In the spirit of broadening my horizons I decided to dip my toes into melodeath waters. While I am not a huge fan of the genre, there are some standout albums I like. Unfortunately, I don’t think Carnosus will be added to the very short list.
Wormtales is a mixed bag of melodic death metal that showcases both the genre’s strengths and weaknesses. The album starts off strong with a catchy and melodic intro, but it quickly becomes apparent that the guitar work is lacking. The guitars are often relegated to a background noise, serving more as a “whitenoise machine” than an integral part of the band’s sound. Vocalist Jonatan Karasiak is one of the album’s standout features. His ability to switch between deep growls and high-pitched squeals is impressive, but it’s also often marred by unnecessary pronunciation and a talk-like singing style. The way he rolls his “Rs” can be cringeworthy at times, but it adds to the overall sense of playfulness and self-awareness in his performance.
The drumming is another highlight of the album, with a strong sound that drives the music. Jacob Hedner upgraded his game from Carnosus‘ last album Visions of Infinihility and pummels the band forward. However, while a few well-composed passages hint at Carnosus‘ technical past, it feels like a retread of familiar territory rather than a bold step forward. It definitely feels like a missed opportunity to showcase their true capabilities. Tracks like “Within Throat, Within Heart” or “Paradoxical Impulse” are classic examples of modern, safe sounding melodeath. The guitar work is uninspired, and the sound is a bit too crunchy for its own good. It takes Carnosus three full tracks to showcase some guitar work, but the solo on the third track is then quickly hushed into a safe corner. By the time I am half-way through I get the feeling I already heard this album. The uniform sound fails to add any real texture to the music.
Towards the end, Carnosus are able to show some sort of brilliance with “Harbringer of Woundism”. With its tempo shifts and hints of better, less “melo” death metal, it is the most interesting track on Wormtales. It’s a shame that Carnosus don’t fully embrace this side of their sound, instead opting for a more melodic approach that feels overly cautious. Overall, Wormtales feels like an album that could have been great if it had taken some risks. As it stands, it’s a solid but unremarkable addition to the melodeath genre.