Welcome to The Saw’s Butcher Shop! Ya Girl has been a huge Thy Art Is Murder fan for quite a few years. They put on a great live show, and I love the evolution of the band on every album. CJ is one of my favorite front men in all of Metal – live and recorded – which makes the drama involved around the band’s newest album, their 6^th studio release, Godlike (Human Warfare) tough for Your Master Butcher. It dropped on September 22, 2023, and who you hear on vocals depends on when you listen to the record.

The Australian Deathcore legends have released a statement, along with the new album, that Thy Art Is Murder has fired their long-time vocalist, Chris “CJ” McMahon. Conflicting stories on social media add to the drama (you can easily find the details yourselves) and, according to the band, they have re-recorded CJ’s vocals with those of a mystery vocalist (rumor has it that Tyler Miller [Aversions Crown] is said vocalist), which was the reason for the new album’s one-week delay in release. As of the date of this writing, all streaming services feature the original version of Godlike, featuring CJ on vocals, as well as the vinyl copy that I have in my possession. 

So, let’s not allow all the drama surrounding the album to overshadow the brilliance of Godlike! Since I have not heard another version, this Butcher Shop Review concerns the following band lineup:

• CJ McMahon – vocals
• Andy Marsh – lead guitar
• Sean Delander – rhythm guitar
• Kevin Butler – bass
• Jesse Beahler – drums 

Of course, CJ’s vocal performance is incredible! He shifts, strategically, between a brutal deep register gutteral, and his trademark (varied leveled) screech. He has a distinct bark and bite to his vocal delivery; again, some of the best in the business. The music on Godlike is very-much everything we’ve come to know and expect from Thy Art, including the proverbial pushing-of-the-Deathcore-envelope. The new record has that Deathcore chop, with layers of melodies and harmony, all driven forward by break-neck drumming and (really) a more Death Metal stylized double-bass. The whole album has a Death Metal feel with some Blackened features, but soon reminds us that it’s Deathcore at its heart when the breakdown occurs. 

The three singles for Godlike – “Join Me in Armageddon,” “Keres,” and “Blood Throne” – gave us a good sample of what Thy Art is doing on the new record. Each track features something different about the band and the new album. But if you listen deeper into the 40-minute track listing, you’ll find that the title track is vicious, with a wicked main riff and a nasty vocal cadence. “Anathema” is dark and Blackened – the most Death Metal song on the album – with that Thy Art anthemic chorus and Deathcore bounce. Oh! And the gutterals, here! Beautiful! Album opener, “Destroyer of Dreams” has a huge chorus and big, chunky riffs; with CJ barking out revolutionary lyrics. And then there is the album closer, “Bermuda.” Very post-metal in its intro, the vocal delivery soon devastates the senses as the intensity of the song increases. A crushing riff and the heaviest drop on the record fills-out the chorus of this short track.

Godlike is well produced, very well executed, and sounds great! Thy Art is Murder is still one of the top bands in all of Extreme Metal – drama notwithstanding. Do not let the static drown-out this incredible album.

Rating: 10/10! ‘Thy Art is Murder’ describes their style well!

Favorite Songs: Everything Unwanted, Lesson in Pain, Godlike, Anathema

Stay Metal,

THE SAW