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Stonecutters The Living Dead EP review


Louisville's most salacious shredders Stonecutters are back with a two-song EP, The Living Dead. You can listen to it here. This is a short and sweet follow-up to last year's Carved In Time, a stylistic smorgasbord of big arena rock guitar leads a  la Metallica and Slayer with the contemporary death metal brutality of Behemoth and Morbid Angel.

The first song, The Living Dead tears into the flesh with a chunky guitar groove in the pocket. It's got a more streamlined, hardcore sensibility than the non-stop noodling that characterized their previous release. The vocals are screechy and the drums kicks it into overdrive with a bombastic blast beat to keep things spicy.

The second track "Outside The Presence Of God" shows hell hath no fury like a metalhead growing up in the bible belt. This one's got a more black metal edge with some spooky guitar melodies. The vocals here feature a more gutteral bellow, as the voices trade off growls and screeches in the style of Nile. 

My only criticism of this record is the bass drums sound a bit too clicky and polished for my tastes, but the musicianship is impeccable. I've shredded stages with Stonecutters in Philadelphia on several occasions, so I can attest that these dudes deliver the chops in a concert setting as well. (Stonecutters tour dates are below.)

At only two songs, you could listen to this bad boy in the time it takes you to read this. I'd like to point out that this EP pays homage to Return Of The Living Dead, a film based in their hometurf of Louisville.

Return Of The Living Dead is the best zombie movie of all time in my grim opinion. It's so, so campy. If it doesn't make you giggle till you snort, you're probably in a state of rigor mortis. October is the perfect season to treat yourself to another viewing of this film, in addition to Stonecutter's newest. Do yourself a favor, and thank Doctor Grim-1 later. 

See Stonecutters on the road, starting on Halloween.
10/31 Louisville, KY @ Mag Bar
11/1 Wichita, KS @ Barleycorns
11/2 Denver, CO @ 7th Circle
11/3 Salt Lake City, UT @ Urban Lounge
11/5 Sacramento, CA @ Cafe Colonial
11/6 Oakland, CA @ Elbo Room
11/7 Las Vegas, NV @ Vamp’d
11/8 Oceanside, CA @ Pour House
11/9 Pasadena, CA @ Old Towne Pub
11/11 San Diego, CA @ Brick by Brick
11/12 Tempe, AZ @ Yucca Tap
11/14 Oklahoma City, OK @ The Blue Note
11/15 Dallas, TX @ Wits End
11/16 Little Rock, AR @ Vino’s

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