You know it's not a good thing when the best aspect of a new release is the comic book format that they have included as their booklet. Such is the case with Impious and their brand new Holy Murder Masquerade, their second release for Metal Blade Records. Taking their story of a killing spree by a truly psychotic individual, the band has created a graphic comic book with the lyrics reading as the dialog to the comic and its characters. It's pretty ingenious and fun to follow along to the album this way. The music however is a different story. Impious mix death metal and hardcore, and while the do this style very well (and frankly they should, as they have been at it since 1995), the problem is the band sounds like countless other groups playing the exact same riffs, and screaming in the same tone. When you receive as many new releases as we do here at Sea of Tranquility, it really becomes apparent just how much so many of these bands sound alike. Granted, there's plenty of mammoth riffage here ("Three of One" is a killer, as is the title track), and even some blistering lead work (gotta love that!), but the end result is an album that just suffers a bit in its own mediocrity. Give them 4 stars for the comic book idea, 2 stars overall for the music, for a final rating of 3 stars.
Track Listing
1. The Confession
2. Bound To Bleed (For A Sacred Need)
3. T.P.S.
4. Bloodcraft
5. Holy Murder Masquerade
6. Death On Floor 44
7. Slaughtertown Report
8. Three Of One
9. Everlasting Punishment
10. Purified By Fire
11. Dark Closure