Carnation – Symphony of Flesh
Release Date: 16th October 2026
Label: Redefining Darkness
Order
Genre: Death Metal
FFO: Dismember, Suffocation.
Review By: Bryan Mayhem
The Belgian death metal machine known as Carnation, united in crisp songwriting and violent riffs, is releasing their 4th record, Symphony of Flesh on October 16. Ranging from sharp OSDM-style songwriting to a dark and majestic side, Carnation is a relentless audial attack of epic proportions.
It doesn’t matter how you like your death metal, gritty, grim, malevolent or hypnotic, Carnation suits all. Symphony of Flesh may not be the band looking back on grass roots, but it is definitely an experience that brings us back to their debut, Chapel of Abhorrence. Like their debut, Symphony of Flesh is a heaping slab of death metal gluttony. A take no prisoners, sleep with one eye open, death metal record.
In what could be an homage to the Swedish scene, this record sounds like something straight from the origin of death metal. The guitars blending a Texas massacre grind with a thick and depressive palm-muted heaven. The drums, whether it’s rolls or pummeling blast beats, lead the listener into a wretched state of mania. The vocals eclipse their peers with a blood-curdling finish.
With a name like Carnation, one would be sceptical about what they sound like. The ‘never judge a book by its cover’ analogy suits Carnation well! A violent onslaught of death metal meat hooks is just what the doctor ordered.
If you love your death metal raw and filthy, this record will satiate your hunger for the macabre. The putridity of the lyrics and song titles ripen the smell of decayed flesh; Blackmouth and Flesh Eating Frenzy pack a whallop of a 1-2 punch with opening this record.
The title track is a thick riff factory that’s like trudging through a sludgy swamp of filth. The slow and dredging riffs layered over the frenetic rolls of the drums set a dire mood for the listener. Labyrinth of Silence, my favorite song on the record, is undeniably a death metal work of art. A dark and forlorning glimpse of Carnation’s doom side that explodes into an all-out violent massacre. Towards Death a vile riff-laden death metal toe-tapper runs right into Twisted Visions. A thrash-like opening that starts to turn your brain to liquid with its volatile guitar sound. The chorus is filled with rage and a vehement tone! A definite must-listen!
Carnation is doing death metal as the OG’s intended. They are adding their own flavor to the mix, but with an ‘if it’s not broke, don’t fix’ attitude. Carnation is doing death metal the way we love it! Heavy, sinister and littered with violence. What’s there not to like?
(3.5 / 5)
