Forcefed Horsehead – Monoceros
Release Date: 24th March 2023
Label: Owlripper Recordings
Bandcamp
Genre: Death Metal, Grindcore, Crust, Hardcore, Punk.
FFO: Wormrot, Nails, Black Breath, Cloud Rat.
Review By: Mark Young
The thing with this genre is that you take a simple approach to music, and although I’m not suggesting that the actual application of it is easy, it seems that the blueprint is to absolutely beat the living shit out of the listener. This is something that Forcefed Horsehead have managed to do incredibly well with Monoceros.
The songs are just spat at you, with the first four flying past you in the first 11 minutes or so in the intent of just battering you into submission, and you can only imagine the absolute carnage of the live show. The accompanying bio for this noted that they didn’t lose sight of their love for groove and melody, and I think that they have got half of that right. The faster / shorter tracks just go for the throat and slightly slow down with Iri which is where the groove comes in and is a welcome break from the total pummelling the first four songs gave you.
The Black Sun continues with a heavier than lead introduction, which feels like a rabid dog that is straining at its chains to escape and just cause complete chaos. There are some quick-fire riffing within that gives way to the slow passage again, and you wonder if this song might be used to give the live audience a chance to catch a breath.
Dragged Back To Life brings us back to speed, like a cross between Obituary and Motorhead before they get into the home straight, with Übernecro setting up things nicely with a groove that carries over into Spell No Stones. Then they hit you with a one-two of Unending Appetite and In A Rut, which are 90 seconds apiece of sonic destruction.
The closing track …And Then There Were None has that epic build up and a different feel to the songs before it. There are keys that fill out the sound as it grinds its way to the end. The vocal delivery is constant and keeps you ready for one final beatdown before clean vocals come in as the pace slowly rises to a holding point. When the pay-off comes, it’s with urgent stabs as opposed to an expected assault.
You could argue that there is a lack of variety between songs as they zip past but considering this is hardcore of sorts what do you expect? However, with The Black Sun and …And Then There Were None coming in at the length they do, it shows that they can do whatever they want if they want to do it. These were my standout tracks here, because of the promise they both show for future music.
This is aggressive, pure music that doesn’t promise anything it cannot deliver. Is it for everyone, I’ve no idea, but I would suggest you give them a go because you won’t regret it. Fans of this music should love it because it delivers upon its promise of audio destruction.
1. Every Death You Take
2. Futile
3. Novgorod
4. Ruins
5. Iri
6. The Black Sun
7. Dragged Back To Life
8. Übernecro
9. Spell No Stones
10. Unending Appetite
11. In A Rut
12. And Then There Were None
(3.5 / 5)
