Misery Index got its start in 2001 when the rhythm section from Dying Fetus, namely Jason Netherton and Kevin Talley formed the band. By the time of their debut full length in 2003, Talley had left the band but Netherton was joined by another ex-Dying Fetus man in the shape of guitarist Sparky Voyles and Retaliate and the absolutely superb Discordia in 2006 saw the band quite firmly break away from any comparisons to Dying Fetus.

2008 sees the band release its third and much anticipated album Traitors and I have to say this is the bands best by a long way. Everything the band has done prior to Traitors now seems like the previews before the main movie starts. The album starts with the instrumental opening of We Never Come in Peace and the groovy dynamics of the song pretty much set the tone for what’s in store. This is Misery Index at their best. The songs are a mix of death metal, grindcore, thrash and punk and come across like Napalm Death’s Diatribes but with fatter grooves and more memorable songs.

The songwriting has matured since Discordia and while the band used to build a wall of noise and had the claustrophobic intensity going, now they actually take the time to slow things down and let the music breathe. The grooves are fat and thick and memorable. There’s a sense of melody that comes to the forefront occasionally and the guitar leads have now become a lot better integrated with the music. Stand out tracks include the superb title song with its memorable vocal line and grooves that will send a moshpit to a bloody frenzy, the superb Ghosts of Catalonia with its changes in pace, melody and guitar solo and Occupation which is another terrific song that mixes death metal and grind core in an absolutely stunning manner. These three songs come together in the middle of the album but Traitors is an album that is full of fantastic songs. The slowed down ending of Ruling Class Cancelled is goose bump inducing while The Arbiter sounds like Napalm Death going head to head with The Exploited with the kind of breakdowns that the entire metal-core scene would give their nuts for.

Traitors sees the band at its best. If you thought Retaliate and Discordia were great albums (and they are) then Traitors will probably rip your head off. This is a band that is at the top of its game right now and Traitors is a contender for album of the year.



Label - Relapse
Year of Release - 2008