A Perfect Murder

War Of Aggression

[3/5] Given the glut of metalcore merchants, just being heavier than everyone else isn’t good enough. Apparently, A Perfect Murder didn’t get the memo-or, more likely, ripped it into pieces upon receipt. Which is fine because like a slow-footed, dim-witted boxer, the Canadian quintet go into the fight content to trade punches and outslug their adversaries, and they do a surprisingly good job of it, too. The title track inspires comparisons to Slayer for grandeur and grit while the likes of “Label Me” and especially “In Hell” resemble the groove metal pioneered by Pantera, down to vocalist Kevin Randal’s rasp and the twin-guitar gnash. At times, War Of Aggression bogs itself down with its own massive weight, but when A Perfect Murder temper their mookish tendencies, they’re damn near unstoppable. (VICTORY) Brian O’Neill