Chalk up another win for Brazilian death metal all-stars, Krisiun, with their ninth studio release in Forged In Fury (Century Media). From start to end, Krisiun attempt to destroy your very soul for a blistering fifty-two minutes. Each track keeps you on your toes with memorable riffs and the occasional groovy breakdown. One issue with death metal nowadays I find is that bands will have a hard time making each song stand out on an album and not blend together. It is safe to say that they avoided this obstacle with ease.

Going through Forged In Fury countless times to try and pull out my favorite songs became quite a task. Having said that, I did pick a few that stood out a bit more than the rest. Opener ‘Scars of the Hatred’ really set the tone for the entire album as it hits you right in the chest without letting up at all. The drumming is aggressive and really gets your blood flowing for what is a crazy ride. Another great song off of this album is the fourth track, ‘Strength Forged in Fury’. The song had one of those riffs that stays with you long after the album was over and you catch yourself humming or whistling the very same riff. There is also a moment deep into the track that will make even the most elitist metal head want to throw down in the pit and show off their two-step dance. ‘Burning of the Heretic’ is also a scorcher of a track. The song takes sudden shifts from aggressive build ups, to catchy riffs, and then empties into a fancy solo that evolves into a breakdown.

While Forged In Fury certainly does not break the mold for Krisiun or death metal in general, it is still a solid release from the Brazilian threesome. The one moment in the album that I am confused about is the repeating guitar riff in ‘Dogma of Submission’. For one, the song only briefly strays away from this riff. This certainly does not destroy the song for me, but the riff itself is mildly similar to Cannibal Corpse‘s ‘Stripped, Raped, and Strangled’ that I start thinking of the lyrics to that song every time. Solid track for sure but confusing. Overall, Krisiun made an album that they can certainly say they are proud of.

7.0/10

TIM LEDIN