MEMORIAM: Lyric Video For New Song 'Shell Shock'

The official lyric video for the song “Shell Shock” from MEMORIAM, the Birmingham, United Kingdom-based death/grind metal band featuring Karl Willets (BOLT THROWER) on vocals, Frank Healy (BENEDICTION, CEREBRAL FIX) on bass, Scott Fairfax (CEREBRAL FIX) on guitar and Andy Whale (BOLT THROWER) on drums, can be seen below. The song is taken from MEMORIAM‘s third studio album, “Requiem For Mankind”, which will be released on June 21 via Nuclear Blast.

The band states: “A new MEMORIAM song, a new approach, and, as with all our albums, a new sound for us to use.

“‘Shell Shock’ is the first track we recorded for the ‘Requiem For Mankind’ album. It is a bit of a death metal headbanger of a track! Subject-wise, it deals with the effects of being on the frontline amongst all the noise and chaos of a horrific war situation from an individual standpoint, and also that the soldier does not die from an enemy bullet! Sound-wise, it needed to sound a bit epic. We think we have achieved this on ‘Shell Shock’ and have used this as the blueprint sound throughout the album.”

“Requiem For Mankind” track listing:

01. Shell Shock
02. Undefeated
03. Never The Victim
04. Austerity Kills
05. In The Midst Of Desolation
06. Refuse To Be Led
07. The Veteran
08. Requiem For Mankind
09. Fixed Bayonets
10. Interment

While MEMORIAM‘s debut album, “For The Fallen” (2017), was heavy, depressing and marked by grief, the second work “The Silent Vigil” (2018), showed a relentlessly aggressive side. It was without question another great album, created by musicians who blindly understand their craft yet do not repeat themselves. This also applies to “Requiem For Mankind”. Once again, the groove is monstrous, the riffs are merciless, and the atmosphere is oppressive, paralyzing, even overwhelming. Willetts‘s aggressive vocals are rousing and relentless.

The band states: “Well, here we are with our third album, ‘Requiem For Mankind’. On our previous albums, we have experimented with different musical and vocal styles which have finally got us to the here and now with what we think is the definitive MEMORIAM album. It’s death metal. It’s all we know. It feels like the previous albums were a buildup to this one. We finally have all the right ingredients in one place. We hope you enjoy it as much as we enjoyed making it. Onwards!”

“Requiem For Mankind” was recorded at Parlour Studios in Kettering, U.K. with renowned producer Russ Russell (NAPALM DEATH, DIMMU BORGIR, AT THE GATES, AMORPHIS). The album’s impressive artwork was once again created by Dan Seagrave (BENEDICTION, DISMEMBER, HYPOCRISY, SUFFOCATION).

MEMORIAM will play a “Requiem For Mankind” record-release show on June 22 at The Underworld, Camden, London.

MEMORIAM was primarily developed to fill the void that was left following the tragic death of Martin “Kiddie” Kearns, the drummer from BOLT THROWER, back in September 2015. BOLT THROWER subsequently placed all activity on hold for the foreseeable future which gave Karl Willetts an opportunity to develop a new project with friends that had expressed interest in forming a band for some time.

MEMORIAM is an old-school death metal band, maintaining the standards set by their previous bands, focusing on the themes of death, loss and war. Initially, the bandmembers got together to play covers of songs that had influenced them throughout their careers within the death metal scene. However, it soon became apparent that the new songs that they created were of a superior standard.