Originally written by Jordan Campbell
It’s a strange phenomenon in heavy metal: Rarity begets esteem, and exclusivity breeds desire. Whereas, say, the world of professional sports tends to reward consistency, dominance, and longevity, metal legends can be built from foundations of absence and longing.
Hence the continued clamoring for Lord Worm sightings. After making a demented mark on Cryptopsy’s first two records — Blasphemy Made Flesh and (especially) None So Vile —- he disappeared for damn near nine years before resurfacing on the underwhelming Once Was Not.
But those were a noisy-ass nine years. Even in his absence (or, more accurately, because of it), Worm dominated much of Cryptopsy-related conversation. As such, his re-emergence on Once Was Not came off less like a triumphant deus ex machina, and more akin to a workmanlike necessity brought on by years of fan-bitching. (A reaction not unlike Cryptopsy‘s recent mea culpa in the face of The Unspoken King‘s transgressions, no? Hell, when you think about it, Cryptopsy is basically a cut-rate, death metal George Lucas.)
So, here we are in 2012, a full seven years after Once Was Not graced us with “Carrionshine.” (And not much else.) Lord Worm is back…in (a) black (metal band)? That was founded… twelve years ago? And is only just now laying down tracks?
What the fuck is happening here?
Well, whatever it is, it’s pretty damn cool, at least fleetingly. Worm goes absolutely bonkers on this thing, adapting his gonzo, faux-stream-of-consciousness style to a BM template amid raves of demented delight. It’s a natural fit, and he delivers a performance that easily blows his ultra-desiccated Once Was Not performance away.
However, the material he rants atop doesn’t have a hellacious amount of depth. Unrelenting Fucking Hatred presents an odd paradox: In 2012, it represents a throwback form of futuristic blackness, casting a fuzzily-digital spell over a Thorns-esque beehive. Rage Nucleaire buzzes, drives, and bulldozes their way through fifty blistering minutes of bleak, blustery blackness, but after the luster of Lord Worm’s return subsides, all that’s left to appreciate is the ludicrous-speed atrocities leveled by drummer Fredrik Widigs.
As telegraphed by his less-than-compelling moniker, guitarist Dark Rage (ooooooooooooooh!) doesn’t bring a ton of clever turns to the table, and Unrelenting Fucking Hatred becomes quite one-dimensional once the gimmick runs its course. Perhaps with some augmentation among their ranks — and a hammer-smack realization that black metal is in a much more challenging place that it was twelve years ago — Rage Nucleaire could deliver some truly profound violence. As it stands, this record plays out like a novelty project built around Lord Worm’s presence, but it’s a pretty damn solid one.
