Death Metal can be presented in various iterations: grimy and old school; melodic, and technical; symphonic and gothic. Each offshoot augments further exploration and daring.

Then there are the likes of Misery Index, a band that is uncompromising in that they instead opt for in-your-face, straight-up rage. The Maryland collective – following up 2019’s bruiser Rituals Of Power – pulls no punches on Complete Control (Century Media), an effort that doesn’t reinvent the wheel. And that is precisely where this foursome thrives.

Aside from the obvious, the most notable takeaway from the nine tracks is how sharply the guitars are produced. It’s evident throughout, and encapsulates the intensity in which these guys perform.

Front and center is Jason Netherton and his tasty take on the genre with elements of hardcore and grindcore. Make no mistake, though, this is death metal at its core. ‘The Eaters And The Eaten’ boasts devastatingly biting vocals. Netherton commands attention the entire album’s runtime, threatening (‘Rites Of Cruelty’), berating (‘Infiltrator’) and grunting (‘Conspiracy Of None’). 

The opening song ‘Administer The Dagger’ is a slow-burner at first, but Netherton quickly grabs the reins with ferocity, and the frantic drumming from Adam Jarvis ups the ante with salacious force. And from then on, the stage is set for a maniacal, half-hour-long-plus onslaught. 

And the very band’s name itself is apt: the term Misery Index refers to the doctrine of sizing up an economy by merging the rate of inflation with the rate of unemployment. Grindcore / punk inspired, to say the least.

Complete Control is best enjoyed either with headphones jammed far enough into your ear canal to worry any Otolaryngologist, or by pushing the subwoofers to their very limits while simultaneously challenging the neighbors to call the cops with a pointed noise complaint. It’ll either aid in justifying your already pent-up anger or summon the raging ire that was bound to boil over.

Buy the album here: https://miseryindex.lnk.to/complete-controlID

8 / 10

MATT COOK