Cancer Bats- Give Me Dirt (Album Review)

Cancer Bats has been a regular face in the Canadian hardcore/punk scene for more than two decades, and while they’ve shaken up their formula a bit from album-to-album listeners know they can expect some Southern metal-tinged grooves and metalcore heaviness.  For their eighth album Give Me Dirt, the group has once again switched things up a bit without losing those foundational elements that fans would expect.  With new guitarist Jackson Landry in the fold and Kurt Ballou producing, Give Me Dirt is a high octane listen from beginning to end that feels even more powerful and catchy than the band has in some time.

Give Me Dirt comes in fast and raw with opener “World Wide Fire Death Race”, which is not only a great title but accurate representation of the style of scorching tonality and weightier feel of the instrumentation.  This song has all the classic Cancer Bats elements, as the tone has that rawer hardcore/punk sound but there’s a southern swagger to the grooves and some sludgy breaks that add in a bit more of a metallic sheen.  Kurt Ballou’s production makes the metallic elements pop a bit more than before, and this makes sense considering that some of the band’s previous choices of producers have been more in the punk and alternative space.  It also helps that the writing rarely lets up from beginning to end, and even when there are some slower and moodier breaks on tracks like “Long Tooth” or “Prognosis” they fit well within the more aggressive moments and don’t fully derail things.  I especially like when Cancer Bats nail the shifts between gnarlier, sludgy hardcore and melodic hardcore, as they’ll move from big, in your face grooves and squealing guitars into airier riffs that have that classic 2000s sound.  Instrumentally there aren’t any significant surprises, especially if you’ve been following the band since their earlier days, but the tweaks they’ve made are effective and ensure that whether they’re going full speed or slowing things down for a bit more of a groove-centric approach that the material grabs your attention.  There are a few sections that do run together slightly over repeat listens, but there is still plenty here that will get stuck in your head.

Liam Cormier’s vocals have remained the same throughout the group’s career and given the rawer edge and versatility of his pitch that’s not a bad thing.  Early cuts like “Stay Stuck” give you a good idea of his range, as things move from higher pitched screaming to lower growls and even some spoken word.  He’s always reminded me of Keith Buckley, as the way that the words are slung together in a more chaotic fashion channeled some of that Every Time I Die energy back in the day, but some of the grit to Cormier’s pitch also gives off stoner rock/metal vibes as well.  One element that is new is the spoken word monologue on “Prognosis”, which strips away all the distortion and aggression in favor of a much more introspective and somber take.  It showcases a pretty different side of Cancer Bats that shakes things up a bit more, and also makes this track a second half highlight for me.  The band also brought in some notable guests this time around, with Converge’s Nate Newton, The Flatliners’ Chris Cresswell, Death By Stereo’s Efrem Schulz, and indie folk singer Brooklyn Doran all contributing their unique vocal stylings alongside Cormier.  When I first saw the track listing I wasn’t sure if this would be one of those albums where the guests dominated too much of the spotlight, but this didn’t end up being the case and things felt balanced overall.

There’s something to be said about the consistency that Cancer Bats have had from album to album, and number eight continues this while bringing a sense of renewed energy.  With a burlier and more metallic edge to the sound as well as material that doesn’t let off the gas even during the softer, melodic passages.  It does have a few moments that blur together slightly, but this remains a strong showing from this veteran band and is recommended to fans of everything hardcore/punk adjacent.  Give Me Dirt is available from Bat Skull Records/New Damage Records and Marshall Records.

-Review by Chris Dahlberg