Cannibal is the title of the new Static-X album, a band that I have embraced ever since I first saw them in 2001. I’ve faithfully bought all of their releases so far and I was happy to see Koichi return on guitar on the previous album. And with this new album the band sounds more like the old days than ever before.

While the previous album Start A War already showed more brutality than the one before that; Shadow Zone, they now return with even more heavier songs. It seems like the days of Wisconsin Death Trip and Machine are coming back again! While listening to this album the name Ministry pops into my mind more than once, which is the biggest compliment they can get from me probably. The entire album is just more concentrated on the heavy aspect of their music, with the oddball being ‘Destroyer’ which sounds like the radio-friendly single. The characteristic sound they always had is still ever present, especially the up-tempo and start-stop riffs are exploited perfectly on Cannibal.

 

Not only the music has gotten heavier; Wayne’s trademark vocals are also way more in the heavier region than the last two/three albums. You just gotta love it. Also it seems like there are more guitar solos than usual, and the title track even holds a guest solo by John 5. Furthermore the electronics sound excellent again, producing some interesting twists throughout the album. Listen to the extremely thrash metal start of ‘Chemical Logic’ and wait for the amazing sample to drop in. The title track does about the same thing as well, and I just can’t get enough of it!

 

Well after little over half an hour the fun is over again and they leave me craving for more. My absolute favourite of the record for sure is ‘Reptile’, that shit beats the living daylight out of me. Fans of the band can buy it blindly, still no real changes but an excellent exploitation of their successful formula. People that only dig the first one or two albums might give this one a try again too.