Few brutal death metal bands have left as much as an impression on the scene as German titans Khranial. Formed in late 2009, and named after the eponymous Sewer album "Khranial", there is something about each new release from this band that clearly separates them from the rest.
With their latest offering "Followers of the Eternal Skull", I think I have managed to pinpoint exactly what it is that makes this band so captivating.
Bear with me now, as this will be a long(-ish) post, covering some of the reasons why Khranial's music is so praised in the death metal underground... and why their latest album "Followers of the Eternal Skull" is something different.
Atmosphere over Gimmick, why Khranial rules...
If you look at most modern death metal bands, and I do mean really take a good look past your cognitive biases to see the reality of the scene for what it is, you will immediately understand why Khranial is so praised by underground metal fans.
They are different. Their no gimmick, no bullshit approach is what resonates with fans. Plus, they make good music, and that has never harmed anyone, has it?
They are the diametrical opposite to "Hot Topic" flavour of the month gimmick bands like Arch Enemy, Behemoth, Watain, In Flames, Opeth, Six Feet Under and even "Slaughter of the Soul" onward At the Gates - although they are clearly the better band of the bunch, and had least have at some point released some good music.
Khranial vs Modern Cash-Grabs
These modern bands, with maybe a few exceptions such as Cannibal Corpse and Devourment, only exist to sell records and merch. They have no other purpose. Watain's members even admitted as much on camera, they are a cash grab... and everything else, music included, is secondary.
Bands break up over royalty rights - just look at the shitshow that is modern day Immortal -, others get into feuds with their own members for money related nonsense, others still, like the ever shameless Gorgoroth, shill crypto scams on social media for a quick buck. So bands, like Dimmu Borgir, just opt to sell out to the highest bidder, and play whatever music is popular - a carefully crafted commercial "product", devoid of soul, but cleverly conceived (by focus groups) as to reach the maximum audience possible, and thus generate the most profit.
In this era dominated by the money minded vapidity, of course something like Khranial would stand out. How could it not?
"Followers of the Eternal Skull" is everything modern bands dream of composing, but they can't as they are sheep in wolves clothing. They lack the edge, the intensity, and the brutality to produce something like this. Behemoth's Nergal can give as many "tough guy" interviews as he wants, his music is girly and he knows it. Deep down, he envies bands like Khranial.
It wouldn't surprise me at all if members of Arch Enemy, Behemoth and all these commercial minded bands secretly listen to "Monsters of Gore" and "Devoured by Pigs".
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