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September 7, 2008 |
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01. Habitation Of Fallen Angels
02. The Sickening
03. Under Cloven Hoof
04. Ritual Disembowelment
05. Searching For The Truth
06. Ovarian Pulverizer
07. Dark Remnants
08. Pentralia Mentis
09. Shades Below
10. Maximus Neurotica
11. The Barge Of The Dead
12. Dethroned
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I'm stunned - where to begin? Let's start with Hammermill Records. This is a small, on-the-rise label that currently has all of 3 discs on its roster, and has already completely floored me twice. First they nailed me to the wall with SANITY IN DEATH, and now come MUCUS MEMBRANE to incise whatever smoldering remains that happened to be left behind. So a hearty hail and thank you to the crew at Hammermill for having their heads in the right cloud to pull in two absolutely stunning musical endeavors. And to boot they've established an increasingly solid line of distribution rights to cram down our metal-hungry throats, including some great underground gems like FUNERUS and ESTUARY from INCANTATION main - man John McEntee's Ibex Moon label and several Relapse titles that include ORIGIN and NECROPHAGIST. So a mandatory nod of thanks and approval to all at Hammermill - a label fully dedicated to the roots of Extreme Metal and the heart of the underground.
And talk about the heart of the underground - California's MUCUS MEMBRANE is the embodiment of loyalty and honor to the essence of Extreme Metal origins. You would seriously have to time travel back to the rise of American Death Metal, WAY back to say MORBID ANGEL's "Altars Of Madness", MALEVOLENT CREATION's "The Ten Commandments" or CANNIBAL CORPSE's "Butchered At Birth", if you wanted to find anything comparable to "Shades Below". Infested with grit, groove and grind and that sound of yore that until now I've only been able to find on discs released before 1995, MUCUS MEMBRANE is a return to the high form of innovation and effective execution that still remains the pinnacle of the American Metal movement. And you won't find a more loyal purveyor of purulent pummeling than Mr. Tom Persons, ex-member of PSYPHERIA and the legendary PESSIMIST, who is the body and soul of MUCUS MEMBRANE and wears his intentions on his sleeve:
"MUCUS MEMBRANE is determined to bring you the most brutal yet melodic and catchy music that there is. We will not compromise ourselves and we will remain underground, for that is where this type of music was meant to be." And there it is in a nutshell - brutal, melodic, catchy and uncompromised; a scorching slab of furious precision and possessed perfection carved directly out of the Decade of Death.
The very first thing that caught my attention on "Shades Below" was the distinct sound of programmed drumming. My initial reaction to electronic drums is always the same, and that is to say, "Get a real drummer, dammit!" But within less than 60 seconds my entire perception changed. This is not what I'm used to hearing - this is not the flat, wholly artificial drum sound of bands like MORTICIAN; this is the resulting brilliance of one guy tackling EVERY aspect of this record. We're talking drum programming, bass, guitars, vocals, mixing, production, etc. - the works. In knowing that, it takes one listen to latch onto the undeniable distinction that Tom Persons knew every possible beat and rhythm needed to make this album achieve its maximum potential. There's no denying how intimately he understands song composition and layering, and this is by far the most complex drum programming I have ever laid ears on.
I can't help but think that a man this in tune with the nuances of Death Metal drumming could have jumped behind a kit and laid down the tracks manually, but that's really irrelevant. This is phenomenal, tempo driving drumming with maximum strength delivery and precision; hell, it even sounds organic at most times, making you forget you're listening to a machine; and that's all that really matters.
Another note of distinction and a sign of the benefits of evolution, even for someone as loyal to his past as Tom Persons is, is the fact that there were NO amplifiers used in the recording process. "Shades Below" is entirely the result of instrumental mastery and smart utilization of modern technology (primarily the Pro Tools and Sample Cell programs), executed so smartly that I doubt any but the most well-trained ears could hear the difference (I myself had no idea until I read the liner notes.) Maybe it's a culmination of a rare set of circumstances - maybe this is the only album I'll ever hear that embraces technology to this level yet conveys everything we've come to love about Death Metal - but regardless, the end result is phenomenal and these aspects leave me respecting the skills of Mr. Persons that much more.
Having eradicated any misgivings about what would normally have been two negative aspects for most other bands, from here on it's a given that "Shades Below" is a near masterpiece. Torrential guitar riffs, gripping solos, multiple tempo shifts in each song, and a sufficiently diverse vocal assault all congeal into one hell of a winning formula, giving every song identity and the entire album the full validity of being a true and instant classic. If I were asked to name 10 songs that virtually embody the ferocity, texture, brilliance, strength and potential of Death Metal in all its glory, I guarantee that list would include the third track, "Under Cloven Hoof". This song has it all - a melodious acoustic intro that bleeds effortlessly into heavy distortion and sweeping solo insanity before shooting razor sharp tendrils of speed riffing and blast beat belligerence, dropping occasionally into several different iconic thrash riffs that ground the song in crushing metal majesty.
The song is simply brilliant - what else can I say? It's the best on the disc, but it's also an ideal litmus as to how tight and efficient the rest of the album is, as the other songs are not far behind.
Another virtual stunner is "Ritual Disembowelment", this one a little more in the CANNIBAL CORPSE vein with alternating high and low Death growls that ring similar to GOD DETHRONED's Henry Sattler and MORBID ANGEL's David Vincent. More catchy speed riffing abounds, and this is the ideal example of the stunning diversity Tom achieves in the drum programming. The layers are unbelievable, and there's a furious, jaw-dropping double-bass and cymbal undercurrent throughout the chorus that leaves me in a benumbed state of shock. I'm sure it can be pulled off by some, at least a Gene Hoglan or a Nick Barker, but even if not the impact is still devastating.
And so it goes throughout all 12 tracks on "Shades Below", consistently delivering some of the best Death Metal I've heard this side of the millennium. Since the release of "Shades Below" things have changed for MUCUS MEMBRANE with Tom filling in the other positions with flesh and a pulse, recruiting Josh Ditri on vocals, Jon Borrmann on bass, and Joe Lopresti on drums, but I'm equally confident that Tom's selections will do plenty of justice to this material in a live setting, as well as any new material that may be on the horizon. MUCUS MEMBRANE has actually been around off and on since 1996, and if luck is with us it would appear that the members are now fully dedicated to spreading the infection. I for one will keep tabs on these guys from this point forward, and if your Death Metal inner-child knows what's good for you, you will too.
"Shades Below" is one of the most engaging and satisfying surprise releases of 2005, meriting some well deserved praise for the execution, efficiency, and unlimited potential of just one man. There can be no doubt: MUCUS MEMBRANE is light years above the majority and "Shades Below" us all.
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