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Peter Hutyra - Guitar
Marek Mikudik - Drums
Peter Hija - Vocals

Rating: 6.8
Country: Slovakia
Release Date: 2007
Record Label:Ukragh Productions

Track list:
1.Coldness
2.Rigidity
3.Death Spots
4.Blood Coagulation
5.Withering
6.Liquid Diffusion
7.Gas Diffusion
8.Decomposition
9.Autolysis vs. Putrefaction

Band Website: Moonfog


UKR 0004
MOONFOG "Cadaveric Changes" CD


9 Songs, Video Clip & 12-pages Full-Coloured Booklet with the sick front cover.

Cost: 35 Uah | 6.99 € | 9.99 USD
[P & P Not Included. Ask for it.]

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UKRAGH' PRODUCTIONS
Supported by



DIABOLICAL CONQUEST' Webzine
[India, Mumbai]

MOONFOG - CADAVERIC CHANGES

Don't be fooled by their name, this has nothin' to do with ol' Satyr, and it isn't an icy blast o' under-produced, waspy treble played by a group of leather clad, forest-dwellin' trolls dolled up to the nines in chain-mail 'n' buckly boots, painted up like kvlt badgers. Although that would've been absolutely fine, this is in fact a chunky slab o' Brutal Death Metal from Slovakia, played by a trio of casually-dressed chaps without a smudge o' corpse-cosmetics in sight! In fact, the act've been active since the turn o' the millennium, and thus far they've provided a steady output o' both studio and live albums.

So, is their latest any good? Well, the back tray certainly suggests so, given that it's emblazoned with the words 'Mind Blowing Technical Death'. Although I didn't experience a full cranial explosion upon pressin' play, the work still dealt plenty o' hefty clouts to the skull! Surgin', whirrin' guitar, blast-obsessed percussion and feral vokill intimidation are all on the menu. Actually, this is not entirely dissimilar to the last album by their fellow citizens, SURGICAL DISSECTION, in that it delivers a solid 'n' comprehensive, albeit rather generic, Brutal Death package, givin' you a healthy balanced diet o' complex fodder 'n' hearty, groovy roughage, without tryin' to fob you off with any insubstantial McChug or instofix Slam-Happy Meals. Instead, the band takes their inspiration for progressive brutality 'n' pit-mayhem from skools of old, usin' their robust, airtight performance to chrome-plate the multiform structural deformity. It's not all vacuum-packed riffs 'n' aimless shreddin' though, 'cos there's plenty o' catchy passages built into the mosaic, which is essential for any effective technical Brutal Death outin', otherwise it just meanders off into smugulence. So, although it squalls, rattles 'n' clatters along many knotty riff-routes, the songwritin' still finds room for dense, flowy grooves. Indeed, this is a guitar-driven album, with many nimbly executed parts that swap from inter-mingled riff-pile ups to appendage-loppin' rhythmic crushment, frequently stoppin' to lob in lots o' mangled (un)harmonies 'n' bug-eyed solo-warble. Unfortunately, the intricate nature o' the guitarwork doesn't seem to be reflected in the rhythm section. Granted, it's replete with extremely tight, high-velocity stick 'n' kick-work, but it's a snare-obsessed affair, so rather than expoundin' on many o' the technical bits or groovy progressions, it seems to just smother much of the thing with blasts. The same is also true of the vokills; rather than further tartin' up the structural adornments with variations in pitch, timbre or expression, they remain strictly addicted to mechanically performed death growls throughout, the only splash o' variety being sporadic backin' squawks. However, many may find that the inflexible rhythm section 'n' stolid vokill-job add further sturdiness to the material, simply actin' as unobtrusive buttresses, thus allowin' the ambitious guitarwork to glow without hamperin' its progress or befoggin' the overall work with any of their own elaborate expressions.

These days, if you describe yourselves as Mindblowing Technical Brutal Death, a lot o' listeners will probably be expectin' some sort o' overblown fret-twiddlement such as SPAWN O' POSSESSION, or the quick-fire, all over the shop jibber-jabber of somethin' like DECAYIN' FORM or CORPULATE. Bands such as those do of course have their charms 'n' can often be enjoyable when you're in the right sort o' mood, but MOONFOG prefer to take a slightly more traditional approach to sonic brutality. As is the case with nigh on any such act attemptin' to express their fully crystallized technical vision thru Brutal Death complexity, the work is full o' vigorous nods to SUFFO 'n' IMMO, what with its maze-like compositions 'n' piercin' solo-strobe, also doffin' its hat to thugulent, proto-Slam stuff like INTERNAL BLEEDING, DYIN' FETUS 'n' JUNGLE ROT by means o' some nicely rollin', slamulated rhythms 'n' accompanying squall. Elsewhere, I think you ought to find a vibe similar to that of recent stuff by DISGORGE (US) and DEFEATED SANITY.

The production is fairly clear, but parts of it make me feel a wee bit uncomfortable, such as the kit; although it's well balanced 'n' panned, most its drums sound horribly clinical 'n' quite enfeebled as a result; the kicks are like pancake-flat click-cushions 'n' the clumpy snare clacks along lifelessly, while the cymbals sound flaccid 'n' muffled. Although the guitar recordin' retains much of the piercin' high-end durin' the harmonics 'n' solos, it lacks quite a bit of vital low-end crunchiness, resultin' in a patchy sound 'n' loss of bass-beef. The same can also be said of the bass guitar itself, which I found myself strainin' to find in amongst the greyish mud. Don't get me wrong, this isn't some sort o' budget basement bash-out, it just seems a little rushed to me. With regard to its presentation, the front cover is a fairly mediocre paintin' of a skull grinnin' out from a gapin' wound down the side of a human head, but the booklet interior is very nice; you get clear print-ups of the lyrics surrounded by plenty of live pics.

Overall, Cadaveric Changes is a very good technical Brutal Death Metal piece, with inventive songwriting, skillfully combin' elaborate patterns 'n' motifs atop a groovin' undertone. If not for the uninspired drummin' 'n' stolid vox, as well as a few unfortunate studio gaffes, this'd undoubtedly've scored higher. Still, it's a good addition to any current Brutal Death playlist 'n' the above issues shouldn't put you off havin' a casual listen.

Baz (6.8/10)

Thanks to: Baz & Kunal / DIABOLICAL CONQUEST' Webzine [India, Mumbai]
http://diabolicalconquest.com/reviews/moonfog-cadaveric_changes.htm