It came as a welcome surprise to learn that veteran deathcore outfit Whitechapel had deliberately removed all traces of clean singing for their ninth studio album, instead opting to summon the outright feral and furious sounds that launched them to fame in the first place.
“Hymns in Dissonance” is purposely heavy, with no unnecessary frills or flourishes.
“For this album it was fun to be able to just let loose and write ignorantly heavy music again.” – Vocalist Phil Bozeman
The band made a choice to go back to their roots here – instrumentation is exceptionally heavy and throws back to earlier releases like “The Somatic Defilement” and “This is Exile”.
The trademark Whitechapel sound shuffles between grooves and tempo changes in a way that has been fine-tuned for almost two decades now. A triple-guitar lineup allows for extra layering – there are some solos here too, but mostly it’s used to inject spooky atmospheric lines in and around the mix.
Riffs are big, numerous and heavy, complemented by a spectacular amount of blast beats from new drummer Brandon Zackey (Enterprise Earth). It’s these blasts and fills that really elevate “Hymns in Dissonance” to another level.
The finishing touch is a commanding performance by vocalist Phil Bozeman, who sounds every bit as profane as you remember him, if not even better now. His delivery is contorted and menacing, showcasing an enormous range that few contemporaries possess.
This record stands up as a fine return to form by the Tennessee Heavyweights.
Suggested tracks: – Diabolic Slumber – Mammoth God
Whitechapel: Facebook
Release Year: 2025
Label: Metal Blade Records
Category: Album
Country: USA
Reviewed by Snare
