Rough Edge: Cannibal Corpse CD Reviews

CANNIBAL CORPSE

"A Skeletal Domain" (Metal Blade; 2014)

Reviewed by Jeff Rogers

Well, I'm back with another review of a Cannibal Corpse disc. Never thought I'd have the opportunity but here we are. Still keeping with their evisceration style of death metal these guys just rip you limb from limb with their deep cutting riffs and then pour acid in the wounds with blistering solos. The drums just pound you to death and the vocal vomit of "Corpsegrinder" tears at your meaty flesh until you've succumb to their "Skeletal Domain."

There are great tracks like "Icepick Lobotomy" and "Bloodstained Cement" to get you in the mood for moshing. Each track is brutal, no ballads here, but lots of begging for them to stop killing you with death metal. No such luck. This disc is 43:52 of pure blast beats and deep rooted guitar gutting.

Cannibal Corpse: George "Corpsegrinder" Fisher - lead vocals; Rob Barrett - guitars; Pat O'Brien - guitars; Alex Webster - bass; Paul Mazurkiewicz - drums, percussion.

For the coolest stuff on Cannibal Corpse check out their website at http://www.cannibalcorpse.net.

"The Evisceration Plague" (Metal Blade; 2009)

Reviewed by Jeff Rogers

I've never listened to a Cannibal Corpse CD. I don't think I've ever heard one song by them, so when this disc crossed my eyes I just had to see what all the buzz was about. Well, I can tell why people love this stuff. I mean, meat hanging off the bone death metal, this stuff is brutal and as about as uncomfortable as sleeping on a bed of nails with a hovering cement block over your head with a frayed string holding it up.

While reviewing this disc I would check to see which song I was on; around track five I realized that although the Cannibal's riffs don't differentiate they never ease up either. These guys are so down-tuned stable buildings shake with fear. The guitar, when it interjects little licks, sounds great. The solos are nasty and, even though they don't feel like they fit with the song, they still smoke! The drums just pound along like a rhino charging and then turning around and doing it again, and again.

I'm not a fan of death metal but I do like it when a band doesn't bow to the green of money but instead inflicts mental damage so you see the color red. I've always marveled at their album covers but this one seems tame compared to the others. The cool thing about this disc is that it comes with a bonus "Making Of Evisceration Plague" DVD. Also, each song has a comic book printed page based on the songs from "Evisceration Plague."

Cannibal Corpse: George "Corpsegrinder" Fisher – lead vocals; Rob Barrett – guitars; Pat O'Brien – guitars; Alex Webster – bass; Paul Mazurkiewicz – drums, percussion.

For more information, check out http://www.cannibalcorpse.net.

"The Wretched Spawn" (Metal Blade; 2004)

Reviewed by Christopher J. Kelter

Consistency and perseverance are qualities that most of us admire. I'd like to suggest to you that Cannibal Corpse embody these qualities in their purest form. Death metal, long past its heyday, has remained in the metal world and very few bands that were part of the origination of the death metal style are still around today. Cannibal Corpse, despite operating in a style that can be only be fairly described as narrowly focused, has managed to stay true to the genre while slowly adding to their legacy.

Varied tempos keep the pacing of "The Wretched Spawn" refreshingly interesting throughout the album's 13 tracks over 44 gory minutes. From the out-of-control speed of "Severed Head Stoning" to the mid-paced groove of the title track, Cannibal Corpse find interesting ways to keep the listener's attention. One exception to the extensive Cannibal Corpse catalog may be the doomy/sludgy "Festering In The Crypt" – this track sheds new light on Cannibal Corpse's slow evolution.

There is no sense in talking too much about individual songs (other than what I've mentioned in the above paragraph) and there's certainly not much sense in describing the performances of the band's individual members. Each band member does what they do well and furthermore it fits well within the band's history and presumably their future as well.

I would argue that "The Wretched Spawn" may be similar to "Gore Obsessed" (compared to the band's other efforts anyway) due to its technically accomplished manner. "The Wretched Spawn" is proof that sticking to what you know and sprucing it up as you go along is not a particularly bad way to go.

Early copies of "The Wretched Spawn" come with a DVD highlighting the making of the disc.

"The Wretched Spawn" was produced by Neil Kernon. As with Cannibal Corpse's 2002 effort "Gore Obsessed" Neil Kernon has provided superb guidance to the band and sonic clarity to an otherwise tired genre.

Cannibal Corpse: George 'Corpsegrinder' Fisher on vocals, Jack Owen and Pat O'Brien on guitars, Alex Webster on bass, and Paul Mazurkiewicz on drums.

For more information visit http://www.cannibalcorpse.net.

"Gore Obsessed" (Metal Blade; 2002)

Reviewed by Christopher J. Kelter

Since my review of Cannibal Corpse's concert CD, "Live Cannibalism," I have become more familiar with the band's music and place in music history. So, as I approach the review of "Gore Obsessed," I find myself repeating what others have basically said (many for years). What can be said about Cannibal Corpse that hasn't been said already?

So I scoured the Internet in the hopes that what I'd sketched out for "Gore Obsessed" hadn't already been done. That effort was so much in vain that I tossed out what I'd written. So what should I do? Or could I do for that matter? As such, I'm sticking to the facts, Jack.

Very little has changed in the blood-soaked (un)reality that is Cannibal Corpse. The deep, growling roar that is (literally) George 'Corpsegrinder' Fischer is probably the most noticeable facet of Cannibal Corpse. The guitar tandem of Jack Owen and Pat O'Brien as well as bassist Ales Webster are as solid as ever. The biggest change comes from Paul Mazurkiewicz. Mazurkiewicz's drumming is impressive and has a few added, technical facets that add some depth and 'color' to the music.

Overall, Cannibal Corpse mix things up a little bit on "Gore Obsessed" with varied tempos and concise tracks that prevent the listener from getting overwhelmed with each single song (12 tracks in 44 minutes is pretty impressive). The slow, building grind of "Sanded Faceless" is one particular highlight worth mentioning. The cover of Metallica's "No Remorse" was a surprising addition and an interesting take on a more mainstream track.

One of the most interesting things about "Gore Obsessed" is the fact that Neil Kernon produced it. Kernon has worked with hard rock/metal heavyweights such as Dokken, Flotsam & Jetsam, Judas Priest, and Nevermore to mention only a few. Kernon has also worked with decidedly non-metal acts such as Hall & Oates, Rick Springfield, and Michael Bolton. Needless to say, Kernon has probably seen a lot of everything the musical world has to throw at him. So if you had told me last year that Neil Kernon was going to produce the next Cannibal Corpse disc I would have laughed in your face. However, Kernon did produce "Gore Obsessed" and I have to admit that he added some unique twists to their sound without turning it into something it isn't. I think the best producers enhance rather than change a band's sound and style - that's exactly what Kernon has done with "Gore Obsessed."

Finally, "Gore Obsessed" is well executed and the sequencing of the tracks is carefully thought out (can't say that about too many death metal CDs can you?). "Gore Obsessed" isn't a difficult listen and is often downright enjoyable regardless of the subject matter and the band sticking to the tried and true.

As always I like and appreciate what Cannibal Corpse have done. Whether or not "Gore Obsessed" is something that I'll pull off the shelf for repeated listens is unlikely. True fans of the band will spin "Gore Obsessed" pretty often because the CD won't disappoint their dedicated fan base.

Cannibal Corpse is George 'Corpsegrinder' Fisher on vocals, Jack Owen and Pat O'Brien on guitars, Alex Webster on bass, and Paul Mazurkiewicz on drums.

For more information visit http://www.cannibalcorpse.net.

"Live Cannibalism" (Metal Blade; 2000)

Reviewed by Christopher J. Kelter

The general problem with reviewing live CDs is that, more often than not, the quality of the concert recording will be far below what the band is able to achieve in the studio. That is not the case here; "Live Cannibalism" has been recorded with great care and there is remarkable clarity in the performances. However, I am faced with a different kind of problem as I am not familiar with Cannibal Corpse's studio recordings. However, I was pleased with the outcome on "Live Cannibalism" - it's like getting a greatest hits CD and live CD all in one.

"Live Cannibalism" features 18 Cannibal Corpse tracks recorded on back-to-back nights on the Death Metal Massacre Tour 2000. These live performances find the band playing their brand of tight gore/death metal with aplomb. No doubt rabid Cannibal Corpse fans were in attendance for these shows, but mercifully the crowd noise is relatively low in the mix; besides, I bet Cannibal Corpse were so loud that crowd noise was drowned out anyway.

Also, "Live Cannibalism" also shows me that a book can't be judged by its cover. Quite frankly I'm not impressed by the perpetually gruesome imagery that Cannibal Corpse have stuck with throughout the years. The real deal is whether or not the music holds up - and the music does - assuming of course that you'd rather listen to torturous gore/death metal than other any form of music.

"Live Cannibalism" features songs from all of the band's major full-length releases including classic songs like "Hammer Smashed Face" and "Devoured By Vermin" (some of the few songs I've heard by Cannibal Corpse) along side newer fan favorites like "Unleashing The Bloodthirsty" and "Gallery Of Suicide." Undeniably death metal of a most brutal form, the songs presented here feature hellish vocals atop scathing rhythmic guitars and bass that sounds like a battering ram.

Even though I am a late comer to the death metal form, I have a new found appreciation for Cannibal Corpse and their extensive and continuing legacy.

"Live Cannibalism" was produced by Cannibal Corpse, recorded by Timothy R. Powell, and mastered by Colin Richardson (Machine Head).

Cannibal Corpse is George "Corpsegrinder" Fisher on vocals, Pat O'Brien and Jack Owen on guitars, Alex Webster on bass, Paul Mazurkiewicz on drums.

For more information visit http://www.cannibalcorpse.net.

"Bloodthirst" (Metal Blade; 1999)

Reviewed by R. Scott Bolton

Say what you will about the infamous Cannibal Corpse. The fact remains: The band has remained consistently brutal since their inception. Banned in Australia, New Zealand and Korea, the band has never once turned their back on the type of over-the-top music they love to play.

"Bloodthirst" is no exception. The CD is packed with eleven tracks of blood-curdling, bowel-ripping metal. It's fast, it's furious, it's sick.

It's impossible to describe any particular tracks in detail so let's just go with a few highlights: "Unleashing the Bloodthirsty" is a multi-paced rage that boasts razor sharp guitars and incredibly fast and driving drums. "Ecstasy In Decay" starts off with a Black Sabbath-like riff and then burns into a frenetic Slayer powerdrive. "Hacksaw Decapitation" begins with what sounds like the music score to a Texas Chainsaw Massacre movie and then explodes into fast-paced fury. "Condemned to Agony" probably features the CD's best head-banging guitar slinging.

Of course, George Fisher's devil growl vocals are the perfect vehicle to deliver the band's notoriously gruesome lyrics ("Stagnant pools of entrails permeates wretched odors, depraved corpses cloven spineless, ultimate panacea, ablate").

How does "Bloodthirst" compare to previous Cannibal Corpse CDs? Maybe it's a little more technically advanced. Maybe not. Regardless, it's exactly what fans of the band wanted: More.

Cannibal Corpse is: George Fisher, vocals; Jack Owen, guitar; Pat O'Brien, guitar; Alex Webster, bass; Paul Mazurkiewicz, drums.

For more information, visit the band's website at http://www.welcome.to/galleryofsuicide or the Metal Blade website at http://www.metalblade.com.

Rating Guide:

A classic. This record will kick your ass.

Killer. Not a classic but it will rock your world.

So-so. You've heard better.

Pretty bad. Might make a nice coaster.

Self explanatory. Just the sight of the cover makes you wanna hurl.

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