Album Details

• Artist: Shai Hulud
• Album: Misanthropy Pure
• Label: Metal Blade
• Year of Release: 2008
• ME Rating:
• Reviewed by: solitaryman on 2008-06-05

Continuing their trend of waiting about 5 years between full-lengths, metalcore pioneers, legends, important people named Shai Hulud have returned after a bit of a hiatus to deliver Misanthropy Pure, their first for Metal Blade. It's been awhile, and fans have waited patiently while Matt Fox and co. developed what they call a nice crossing of their two previous albums. That it is, and right now, in 2008, it's so much more; it could be the shot of life this meandering genre needs to wake it back up to the original idea.

"Venomspitter" will bring you back to the glory days of Hearts once Nurished and the only thing that's going to throw you off is the beefier, cleaner production. The new vocalist, Matt Ian Mazzali, holds his own throughout but to my ears is the only weakened section of the band, and it's not even that noticable. I just don't think he carries the power and punch of a Chad Gilbert, but maybe that's just me. "The Creation Ruin" and the title track will start to show you how they've taken the best from their past and transformed it into relevant present material. The entirety of the album is very enjoyable metalcore, and this is coming from someone who hasn't found much to love from metalcore EVER but someone who's never abandoned it, knowing full well that when a band could do it right, the results were worth hearing. Misanthropy Pure is worth hearing. 

Shai Hulud haven't really changed a bit, and while the sound is at times more melodic and, due to the production, more radio-friendly in tone, the temper and mood of the album is classic SH through and through. The reformed band is as tight as any past incarnation. Old fans rejoice, Misanthropy Pure is about the closest thing to the perfect next move as you'll ever find a band make. Metalcore fans far and wide, BUY IT. 

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