Red Before Black
Cannibal Corpse · 2017
46 min · 12 tracks · death metal
Aggressive riffs and guttural vocals collide with relentless drumming to create a suffocating atmosphere of death metal ferocity.
Top tracks — play these first
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Only One Will Die Start here — This opening track establishes the album's intense energy through rapid-fire drumming and aggressive guitar work, setting the tone for the rest of the record.
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Code of the Slashers — With its driving rhythm and memorable hooks, this track exemplifies Cannibal Corpse's ability to blend brutality with structure, making it a standout anthem.
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Shedding My Human Skin — This song explores themes of transformation and alienation, featuring complex arrangements that showcase the band's musical dexterity and lyrical depth.
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In the Midst of Ruin — The closing track provides a climactic end to the album with its dynamic shifts and haunting melodies, encapsulating the overall narrative journey.
Elevation
Our rating, out of 100 — and why.
AI-generated from five scored dimensions. An opinion, not a measurement.
The album showcases technical skill and maintains a relentless intensity, characteristic of Cannibal Corpse's style.
What we noticed
- The album features a consistent tempo throughout, with most tracks maintaining a fast pace and aggressive energy.
- Guttural vocals dominate the mix, with lyrics delivered in a way that emphasizes rhythm over clarity.
- Several tracks incorporate breakdowns that create moments of tension before launching back into high-speed aggression.
- Composition 25% of the score
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7/10
- Craft 20% of the score
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8/10
- Durability 25% of the score
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6/10
- Distinctiveness 18% of the score
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8/10
- Sequencing 12% of the score
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7/10
the writing — melody, harmony, structure, lyrics
production, performance, arrangement
whether it rewards returning to it
whether it sounds like itself
running order, pacing, length
Known within its scene. Reported but not counted — how far a record travelled describes its reception rather than the record, and a newer release has had less time to travel than an older one.
Is this for you?
Good fit if you like
- steady mid-tempo aggression
- visceral intensity throughout
- relentless energy for workouts
- consistent pacing for focus
- cathartic release through heaviness
Maybe skip if you
- seeking melodic or soft sounds
- prefer quick, catchy tracks
Where this album fits
- In the catalog
- Breakthrough — Highest charting position for the band, marking a significant career milestone.
- Themes
- mortal decay· violent transformation· post-apocalyptic despair
- Career context
- Released on November 3, 2017, 'Red Before Black' is Cannibal Corpse's 14th studio album, following the critically acclaimed 'A Skeletal Domain' from 2014. The band continued to solidify its legacy in the death metal genre with this album, showcasing their signature sound while experimenting with new lyrical themes and production techniques.
- Stylistic neighbors
- Deicide· Obituary· Dying Fetus
Tracklist
- 1 Only One Will Die Start here 3:24
- 2 Red Before Black 3:12
- 3 Code of the Slashers 4:45
- 4 Shedding My Human Skin 3:28
- 5 Remaimed 4:13
- 6 Firestorm Vengeance 3:43
- 7 Heads Shoveled Off 3:37
- 8 Corpus Delicti 3:29
- 9 Scavenger Consuming Death 4:33
- 10 In the Midst of Ruin 3:25
- 11 Destroyed Without a Trace 4:01
- 12 Hideous Ichor 4:33
If this landed
Records by other artists that run on the same instinct.
Reference: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz · Wikidata
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