Castrator’s claim to fame has long been their status as an all-woman band with lyrics that invert the sexualized misogyny typical of brutal death metal. However, their 2015 EP No Victim showed there was more to them than a perceived gimmick, revealing a knack for crafting crushing breakdowns built on interesting rhythmic ideas. Their debut full-length, Defiled in Oblivion, moved away from the brutal death foundations of the EP toward a more standardized form of death metal which, while competent and well-executed, lacked a distinctive identity. On Coronation of the Grotesque, the band surpasses expectations with a style that builds upon the best elements of their previous releases, while introducing a newfound sense of melody.
Production-wise, the guitars still retain the massive brutal death feel while adhering to modern industry standards. The drums, on the other hand, feel out of place due to how overproduced they are compared to the thudding guitar tone, which detracts from the driving force of the drum performance. Interestingly, the very obvious distortion effects applied to the vocals don’t distract from the performance; instead, they synergize well with the wall-of-noise approach to the production, making the vocals sound as thick and heavy as the guitars.
Early ’90s death metal forms the foundation of this album, with a strong reliance on angular, tremolo-picked riffs rather than the simplistic chromatic patterns modern death metal often falls back on. The band frequently splices these with rapid power chord movements, establishing the core of the album’s sound: tight breakdowns and the standout solos of newcomer Sara Loerlein. While she hasn’t yet developed an idiosyncratic style, her versatility is impressive, whether it’s traditional shred, exotic modal phrasing, or divebomb abuse, she always brings the right tools for the job.
Where the band truly shines, and unfortunately doesn’t explore often enough, is in the dramatic melodic sections found in tracks like “Remnants of Chaos,” which features a strikingly melodic solo layered over a punishing chromatic breakdown, or “Deviant Miscreant,” which includes a haunting, gothic-tinged segment. These moments are all the more impactful because the band tends to sandwich them between their more aggressive breakdowns, giving the songs a distinct identity and enough twists and turns to keep them memorable.
Like the lyrics, Coronation of the Grotesque isn’t just a gender-swapped meme, but a modern death metal album that shows a clear willingness to explore beyond the accepted norms of the subgenre, while avoiding the pitfalls many of their peers fall into. While the band hasn’t yet fully reached their potential, Coronation of the Grotesque stands out as a solid offering for those seeking something fresh in modern death metal.
P.S. Their cover of Exodus’s “Metal Command” is a lot less annoying than the original.
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