Black Mad Lice: It's Going Deeper (2012)

Why does my scalp itch?

My favorite exchange in the Mel Brooks film Robin Hood - Men in Tights is where Prince John is talking to the witch Latrine, and he inquires about her name. She says she changed it. Incredulous, he asks, "You changed it to Latrine?" She responds, "It used to be Shithouse."

And so Black Mad Lice used to be Black Pocket Lice. As death metal band names go, it's still not that threatening, but at least it doesn't sound like some kind of weird Tamagotchi spinoff. For their first release under the new moniker, they are going deeper, presumably deeper into your scalp to avoid the effects of prescription shampoo.


This is yet another entry in my extensive reviews of the Polish metal scene, which now officially includes every major branch of death metal's family tree. These wingless insects have filled the melodic death metal void. But don't stop reading right there. This is melo-death the way it was originally intended, when it still deserved to be considered "death metal" instead of "extra-heavy metalcore." In typical Polish fashion, it's cleanly produced (with an excellent drum sound), and it's about as subtle as a battering ram.



The Verdict: This is a perfectly good melo-death release that could bring you back to 1995, or give you that fix that's been missing. If you're not a fan of the genre, it's not going to win you over, but if you are then it's a satisfying listen. I give it 3 out of 5 stars.

Wydawnictwo Muzyczne Psycho