Moderate Rock

Sometimes, although sadly nowhere near as often as it should, persistence pays off. Brutality Will Prevail are proof of that. Some 12 years, 11 former members and countless tribulations since they first began, the UK mob have released their finest work, maybe even one of the hardcore albums of the year. Not that ‘In Dark Places’ is the kind of hardcore everybody will be expecting. ‘Serpent’ slithers from ominous beginning to epic, crushing end, ‘Perpetual Lows’ is the most dancefloor-friendly cut here but every note feels weighted down- fuck your fun- and ‘Elegy’, which introduces clean vocals to fantastic effect, is gripping funereal rage. Sure, Brutality Will Prevail have always had dark, monstrous riffs in their locker but the doom and gloom goes up to one hundred here, there is no macho swagger, no mosh pit pandering, only blackened brilliance.