Cannibal Corpse has long been one of the most dependable and consistent bands on the death metal scene, and with their latest release Torture (their 12th), the band continues that longstanding trend. Brutal, crushing, and relentlessly technical, Torture cements Cannibal Corpse's legendary status and proves to us once again why they are still one of the most lethal bands in extreme metal.
The furious "Demented Aggression" kicks things off in familiar Cannibal Corpse fashion, as relentless blasting and massive riffing slam you upside your head while George 'Corpsegrinder' Fisher's lethal vocals bludgeon you into submission. The next two tracks, "Sarcophagic Frenzy" and "Scourge of Iron" slow things down considerably, as the dual riffing from Pat O'Brien and Rob Barrett take on a monstrous, grinding tone, supplemented nicely by Alex Webster's nimble bass work and the acrobatic drum fills from Paul Mazurkiewicz. This is some HEAVY stuff. "Encased in Concrete" sees the return of the jackhammer blast beats, wild whammy bar theatrics, fast riffs and the maniacal growling of Corpsegrinder. Old school yet still firmly in the tech-death camp, this is Cannibal Corpse as we've come to know and love over the last decade. The patented 'gore' lyrics are in abundance on the rampaging "As Deep as the Knife Will Go", a song that, despite its savage nature, is actually pretty damn catchy. "Intestinal Crank" is pure brutality, as is "Followed Home Then Killed" (gotta love that title!), while " The Strangulation Chair" is an amazing workout for both Mazurkiewicz and Webster, as the two lay down some incredibly complex rhythms underneath plenty of crushing and intricate guitar riffs. Just an awesome tune. If you love lean, mean death metal, you can't go wrong with the pulverizing "Caged…Contorted", and "Torn Through" and "Rabid" are both relentless, fast and furious monsters that close out the CD in sledgehammer fashion. Corpsegrinder's evil croaking stabs through the lethal wall of riffs & blasts like a man possessed, as the band quite simply are doing what they do best.
If you liked recent releases like Kill and Evisceration Plague, chances are you'll totally dig Torture. It has all the familiar elements, yet there is a good amount of variety on display here thanks to some slower, grinding numbers that work well in between some of the faster paced songs. It's all brutally heavy and complex, yet quite memorable, making for one of the best extreme metal CDs so far this year.
Track Listing
01. Demented Aggression
02. Sarcophagic Frenzy
03. Scourge of Iron
04. Encased in Concrete
05. As Deep As the Knife Will Go
06. Intestinal Crank
07. Followed Home Then Killed
08. The Strangulation Chair
09. Caged…Contorted
10. Crucifier Avenged
11. Rabid
12. Torn Through
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