A Perfect Murder

A Perfect Murder isn't the same band it was two years ago. Back then, the Montreal group was likely to get tapped to open for Eighteen Visions. It was generic hardcore, "required" breakdowns and all, complete with unimaginative "I hate this world" lyrics. Then, three of the original members, including the singer, quit the band. The remaining members regrouped and recruited some new additions, and with the release of Strength Through Vengeance, the new A Perfect Murder is ideal for playing alongside Lamb of God. It still has a touch of hardcore, but overall it has a sludge-metal feel. "Snake Eyes" is a slower song with Pantera-styled guitar riffs and a grooving bass line, while "Rotten I" is more indicative of the band's overall sound, packed with double-kick deliciousness and gritty vocals from Kevin Randel, who offers deep, grumbling screams (he avoids gutturals, though). The guitar riffs and scales are slightly indulgent, but overall, Strength Through Vengeance is raw and brutal.

A Perfect Murder, Soilent Green, Into the Moat, and Watch Them Die are scheduled to perform on Monday, August 8, at the Clubhouse Music Venue in Tempe.