CARNATION · Where Death Lies | BLACK LP

Black vinyl in standard cover.

Background information about ''

Belgian death metal has rarely sounded this hungry. With their debut album "Where Death Lies", Carnation step out of the underground shadows and deliver a record that hits like a sledgehammer wrapped in rusty barbed wire. From the very first riff of "Iron Discipline", it's clear that these four gentlemen are not here to reinvent the wheel — they're here to crush it into dust. The production is thick, organic, and perfectly balanced between old-school rawness and modern punch. Guitarist Bert Vervoort and vocalist Simon Duson, the band's core duo, have crafted an album that breathes the spirit of the '90s Stockholm scene without sounding like a mere copycat. Tracks like "Sepulcher of Alteration" and the title track "Where Death Lies" showcase a band that understands dynamics — blasting fury is interspersed with slower, doom-laden passages that add weight and atmosphere. The rhythm section, with Jeroen Van Den Broek on drums and Yarne Heylen on bass, locks in with a precision that makes every groove feel inevitable. There is a certain desperate energy here, a sense of urgency that elevates "Where Death Lies" above the average debut. The solo work is melodic without being wimpy, the vocals are guttural yet intelligible, and the entire affair clocks in at a lean, mean 38 minutes. No filler, no experiments gone wrong — just pure, undiluted death metal.

What makes Carnation stand out is their ability to write riffs that stick. "Napalm Ascension" is a headbanger's delight with a groove that could move mountains, while "Malformed Regrowth" dives into darker, more atmospheric territories. The closing track "In Chasms Abysmal" ends the album on a crushing note, leaving the listener wanting more. This is not technical death metal for the sake of showing off — it's death metal that serves the song first and foremost. The band's Belgian roots shine through in a certain melancholic undertone that runs like a dark thread through the album. "Where Death Lies" is a statement of intent, a declaration that Carnation is here to stay. If you miss the days when death metal was about atmosphere, riffs, and sheer intensity rather than technical wankery, this album is for you.

For fans of:
Dismember, Entombed, Bloodbath, Grave, Unleashed

Other Versions

YELLOW/ORANGE LP · Sold out CD · Sold out RED/WHITE/BLACK LP · 14,99 €

Track listing

A1. Iron Discipline
A2. Sepulcher of Alteration
A3. Where Death Lies
A4. Spirit Excision
A5. Napalm Ascension
B1. Serpent's Breath
B2. Malformed Regrowth
B3. Reincarnation
B4. In Chasms Abysmal

Manufacturer: Sasu Soundworks Sarl, 126 Boulevard Bara, Heliopolis 2, Lot B4, 13013 Marseille, France, Contact: www.season-of-mist.com