Album Review: Mastiff – Deprecipice (MNRK Heavy)

Hull extreme, sludge, and hardcore infused metal band Mastiff are back with their much-anticipated brand-new album, ‘Deprecipice’, out on March 22nd, 2024, via MNRK Heavy.

Let’s get the buzzwords out of the way early on. Mastiff’s Deprecipice is as noisy, as intense, as disgustingly heavy, as savage, as raw, as furious, as miserable, and as chaotic as anyone could hope it to be. If you love what this band has produced to date, then you’re going to be very satisfied with what they’re bringing here. It is Mastiff, they make horrible sounds, and it’s why we love them.

They are who they are, unapologetically so, and any thoughts that this far into their musical careers they might be chilling out, are dismissed with one run through of the record. Hell, the first few tracks will leave your eyes watering and ear drums bleeding. It’s not hyperbole to call this record mean, but, and this is so damn important, it’s focused intensity.

There hasn’t been a Mastiff record with this much ‘emotion’ in it to date, and a Mastiff record that feels like they poured so much heart and soul into. No knock on what came before in any way, this one just hits differently. Even if that hit will make you see stars, as per usual.

Even saying that though, there are so many moments where this record feels filthier, feels more aggressive, and feels more exhausting than anything Mastiff have done before. A lot of that can be laid at the feet of the increasing hardcore infusion that is such an important element of the entire album, but it’s not like Mastiff are entering two-step territory.

So, where do I start? I suppose at the start and the f**king carnage that comes from Bite Radius. It’s like Mastiff sat down and decided this album had to start in the most abrasive and aggressive way possible. I’d say this is the heaviest s**t they’ve done, but heavy s**t is their bread and butter. Still, it is freaking nasty, and the breakdown might be the moment of the entire album. When this drops live, I reckon I might fear for my life if I’m anywhere near the pit.

This is an album of heart-pounding and arsehole tightening moments though. With Everything is Ending tearing chunks out of the soul with those riffs and drum beats. Also, is it just me or are the vocals sounding more feral than ever? Be prepared for your stomach to do some flips come the end of this track.

There may be not stronger track on the album to point at when it comes to justifying the previously used word, emotion, then with Void. A very personal track for the band and one that everyone can relate too, in some form or another. It’s an absolute beast of a track, but downright beautiful. Which is a word you might not commonly associate with this band. Beauty comes in so many different forms though and this is a twisted thing. One that has a strong hardcore punk vibe, one that has some of the most coarse sounding guitars, has stompy tempo shifts, and gets more and more intense as it goes on. The latter part features some of the most throat-tearing vocals heard from this band ever. It there is one track that everyone must hear on Deprecipice, it is this.

It’s guest time and Deprecipice features three immense talents, the first of which is Ethan Lee McCarthy of noise and doom band Primitive Man. Making an appearance on the disturbing Cut Throat. This might only be 2:36 in length, but the wave of noise that hits will leave you spluttering for breath. It is horrible, an ungodly suffocating experience that is dripping in horror-laden atmosphere.

Then, before the next guests are featured, there is Skin Stripper, a track that is around a minute and a half and is pure, unashamed noise. The drums really give this a punk feel, and it moves so fast, it’s like being hit by a car moving at 100 miles per hour.

Burner’s Harry Nott now makes an appearance, a match made in heaven as Burner are bloody great, on Serrated. Just imagine what this combination can do, then times your imagination by ten, and you might be close to the glorious nasty noise that this track offers. It’s a track that isn’t just vocally focused though. With drums that sound like tectonic plates slamming into each other and some of turbulent and anarchic guitars, Hell, this track even has a f**king guitar solo and it slays.

There’s still four tracks left, but I’m going to reveal now that this is my album of year and I don’t see it being topped. Considering my most beloved albums often come from the world of post/atmospheric/gaze, it says something about the brilliance of Deprecipice that I can rate it so highly at this stage. Mastiff just get to me in the best way possible and I’m in absolute awe of what they’ve accomplished here.

How about Worship though? That intro is both hilariously, and delightfully, Slayer-esque and it sounds amazing. The tempo increase is wild and wonderful but watch out for the blistering guitar solo performed by Rob Scott of the amazing Yersin. The last of the guests, and another who makes one hell of a mark. I may have lost my mind over the outro to this song though, and I suspect you will too.

Can it get any better? How about a track that exudes danger and darkness, showcasing that sludgy head banging inducing heaviness that makes Mastiff so beloved, and a track that has some expertly delivered twists and turns? It’s Pitiful, it has meaty instrumentation, and it is another massive attention-grabbing listen.

Changing tact momentarily, Mastiff bring forth dark atmosphere with a sci-fi horror vibe on the penultimate track, The Shape. Which sets up the ending of Thorn Trauma, and one last manic piece of mayhem as only they can do. It’s the cherry on top and as blisteringly traumatic as everything that came before it, and then some. Mastiff were never going to go out with anything but a bang, but the cleaner guitars and slowing down of the pace as it reaches its conclusion, is fascinating.

Have I said enough? Have I convinced you that Deprecipice is simply too good to ignore? That even a band synonymous with unforgiving noise and consistent brutality can make you feel? This is Mastiff’s magnum opus, which is hilarious as I’m pretty sure I said that about Leave Me the Ashes of the Earth in 2021. Guess it’s just this f**king band then, right?

Agree, disagree, I don’t care. Mastiff are the nuts and no-one can tell me otherwise. Deprecipice isn’t just brilliant because it’s more Mastiff noise, it’s brilliant because it’s evolved Mastiff noise. It’s brilliant because it has so many creative ideas, feels so powerful and real, showcases everyone’s talent (including the guests), and leaves you feeling like you’ve gone ten rounds with a world class boxer.

You’re going to listen to this, right?

Mastiff – Deprecipice Track Listing:

1. Bite Radius
2. Everything is Ending
3. Void
4. Cut-Throat (feat. Ethan Lee McCarthy of Primitive Man)
5. Skin Stripper
6. Serrated (feat. Harry Nott of Burner)
7. Worship (feat. guitar solo by Rob Scott of Yersin)
8. Pitiful
9. The Shape
10. Thorn Trauma

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