Dead in the Manger - Cessation
20BuckSpin
Blackened Ambient Grind
6 songs (26'50")
Release year: 2015
20BuckSpin
Reviewed by Alex

The more time evolves, the more things stay the same for Dead in the Manger. Not a surprise act anymore, Dead in the Manger members still prefer to stay anonymous. And despite the fact that the new release, Cessation, is called a full-length album, as opposed to last year’s EP Transience, Cessation is still short, still composed of six numbered Parts and Dead in the Manger is still playing the combination of black, grind and atmospheric depressive music.

The quiet melody opens Part I, but the static buzz in the background does not predict anything positive to unfold anytime soon. Distortion grows further, and then Part I blasts out the pent up intensity. And so Dead in the Manger oscillate, alternating the obvious melodic moments with those buried underneath tremolo riffing, blasting drums and howling vocals. Sometimes the compositions sport rebellious alarmist picking leads (Part IV), but Cessation is also full of painful drag out moments (Part II, Part III). Dead in the Manger step away from the grind on Cessation periodically in order to bring out more sludge, which is heavy and dripping with lead (Part III). It is this fabric that tortured vocals are trying to rip apart and emerge from. The blasting finally stops completely with the first half of Part VI, the band purges crusty sludge from out of their system, and militaristic riff takes over the rest of the way driving home the inevitability of what’s to come.

If Transience melodies were more obvious, painful and depressive, Cessation comes off crustier, thicker and smacking of angrier desperation. For my taste I liked Transience more, but I am sure that those who enjoyed the EP would not mind Cessation either.

Killing Songs :
Parts I, III and VI
Alex quoted 75 / 100
Other albums by Dead in the Manger that we have reviewed:
Dead in the Manger - Transience reviewed by Alex and quoted 80 / 100
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