Review: “Bio-Cancer – Revengeance”

Published by Hamit Özmen at 3 July 2024

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Today, let’s chat about Bio-Cancer’s latest album, “Revengeance” These Greek metalheads have been known for their Extreme Thrash Metal since they started in 2010. I remember discovering their insane speed and aggression, which was a perfect slap in the face for a newbie like me back then. Their first two albums were pure thrash: fast guitars, crazy drums, and throat-shredding vocals. As a long-time thrash fan, I’ve always respected them for keeping it intense without going overboard. But with “Revengeance” they’ve lost me a bit.

When bands we love change their genre, it’s always a bit of a rollercoaster. Will they pull off the new style? Will the fans accept it? And what about their image? There’s a lot that can go sideways.

This new album takes a dive into melodic death metal, which is about the last thing I’d expect from Bio-Cancer. They’ve tried to keep their extreme edge, and it’s probably the wildest melodeath album I’ve heard, but something doesn’t quite fit. It feels like the guitarist just mashed together bits from different bands, and after a solid opener, the album falls apart. Each song feels mismatched—some too thrashy, some too melodic, one even feels like a straight-up death metal track, and another just random thrash again.

There are glimpses of their old thrash style mixed with new melodic parts, but the transitions are awkward. One moment you’re into a cool part, and the next, you’re hit with the most boring 2003 melodeath/metalcore riff. It ruins what could’ve been a better album. On the bright side, the guitarist writes more melodic riffs than basic rhythms, which I appreciate.

Bio-Cancer always had some melody in their thrash. Their earlier tracks like “You Scream You Die” and “Friends or Fiends” hinted at this shift. They even randomly dropped a new video for “You Scream You Die” last year, signaling this change wasn’t out of nowhere

While “Revengeance” isn’t great, I do respect that Bio-Cancer didn’t overthink the problems that come with genre switching. Their shift from extreme thrash to a more melodic sound isn’t as jarring as some other bands’ genre hops. It’s not like Ketzer dropping a post-rock album or thrash bands of the ’90s trying to be Metallica. It’s also way better than the recent trend of thrash bands turning to metalcore. Changing genres is natural, but it has to feel real. Bio-Cancer kept their authenticity—they didn’t suddenly change their look and style. The vocalist still rocks sleeveless shirts, and I bet he doesn’t wash his hair often. So, I can’t be too harsh on the album.

Still, I can’t say it’s a hit. “Revengeance” feels like an experiment that missed the mark. If you’re a die-hard Bio-Cancer fan or just curious, give it a spin, but don’t expect it to top their earlier work.