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August 28, 2008 |
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01. The Time To Kill Is Now
02. Make Them Suffer
03. Murder Worship
04. Necrosadistic Warning
05. Five Nails Through The Neck
06. Purification By Fire
07. Death Walking Terror
08. Barbaric Bludgeonings
09. The Discipline Of Revenge
10. Brain Removal Device
11. Maniacal
12. Submerged In Boiling Flesh
13. Infinite Misery
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It really ought to be stated right off the bat that CANNIBAL CORPSE cannot put out a bad album. Really. They just can't. Widely varying degrees of "pretty good" to "excellent" maybe, but never "bad". It's that simple. Ever leading the charge as the most consistent of the uber-brutal Death Metal/Gore-Grind contingent, CANNIBAL CORPSE (including George "Corpsegrinder" Fisher - vox, Pat O'Brien - guitar, Rob Barrett - guitar, Paul Mazurkiewicz - drums, and Alex Webster - bass) were and are not only the original pioneers of their offal-strewn subgenre of choice, but also perhaps one of the only two or three surviving veterans of that early '90s Death Metal explosion (I also count the returning OBITUARY and ever-soldiering-onwards DISMEMBER in said order) who have always remained true and unchanging to the spirit of the grim sonic template they originated. Many refer to CANNIBAL CORPSE as "the AC/DC of Death Metal" and there's a great deal of inarguable truth to that statement too as - much like the venerable Aussie Rawkers - Corpsegrinder and Co. always deliver EXACTLY what both their fans and detractors expect, always with EXACTLY the right degree of technical proficiency, flair for fresh songwriting, and infectious charisma and tongue-in-cheek nod to the frankly, quite over-the-top and disgusting lyrical grist (something that strangely only this band seems to be able to pull off with me out of all of the Death/Gore-Grind acts out there) that has kept them in their well-deserved seat as the unthroned masters of their domain.
With the simply and very pointedly titled "Kill" - their latest endeavor c/o Metal Blade - CANNIBAL CORPSE have not only managed to stay the course yet again, but also perhaps to increase their stride to a greater plateau of achievement. As ever, all of the expected and necessary ingredients for what make a great CORPSE album are firmly in place: Brutally heavy riffs; the technically mind-bending disharmonic leadwork of O’Brien and the returning Rob Barrett; the relentless battery of Paul Mazurkiewicz; Webster's impressive bass pulse; Fisher's soul-scouring vocal snarl emitting tale after blood-soaked tale of misery and inhumanity. This time around, however, the entire affair seems to take on an air of tangible..."freshness" and newfound vitality which frankly had been taking somewhat of a backseat on the last couple of releases. This is due in no small part I am sure to the influence of producer Erik Rutan (HATE ETERNAL, MORBID ANGEL) whose hand in the proceedings on "Kill" has served to elevate the album several miles high in terms of sheer force, "punch", and an overall vibe of calculated spontaneity which makes this recording seethe and boil with life and enthusiasm.
This is quality stuff! Under Rutan's guidance (himself a more than accomplished player as well as professional knob-twiddler), CANNIBAL demonstrate a renewed attention to detail in their songwriting which shines through track after track with just enough subtle hook, rumbling groove, and discordant melody (nice to have Barrett back - his leads offer a decidedly invigorating ingredient to the whole here) strewn throughout the sonic carnage on offer to cause one to sit up and take more than casual notice. The production on "Kill" is raw and uncompromising (far more suitable than the slick polish of Neil Kernon on previous release "The Wretched Spawn") condensing the tried 'n true formula that is CANNIBAL CORPSE's hallmark into thirteen tracks of bludgeoning intensity that never let up! This album feels as though it's being performed live and right there before you in your living room, yet always with a clarity of mix that leaves enough open space for each individual performance to shine together equally as well as a unit. If anything, "Kill" is arguably a return to the sort of sound and recording ethic that was last demonstrated on classics such as "Vile" and "Gallery Of Suicide". And it is a welcome return indeed, this being perhaps the finest release this band has put out in years. My only real complaint is the lack of yet another gore-tastic Vincent Locke cover piece, the strangely anonymous and un-striking lack of artwork offered detracting somewhat from the overall package. Oh well. Obviously the focus here was on the music which more than makes up from any shortcomings in packaging.
Fave tracks would have to include the breakneck intensity of opener "The Time To Kill Is Now", "Make Them Suffer" with its horns-to-the-air awesome breakdown section, the rhythmic complexity and headbanging riffage of "Murder Worship", and the ultra-violence of "Necrosadistic Warning". And that's just the opening salvo! Truly this whole album shines as a testament to the crystallization of all the elements that make for a memorable and very repeat-playable CANNIBAL CORPSE outing. Is this predictable? Yes. Reliable? Yes again. What one expects? Yes yet again. But when what is on offer is as pummelingly satisfying as what CANNIBAL CORPSE murder our ears with time and time again...then that's an undeniably good thing indeed! These guys ARE Death Metal! So put on your butcher's aprons and get out your cleavers 'cause CANNIBAL CORPSE are back and they're coming in for the "Kill"!!!
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