Splattered Mermaids - Stench of Flesh (2009)

Genre: Brutal Death Metal / Grind Core
Label: Bizarre Leprous
Country of Origin: Sweden
Band Formation: 2005
Band Members:
Vocals: Johan Bergstrom
Guitars: Johan Hallberg
Session Bass: Martin Eklov
Session Drummer: Martin Schonherr

Song list:
01.Face Laceration
02. Stench of Flesh
03. Throat Unsafe From A Pair of Scissors
04. Instant Spastic Regurgitation
05. Spliced Girls
06. Circular Holes In The Cranial Structure
07. Corporeal Manifestation
08. By My Blade (2008)
09. Degrading Malice
10. Restless Dreams of Atrocities

Run time: 24 minutes (approximately)

Review: The word that precedes Death Metal in the genre qualifies for a one-word description of this album - brutal.

Yes, when you read or listen to the band’s name it is quite obvious that metal heads step back a bit. But, as you stress on the word Splattered rather than intensifying Mermaids, metalheads get your full-attention. I promise. If you think hard, this band name is the most inappropriate one; let me enlighten your thought process.

What are mermaids? They are mythical creatures whom women idolise to be someday. On the other hand, men fancy one on their bed/wall/ceiling/floor. But, this mermaid here is dead. And, it is not just dead. It is brutally killed until dead. That is, it is dead in the most vulgar, most unfortunate and unimagined manner that it leaves nightmares. Precisely, that is how the music from this band is.

This album is overloaded with sounds that hit your head real hard and lyrics that shall tear you apart. But, I would like to add a description, perhaps, my personal feel as I listened to them. When one listens to a good death metal song one gets an instant feel of being hammered to death. Keep that thought in mind. Now, simultaneously imagine your toe or even your feet being scraped with a saw by a bunch of tipsy lunatics. Yes, that is what I felt when I listened to this brutal death metal band.

Blast beats, grind core brutal and guttural vocals, and groove-like guitar riffs collectively contribute to an ultra brutal music that shall definitely appeal to the niche audience of the genre.

However, I must point out that they haven’t done anything new here. Most brutal death metal bands manage to do so. But, these nut-jobs from Sweden have managed to do it with tad more confidence that you can feel their vengeance filled themes in their lyrics. Instead of kicking off with a comparatively less brutal intro, this band means business by jump-starting with a brutal first track.

Listening to this carnage album shall definitely be added as one of them cardinal sins. I just thought you should be warned.

Highlights of the album: Stench of Flesh, Instant Spastic Regurgitation, Restless Dreams of Atrocities

Links: Splattered Mermaids
Splattered Mermaids on MySpace

Ratings: 7.6/10
Originality: 7
Instrumentation: 8
Lyrics: 8

Written for Headbangers India

Copyright © Ajey Padival 2009 (Brisbane, Australia; +61-434360675; ajeypadival@msn.com)

Cannibal Corpse - Evisceration Plague (2009)

Genre: Death Metal
Label: Metal Blade Records
Country of Origin: New York, USA
Band Formation: 1988
Band Members:
Vocals: George Fisher
Guitars: Rob Barrett and Pat O’Brien
Bass: Alex Webster
Drums: Paul Mazurkiewicz

Song list:
1. Priests of Sodom
2. Scalding Hail
3. To Decompose
4. A Cauldron of Hate
5. Beheading and Burning
6. Evidence in the Furnace
7. Carnivorous Swarm
8. Evisceration Plague
9. Shatter Their Bones
10. Carrion Sculpted Entity
11. Unnatural
12. Skewered from Ear to Eye

Run time: 39 minutes (approximately)

Review: Eleven albums and they still haven’t lost their focus.

Ever since this band, the deans, the pioneers of death metal started in the late 80’s, they have grown more brutal, wilder and deadlier only to become an unstoppable force. Regardless of the change in their music, they have always managed to get heavier and that’s the reason they are classified as a legend. Like it or not, I reckon this band has always been a constant in the genre. Many bands come to play the deadly genre only to fade away after 2 to 3 records. But, this band still manages to stay and shall stay forever. Whenever, I have felt/feel disappointed with, frankly many current and upcoming death metal bands, I have reverted to CC, only to feel alive again. It has been two decades and they have still managed to appeal to their fans. Frankly, that is a great achievement. Mind you, the fans of CC are quite critical and still nervous about their latest release.

3rd of February – I step into the record store quite famous for selling metal records. And, I am not shocked to see several black round neck shirts, hands with tattoos, piercings in areas one can hardly imagine and of course long-haired blokes in flocks filled in the store. After purchasing the album, I spoke to a few of them. And, I quickly realised the intensity of competition or critical reviews towards the genre.

Death metal is a genre that allows limited room to play around with lyrics. So, it is an ordeal to constantly come up with something different – something much more brutal all the time. Musically too, a death metal band needs to come up with something more hardcore than their previous release to sustain their position in the market. Any mistake, which may theoretically be just a small error is amplified by their raging fans into a catastrophic blunder. And, the reviewers and fans may go to an extent to tagging the band’s music and lyrics to being poof-ish. And, that is a very bad remark for a highly masculine genre.

CC’s main intention with their last album was to get heavier than their earlier compositions. They successfully accomplished their goal via Kill. This time, they decided to take it to a further higher level. And, I am proud to say that they managed to do so, yet again – sort of. Precisely, they have managed to come up with another brutal and devastating album. It sounds only tad more heavier than their last one. But, the production quality intensifies the minor difference. They have overcome the expectation and anticipation so strongly that they still stand tall as the best death metal band on the planet.

Webster claimed that this album is the best they have ever sounded so far. And, I must testify that the precision and power does not go unnoticed in the album. A delicacy of domination, depravity, dismemberment and vengeance can be tasted via their latest music and lyrics.

It is all thanks to the clear production values of the album that highlight the crisp guitar riffs managing to deliver a sound that are both catchy and bold. The entire instrumentation of the album complemented by the vocals creates an aura of merciless efficiency and effect that is long lasting. I am quite tempted to say that this could be Mazurkiewicz’s best performance to date. The highlights of the album (mentioned below) only reinforce their legendary status by catapulting themselves to be more hardcore than earlier or atleast equivalent.

It is the “stick to the roots” strategy used by the band, contributed by talented musicians, quality song writing and gory song titles that keep their fans intact. And, the finished product is so raw and powerful that it inevitably makes you headbang. To add to a variation, there are periodic slowdowns in tempo only to show off the talent of band's musicians. I am glad to say that nowadays, despite the pretentious upcoming bands making it big, the originals still lead the way. And, CC’s latest release just proves my point.

If you want to start this New Year in a brutal fashion, then catch the plague as soon as possible. And, I guarantee that you will find the wicked symptoms of the plague in you. Do yourself a favour though – once this album is got, play it LOUD!!!

Highlights of the album: Priests of Sodom, A Cauldron of Hate, Carnivorous Swarm, Evisceration Plague, Shatter Their Bones, Carrion Sculpted Entity, Skewered from Ear to Eye

Links: http://www.cannibalcorpse.net/
http://www.myspace.com/cannibalcorpse

Ratings: 8/10
Originality: 8
Instrumentation: 8
Lyrics: 8

Written for Headbangers India

Copyright © Ajey Padival 2009 (Brisbane, Australia; +61-434360675; ajeypadival@msn.com)