Review by JD on May 31, 2012.

The many varieties of metal still blow me clear away, even though I have been around it and play in it for many years. It just shows that metal has the talent pool and total dedication to their art to match up with any style you want to throw at it. People try to write its epitaph many times, saying that it is clinically dead yet we never disappear, but rise like the Phoenix to be powerful once again.

Stonehaven is a Viking/Black Metal outfit that is not from the frozen climbs of Scandinavia, but comes out of Kansas City, Kansas. With that said, they do make some pretty good music. Powerful and brash, this band gives textbook Viking folklore with the hinting of Paganism and Satanism throughout.

In listening to all eight tracks, it is good basic Viking metal, with a hint of something original that is lurking inside of the music - yet never surfaces. What you are left is pretty good but average Viking music. It is not bad on the surface, but with the band never getting that shot of originality that is hinted at every turn on the CD , it never rises over the averageness, even though I suspect there could be much more than what had been recorded.

Stonehaven is good - but the fact of the matter is that they don’t stand out from the crowd and never quite find the balance in the formula that would get them to that next level. Hope on their next album they finally do. I will look forward to hearing that one too, cause then they just might blow my fucking mind.

Categorical Rating Breakdown

Musicianship: 6
Atmosphere: 6
Production: 5
Originality: 5
Overall: 5

Rating: 5.4 out of 10

Review by Adam M on September 5, 2011.

Laceration Mantra performs very competent Technical Death Metal in a similar manner to the band Suffocation. The music here features many blast beats and an overriding evil aura. It is managed with scalpel like precision for the most part and doesn’t feature unnecessary technical wankery, which is an element that I hold in high regard.

Like Suffocation, the music has solid song-writing, but doesn’t venture very far into left-field pastures. There is a distinctive pummeling groove to be found which is competently created, however, and makes the songs move along in a rollicking fashion. Right from the onset, 'Thrown To The Wolves' sets a tone that isn’t deviated from much throughout the majority of the disc. Laceration Mantra goes for the throat with the riffs, but does so with a great deal of structure to the overall approach. Though the band plays their particular brand of Death Metal very effectively, "Prolonging The Pain" never quite reaches the height achieved by albums like "Effigy Of The Forgotten".

There isn’t quite enough to differentiate this band from other Death Metal albums and it ends up sounding a bit too samey at times. Still, there is no denying the quality of the band as a unit and the commitment to creating quality Death Metal. "Prolonging The Pain" is certainly above average and it threatens greatness, such as on tracks like 'Victims Of Hate', but never has quite the necessary inventiveness to be quite an outstanding release.

Obviously, this album gets a recommendation towards fans of Suffocation, in particular. Those looking for Technical Death Metal with plenty of blast beats yet solid song-writing should be satisfied with this disc.

Categorical Rating Breakdown

Musicianship: 8
Atmosphere: 7.5
Production: 7.5
Originality: 6.5
Overall: 7.5

Rating: 7.4 out of 10