Who would’ve thought combining CKY with death metal would be such a great idea? It’s another one of those times where, on paper (I’m looking at you, The Damned Things!), this should not work. But pop it into the player, press play, and you’ll find out that surprisingly it does. Really well, actually. What you get is World Under Blood whose debut, Tactical, effortlessly mixes death metal with CKY frontman Deron Miller’s very melodic layered vox which fits in well amongst the carnage (Don’t worry, he gets his scream on, too).
With just 9 tracks (10 if you get the Itunes deluxe) and barely clocking in at 40 minutes, Tactical hits you hard and fast. By third track, “Pyro-Compulsive”, World Under Blood is running on overdrive combining classic thrash with modern death techniques making for an exciting sound. The heroes here are truly drummer Tim Yeung and Miller. Yeung, best known for his work with Decrepit Birth, Hate Eternal, and Divine Heresy is a monster behind the kit. He switches from double-bass mayhem one moment to a slow groove the next with ease (“Dead And Still In Pain”). As for Miller, he riffs alongside ex-Decrepit Birth axeman Risha Eryavac while displaying a gargantuan death metal growl on the mic.
The album is capped off by not one, but two, covers. First is a truly terrifying cover of Megadeth’s “Wake Up Dead” off my favorite ‘deth album to date Peace Sells…But Who’s Buying. The opening vocal line is downright evil and the technical ecstasy of hearing the guitar lines delivered so perfectly is heaven. Then Tactical slams the final nail in the coffin with Malevolent Creation’s “Alliance Of War”. It’s the most brutal three and a half minutes on here and that is no easy feat on this one.
With the dissolution of CKY, it’s safe to say that Miller’s focus will be on World Under Blood and after hearing their debut, that seems like a wise choice. Metalheads should not miss Tactical!