The songwriting overall is nuanced and surprisingly wide-ranging for the style, and every song has its own identity stamped through it with brutal skill. Each track has something that lets it stand out from its fellows, whether that be a notable riff, an atmospheric highlight, a brutal hardcore beatdown, an anthemic chorus, or any number of things. Around this each song boasts so many hooks and catchy moments it’s ridiculous.

This album shows a versatility of delivery and enjoyability of execution that reminds me strongly of the first Misery Index album. The depth of satisfaction that I get from listening to 2003’s exceptional Retaliate has been recreated on Complete Control to a level that I was not expecting. Although not completely the same style, (Retaliate has more feral chaos in its makeup than Complete Control does, for example), the overall feel and enjoyment level is the same. I love that debut album, and now I’m well on the way to loving this latest one too.

The killer riffs, the vocal interplay between the two potent singers, the pummelling grooves, the blasting mayhem, the destructive rhythms, the molten metal solos, the sheer fun of an album full of absolute raging songs…Misery Index are firing on all cylinders. Complete Control takes everything I love about the band and delivers it ramped up to the max.

If you’re unconvinced by the band I doubt this will change your mind. For me though, this is one of the most enjoyable, satisfying, and downright fun albums I’ve heard in some time.

Very highly recommended.