Being a metal head is a progressive illness. Genres I once could not stomach are now entertaining at times. Gore-grind is one such genre. Being a Cannibal Corpse fan warms you up for it. But it is up to the band to add something beyond the gurgled vocal and lo-fi banging. This Italian band does that. The intro to this album really set the stage in a more surreal and theatrical manner. Then, when they grind into things, it's oppressive in the slimiest way possible. The were-pig vocals might take some getting used to, and I wish they incorporated more of the atmosphere this album started off with.
The spastic snarl of "Withdrawl Crisis' breaks things up but it is a more ferally blasted song, that is pretty unhinged, though not the most nuanced songwriting I have heard today. There is a vague horror theme to this album, but the vocals can not be comprehended at this juncture in time, and make Sanguisuggabogg seem accessible. It is so heavy and intense that you are somewhat stunned and do not question whether they can write songs. The songs are also mainly under three minutes, so it's a blast that never drags on to bore you. They do break things up with samples leading into "Immersed in a Formaldehyde Coffin". I can see where people who are normally to this sort of thing will think this album is groundbreaking, as it is not one dimensional and does more than most bands in this genre. But if you listen to a wider range of music and compare it against that, it's almost chaotic noise.
There could have been a sleazier feel to "The Slasher in Black Latex" . There is a little more nuance from "A Prayer From the Filthy Creatures of the Deep", as the title alone makes you expect something with more of a Lovecraftian vibe. 'Buried in Feces" works into the sampled interlude of the title track. They do begin to break things up with creepier sonic touches of guitar, but truth be told, this should have been a thing throughout the entire album. Just being heavy is not dark; they at least make some attempts to invoke darkness. When they hit you with an unrelenting blast, it gets the same reaction as any band that would employ similar tactics. Me bored until they hit you with a better riff, which they really pull off on "Chronic Obstructive Caustic Vomit".
"Fucked by the Shovel" sounds like a more aggressive basement demo of Cannibal Corpse. The production quality has its charm, but it is inconsistent. It's not how they captured the sound but where they sit in the mix. "The Final Feast of the Damned " is a blast that largely bores me. "Cannibal Banquet For the Lord of Flies' finds its groove but can not sound as cool as the title. They end no less ballistic, to wrestle control of the blast beats. The riff slows to a more deliberate chug, but the vocals lose the little bit of focus they had. I will give this album a 7.5; they make more effort than most bands doing this sort of thing, but need to lean more into the spooky ambiance. Out on Everlasting Spew.
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