Carrion Vael – Slay Utterly
Release Date: 16th January 2026
Label: Unique Leader Records
Bandcamp
Genre: Death Metal
FFO: Rivers of Nihil, The Black Dahlia Murder, Apogean, Whitechapel, Hideous Divinity.
Review By: Eric Wilt
While I’m not sure which version, edited or unedited, is the most outrageous, it’s safe to say that the award for most shocking album cover of 2026 will go to Carrion Vael’s Slay Utterly. I’ve seen two versions of the album so far, and neither is subtle. On the one (probably edited), a naked man with some monster meat is slicing up a bunch of other naked men. On the other (probably unedited) version, the naked man with the weapon is missing his meat and is instead gushing blood out of the hole that was left behind. The songs on Slay Utterly are all about serial killers, so my initial guess was that it had something to do with one of the stories therein, but after reading about each song, it would appear the artwork is merely a visual representation of the brutality described in the songs.
The thing about Slay Utterly is that while it will get a lot of attention for its artwork, the music is what really deserves the acclaim. If you’ve heard either of Carrion Vael’s other two Unique Leader releases, you know that they are making some of the best, most challenging death metal out there. They throw absolutely everything at each song, as if they’re planning to write only one. From soaring clean vocals and symphonic accompaniments to death growls, bludgeoning riffs, and technical solos, each song is a masterclass in extreme metal writing and innovation. Add to this the fact that each song tells the story of a famous serial killer, and you have a recipe for a ripping good time.
Fans of just about any type of extreme metal are likely to find something on Slay Utterly that tickles their fancy, and with it, Carrion Vael has further cemented their place in the top tier of death metal.
(4.5 / 5)
