AMG Review of Knives of Ice

James Christopher Monger
All Music Guide

New Jersey's Dim Mak takes the groove-based sound of Korn, the systematic brutality of Cannibal Corpse, and the sonic complexities of Carcass to a whole new level on Knives of Ice, their sophomore release and first for Willowtip Records. The limitations of death metal are many, and Dim Mak is no stranger to the B-movie vocal style and song titles like "Great Worm of Hell," "Notorious Vectors of Disease" and "Perpetuating Corpses," but they've found a way to construct esoteric doom metal without all of the murky trappings. The crystal-clear production allows for each instrument to cut through the void, causing guitars, vocals, and percussion -- drummer John Longstreth is a virtual one-man speed clinic -- to break free of the ether and shred.