Meghalaya has folklore embedded in its cultural roots. Numerous stories, passed on by countless storytellers. Flint Knife Murder tells folklore through its brutal death metal music. Releases like "Aadi Rakshas" and "Likai" have put them as one of the most prominent death metal band from India. Now, they are back with the haunting tale of "Angulimala".
Every child in India knows the tale of Angulimala, a heartless killer who used to cut the fingers of his victims and make a necklace out of them. The song begins itself with a haunting soundscape of a person being killed, followed by the evil laugh of Angulimala.
The opening riff with descending chromatic notes sounds as gnarly and chaotic, as the environment it tries to depict. Following that, are groovy old-school death metal riffs sounding much like old Deicide and Morbid Angel. The chorus features a haunting vocal melody, aiding to it are the tablas on the rhythm, which adds to the element of horror and fear! Halfway through the song, Indian classical melodies are present (present on a sitar I guess!) which fits with the composition. This five-minutes of brutal storytelling ends with some Raga melodies chanted.
Guitar riffs are reminiscent of the old-school death metal testament, being a bit dirty but groovy at the same time. Drums and Bass does a lot of heavy-lifting along with the guitars to provide the grooviness of the song. The lows on the vocals sound much in the style of David Vincent and George Fisher. While the production could be made better, I have no complaints since the song perfectly captures the atmosphere it wants to depict. Even the artwork seems brutal!
While the story of Angulimala has much of a redemption arc to it, the narrative of the song focuses mainly on the horror and the frightening aspect of it. That too, beautifully executed through their music. "Storytelling through music" - Flint Knife Murder masters at this art! I really do hope folks, not only from India, but from outside discover this gem of a band and give them their due credit.
Rating: 3.5/5.0
Website: flintknifeofficial
Genre: Death Metal
Worldwide Release: January 21st, 2022.
