Album Review: King Cannibal / ‘Let The Night Roar’ (Ninja Tune)
Nov 13th, 2009 | By admin | Category: Music Reviews
King Cannibal’s jackhammer velocity creates a slasher movie out of dubstep via drum ‘n’ bass’ tech-step phase of the later ‘90s.
“Murder Us” is the start of your ending; this is dark, harrowing techno where synths palpitate at a gory outcome predicted by grizzled bass. Knowing subtlety is blood and thunder’s equal, KC has the audacity to insert an elegant breakdown, though only to signpost the merciless dashing of raised hopes. Maybe Cannibal isn’t hot on dubstep’s high-definition demands 100 percent of the time, but by the same means, the likes of voodoo loop “Virgo” are truer to dub and dancehall’s bounce. “So…Embrace the Minimum” possesses all of dubstep’s broodingly nomadic enormity, and the awesomely overwhelming “Colder Still.” Raked by air-raid sirens blasting the darkness, it’s like being battered raw by a poltergeist in the mould of Geeneus’ “Star Buck.” “A Shining Force” is possessed by Jonny L’s “Piper,” and the unceremonious opener, “Aragami Style,” land more rounds of crippling body blows. With scriptwriter skill of timing, King Cannibal produces a gateway of uncertainty on the hissing, about-to-blow “Onwards Vultures” to perfectly set up marauding, bass-grunting finale “Flower of Flesh and Blood,” and completing a wave of magnificently addictive intimidation.
Matt Oliver
File under: The Bug, Crissy Cris, Uzul
