ULCERATE – Cutting the Throat of God

Are there still doubts about Ulcerate? It’s time to put them to rest—or rather, to accept the opposite, because the New Zealand trio has never released a bad album.

 

Records like Everything Is Fire (2009), Vermis (2013), and Shrine of Paralysis (2016) showcased original, violent, technical, and evocative compositions built on odd time signatures and sudden distortions. Few bands can be compared with Ulcerate, who consistently deliver complex, innovative music. The same is true for their latest, Cutting the Throat of God, which follows Stare Into Death and Be Still (2020).

 

The album finds Paul Kelland and his mates immersed in another decaying, introspective atmosphere. Calmer, expansive passages intertwine with bursts of calculated violence—a hallmark of their style. Jamie Saint Merat’s drumming and Michael Hoggard’s guitar work clarify this, especially on opener To Flow Through Ashen Hearts and the following The Dawn Is Hollow. Both are perfect distillations of Ulcerate’s identity: long, dense, intricate compositions. Kelland reinforces the sound with brutal, piercing growls that always fit each passage, even the slower ones. Everything moves in a chaotic flow—occasionally redundant—but always elegant and meticulous.

 

Seven tracks, all exceeding seven minutes, are not meant to be taken individually. Like all their albums, Cutting the Throat of God demands attentive listening. Only then can it be fully appreciated. For longtime fans, this is simply another confirmation—another bullseye for a band that has made consistency its defining trait.