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Song

Rites Of Cruelty

Artist

Misery Index

Misery Index backstory

Since 2001, Misery Index have been laying down barrage after barrage of grind-powered death metal, and spitting out eviscerating social commentary along with the riffs and blastbeats.

Indeed, the Baltimore quartet are a byword for quality and consistency in extreme metal, with their latest album, Complete Control, gaining high praise for its intelligent songcraft and impressive musicianship.

Following 2019’s world slaying Rituals Of Power was never going to be easy… but Misery Index somehow managed it.

Rites Of Cruelty is the latest song from Complete Control to be gifted a video – this time created by Chris Joao / Iron Elephant Studio.

In bassist/vocalist Jason Netherton’s own words 

This video is a sincere shout-out to all the Misery Index fans who made the effort to come and rage with us this past summer on the various Complete Control tours – from festival stages to dive bars, we’ve hit them all, and this video is a tribute to the good times of summer past as we enter the darker months of autumn.

“We chose the track Rites of Cruelty as we feel it embodies all the pissed-off energy of our new album in one bombastic faceripper, from blast beats to tank-like breakdowns, it’s become a staple of our live set, and we hope you all dig it as well.”

The verdict on Rites Of Cruelty

One of Complete Control’s many standout tracks, Rites of Cruelty brings some melodic shades to Misery Index’s deathgrind assault… and demonstrates that while the band remain true to their roots, they’re also capable of adding more texture to their sound. Indeed, guitarists Mark Kloeppel and Darin Morris seem particularly inspired on this song, shifting through the gears and adding dramatic flourishes as Rites of Cruelty reveals itself.

It’s clever. It’s brilliantly constructed. And it’s damn fierce.

What’s next for Misery Index?

Possibly a rest… the band laid waste to Damnation Festival on November 5, after playing Plan B in Malmö and Aalborg Metal Festival in Denmark last week!