Cannibal Killers Live

Nearly danceable industrial thrash unit Static-X returns to the heavy-hitting attack of their Wisconsin Death Trip debut on Cannibal, their fifth offering. Like Jesus Built My Hotrod-era Ministry without the snarky humor, Cannibal finds the Midwest-bred quartet mining the usual themes of death, drink, sex, and hate, but this time around the sparse arrangements, throat-shredding vocals, and occasional flourishes of disco jet fuel feel less contrived than on previous outings. Sure, there's nothing here that any fan of White Zombie, Korn, and Slipknot hasn't already ingested a hundred times, but tracks like Goat, Destroyer, the sinewy title cut, and No Submission -- the latter appeared on the Saw 3 soundtrack -- bristle with a refreshing sense of f*ck it that keeps things from spiraling into the self-absorbed tar pit that makes dinosaur bones out of so many similar acts. ~ James Christopher Monger, All Music Guide