Although the Floridian scene gets all of the attention, Chicago’s death metal history also goes as far back as the genre’s earliest days. In the mid ’80s, bands like Terminal Death, Devastation, Master, and Death Strike all released groundbreaking demos prior to the release of Death’s Scream Bloody Gore (1987), and that was just the beginning. Throughout the ’90s, Chicago would continue to be a hotbed for death metal, and has remained such ever since. Ironically, despite initially forming as homage to this original wave of trailblazers, Bear Mace are amongst the last crop of Chicago death dealers causing pure decibel destruction.
When we last heard from this band of brutes, it was five years ago, right on the cusp of the pandemic with their anything but a sophomore slump, Charred Field of Slaughter. Chock full of meaty riffage and a punishing aura, Charred was one of the highlights of an otherwise downer year, matching the growing angst of myself and countless others during those tense times. A prolonged hibernation might’ve had me the slightest bit concerned of what an eventual third album had in store from this bunch, but I’m glad to say that any internal doubts have been dashed with their crushing third album, Slaves of the Wolf.
If 2017’s Butchering the Colossus was the sound of a band off to a running start, and Charred was a logical evolution forward, then Slaves makes both outing sound like paltry rehearsals by comparison. This band, already firing on all cylinders, have against all odds found a way to push the boundaries even further with a collection of songs that, if I hadn’t known better, would’ve believe were cherrypicked straight out of 1991. I must say, the Sanford Parker helmed production job is nothing short of exceptional, with the subtly reverb-drenched sound giving off strong Transcend the Rubicon era Benediction vibes. That said, this isn’t just about the “aesthetics” or “sonics”, man; it’s about the songs!
Drawing from the midtempo death metal well of Bolt Thrower and blistering death/thrash attack of Massacre, Bear Mace wallops the listener with 8 songs that are all killer, no filler. They’re varied and well crafted within the context of death metal, yet without ever resorting to ill fitting forays or resting on laurels of copy/paste laze-fest riffs. Guitarists Mark Sugar and Tommy Bellino mangle and strangle their six string instruments of murder, unleashing death by riff on cuts like the militant opening title track, knuckle-dragging “Drown Them in Their Own Blood”, and chaotic “Captured and Consumed”, the latter of which features a guest vocal spot from the godfather of growls himself, Kam Lee. Every song smokes, but as a self admitted first gen death metal nerd, my favorite cut is the proto-death speed slaughter of “The Iceman Cometh”, which falls very much in line with those pioneering bands I mentioned in the opening paragraph.
The title of the album might be Slaves to the Wolf, but after repeated listens, it’s safe to say death metal maniacs will be slaves to the bear upon subjecting their eardrums to this one! 40 years since the Windy City helped establish death metal as a proper subgenre and scene, the torch blazes brighter than ever, thanks to an act like Bear Mace dousing it with a full tank of gasoline and little regard for the foolish mortals who might get scorched along the way. Indeed, more than heretics will burn when cranking up this one!
9 out of 10
Label: Independent
Genre: Death Metal
For fans of: Bolt Thrower, Massacre, Benediction
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