It may seem like business as usual for Bodysnatcher, releasing a collection of chest-beating slabs of prime ass-beating deathcore, but under the surface, there may be more to the band than meets the eye
Originally released as a physical EP during Record Store Day earlier this year, Vile Conduct finally has a digital release. Continuing Bodysnatcher’s journey to create not only brutal, but deeply personal, resonating and lyrically vulnerable deathcore, ‘Vile Conduct’ contains some of the most cutting and close-to-home lyrics and themes the band have ever put into music. 2022’s Bleed Abide lead the band out of the pandemic era with a bang. A refinement of the bludgeoning fight music that the band had honed over the years, it took them on a number of high profile tours, some even as a headliner. It wasn’t a million miles away sonically from their previous works but lyrically things began to fall into place. The themes of struggle, of loss and inner demons have been taken up a few notches on this EP though, but not to the detriment of the music, which remains as hard as ever. A blend of bands like Spite, Kublai Khan and Hatebreed, they’ve continued their upward trajectory since the turn of the decade.
Opener “Kill The Parasite” is a perfect encapsulation of their sound; a track driven by the scathing vocals of frontman Kyle Medina, it sits firmly in that slower, more insidious deathcore bracket. No 100mph blastbeats or synths, just levels of aggression that border on uncomfortable. That’s not to say the band can’t mix things up though, as they meld slower sections with blasts of speed with ease. The band haven’t used this EP to experiment or take risks, but to hone their craft and it shows, with “Severed” and “Human Disdain” tracks which should slot seamlessly into their punishing live set.
Among the band’s sound is a sliver of hope in the human spirit in its battle against adversity. However, the EP’s highlight will undoubtedly strike uncomfortable chords with some, due to its bleak lyrics. “Murder8”, which features guest vocals from one of hardcore’s most legendary figures in Jamey Jasta (who puts in the typically classy performance) is hard to stomach at times. The title of the track refers to one of the street names of fentanyl, a drug that is wreaking havoc on the US and was responsible for the tragic loss of Chris Whited’s two brothers. During the track, his line of “Fentanyl made me an only child” instantly creates a pit in your stomach and a lump in your throat. The whole track is a journey through the dangers and ramifications of addiction, yet one the band manage to balance in song and message.
It’s easy to make music that replicates being assaulted with a metal pipe, yet it’s difficult to make this kind of music stand out and possess something resembling a heart. Bodysnatcher do that in uncomfortable ways, making the listener take a journey riddled with pain and struggle, but aim to come out of the other side putting up a hell of a fight. They won’t win any prizes for breaking any boundaries but they stand amongst the best of the modern deathcore scene.