The Acacia Strain - Wormwood

Prior to a month ago, it had been quite some time since I had seen or heard The Acacia Strain. After seeing them twice live around the time they released The Dead Walk, my mind kind of forgot about them (and their album Continent) until I heard they had put out a new album back in July called Wormwood. Needless to say, I was curious to see where the band had gone since penning tracks like "Whoa! Shut It Down" and "Angry Mob Justice", and to be quite honest, not too much has changed for Vincent Bennett and company. The dissonant breakdowns, anger-filled lyricism and thundering rhythm section are all still intact, yet Wormwood is a lesson in blunt-force musical brutality that proves to be the band's most successful and most accessible offering yet. In its twelve tracks, Wormwood hits like a sledgehammer over and over, leaving a mark that is sure to be tough to get rid of.

From the scratchy opening monologue that leads us into "Beast", we can only assume something dark and heavy is coming. The lead track then bursts with a sludgy guitar riff backing Bennett's powerful barking of the first words 'We all come from broken homes / Broken hearts and broken bones'. Hatebreed's Jamey Jasta provides the first of a handful of guest appearances on this record, lending his voice to the slow, dissonant chorus that makes an unusual, yet worthy match for Jasta's growl. Throughout the album, Bennett's bark helps push thoughts of malice and nihilism to the max, touching on topics from ungratefulness ("Nightman") to religion ("The Hills Have Eyes") without sparing anyone or anything in the process. Lines like 'I won't be happy until everything dies' ("Nightman"), 'I hate everything you love' ("Jonestown") and 'Paris fucking Hilton wants you dead, enough said' ("The Hills Have Eyes") spit seemingly neverending venom. Simply put, this album is cathartic for anyone in need of some venting.

Musically, the band does a superb job of supplementing the lyrical rage with musical fury. From sludgy to shredding, guitarist DL Laskiewicz creates the perfect backdrops for TAS, proving you don't need to just palm mute on open for an entire record in this genre. "Jonestown" opens up with some impressive riffing behind the furious double-bass, as Laskiewicz weaves the melodic work in the background for some nice ear candy. What makes this record as sharp as it is lies within the band's dialed-in songwriting, as they cut away the fatty tangents in favor of a more straightforward, more relentless approach. The Acacia Strain has never been less apologetic about their songwriting, as they move from section to section with little or nothing to prepare you for the upcoming shift. The result is crystal clear – less bullshit musically equals stronger writing all the way around.

I feel like I could write on and on about this record, but I'd simply be reitterating the same point – Wormwood finds The Acacia Strain at the top of their game and atop the genre in what is one of the strongest heavy music releases of the year. Even on the best day of your life, Wormwood will leave you pissed off and looking for vengence.

The Acacia Strain
Wormwood
Prosthetic Records
A