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HUMANITY’S END
Plague Of Cancers

Chaotic Carnage / Gurgling Gore (2024)
Rating: 7/10

Seven years after their Between Life And Death EP, the Detroit, Michigan-based duo of Jay Clifton (vocals and guitar) and Jesse Wright (drums) scurry forth once again, but this time with a full-length album.

These guys are no strangers to each other, having worked together in Graverape, but with this behemoth they tap into the classic Stockholm buzzsaw sound. The HM2 pedals have never been busier and work in tandem with the rasping vocals. Even so, it’s not your standard Swedish death metal rip off like so many bands persist with. Instead, Humanity’s End serve up some truly fat grooves that channel Entombed from the Wolverine Blues era and onwards where more of a distinctive roll was applied.

Not as deathly as I expected, Plague Of Cancers remains incredibly catchy and enjoyable even with its familiarity. The title track kicks off proceedings with a ripping riff and slurping vocals. The drums break fast, frothing and foaming with every nasty gallop. And that’s pretty much the theme here, gargantuan rolls and black waves of Swedish death which although infectious leads me to wonder why a US band would construct such a style.

Even so, for 36 minutes the duo rattles off a barrage of songs, some of which benefit from a slower, grinding pace as that’s when the riffs become more serrated and lethal. ‘Dying Earth’ exhibits such examples as the duo bring a thick traipse as if the guitar is a chainsaw being started up for some serious limb chopping. ‘Behind The Ivory Robe’ mixes pace and jumpstart, jolting dynamics, and ‘Merciless Death’ drags the listener into its gnashing, severing jaws.

There are no surprises on offer here, just slashing, menacing spits of Swedish ferocity which choke the listener into submission.

Neil Arnold

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