Reviews of Master of Brutality and The Second Coming by Church of Misery

Master of Brutality

1. Killifornia (Ed Kemper)

2. Ripping Into Pieces (Peter Sutcliffe)

3. Megalomania (Herbert Mullin)

4. Green River

5. Cities On Flame

6. Master of Brutality (John Wayne Gacy)

7. Boston Strangler (Albert de Salvo)

8. Candy Man (Dean Corll)

9. Lucifer Rising (Live)

The Second Coming

1. I, Motherfucker (Ted Bundy)

2. Soul Discharge (Mark Essex)

3. Red Ripper Blues (Andrei Chikatilo)

4. Filth Bitch Boogie (Aileen Wuornos)

5. One Way…Or Another (Cactus Cover)

6. Candy Man (Dean Coroll)

7. El Topo

8. For Mad Men Only (May Blitz Cover - Extended Version

Church of Misery is a doom/stoner metal band from Tokyo, Japan. I am not sure what to say about these guys, it took me a little while to find their stuff. These two albums Master of Brutality and The Second Coming are re-released of the 2001 and 2004 albums. I am assuming that they are now under Metal Blade Records and that is why the albums are out again. The band is mostly based around songs about serial killers which is interesting. I have read that they are set to play their first concert at this year’s Maryland Deathfest.

In order to make this easier on myself and the readers I decided to just do both albums in one review, since it is basically the same kind of stuff. The sound clips at the beginning of each song are interesting and helps you understand the individual serial killer the song is about. I don’t think I have ever heard a band do doom and stoner metal combined, but Church of Misery did blow me away. The guitar riffs are nice and groovy and next thing you know they throw doom metal at you, which is incredible that they pull it off. Vocals remind me sort of like Phil Anselmo. A few of the songs are on the lengthy side, but the groove coming out of them all the way through is too awesome for length to matter. The only thing that is hard to sit through is the twenty minute, Lucifer Rising. These album are really awesome and I suggest smoking some weed while listening, I didn’t, but it’d be worth it.