Certain bands are bound to inspire adoration from some listeners and disdain from others;
Khanate
is such a band. Trying to get
's critics and detractors to comprehend their harsh, caustic, dissonant brand of doom metal is like trying to sell someone who dislikes black metal in general on the merits of
Gorgoroth
;
's music is, to be sure, an acquired taste. But
's hardcore followers, on the other hand, absolutely adore them -- and those who fall into the hardcore-follower category will be delighted to know how uncompromising they remain on
Clean Hands Go Foul
. Listeners who enjoyed
Things Viral
and
Capture & Release
need not worry about
turning into
My Dying Bride
, a melodic band with both doom metal and gothic metal appeal;
doesn't pretend to be melodic or musical. Instead,
proudly stick to their guns and continue to be as abrasive, noisy and thoroughly pessimistic as ever. Of course, those melodic goth/doom bands that are so plentiful in Europe are also quite pessimistic, but they express their pessimism in a darkly romantic, darkly poetic way -- whereas
express their pessimism with sensory assault and in-your-face brutality.
is the sound of agony and total despair, and there is as much torment on the six-minute
"Wings from Spine"
and the nine-minute
"In That Corner"
as there is on the 11-minute
"Clean My Heart"
and the 32-minute
"Every God Damn Thing."
This 2009 release clobbers the listener without mercy -- and while that hellbent-for-noise approach won't inspire any of
's detractors to reevaluate their opinion of the band, loyal followers will find these doom metal agitators to be as exciting as ever. ~ Alex Henderson