Necrony - Pathological Performances

''An Auditory Annihilation...''

The terms of 'goregrind' and 'melodic death metal' would not normally go hand in hand for my musical taste, since I pretty much demise 90% of melodic death metal. But to my surprise this combination of Swedish melodic death metal and Carcass-inspired goregrind works really well and compliments each other at certain points of the album. Now, I must say that I heard their demos (Severe Malignant Pustule and Mucu-Purulent Miscarriage) before this, and I was very impressed with the jobs on those two. Pure, raw goregrind at its finest but those two lacked character. So, I was really anticipating something special when I popped my copy of their debut album in my stereo.

Pathological Performances is not only an escalation compared to their early demos but comes out on top as a mammoth-like masterpiece of disgusting grind. The demos were very brutal and devastating because of the raw production, but I really like this more filtered and edgy sound. Musically, they have also advanced quite a bit, the songs don't feel like rushed or fluky.

This album is built up as a creepy intro, ten well composed and executed songs, and a neat instrumental outro. There are memorable, catchy riffs, furious and various blastbeats and skankbeats, melodious solos and even an eerie-sounding flute intro on 'Acute Pyencephalus And Cerebral Decomposure' and 'Accumulation of Exudate'. These things are certainly positive improvements and ideas further executed from the demos (mostly Severe Malignant Pustule), the songs are more diverse, for example frenzied blastbeat and fast-picking tremolo riffs will passage into mid-paced riffs with simple doublepedal beats with a lot of cymbal-smacking. The intermediate pieces (sometimes with solos) between verses is a great way to enhance the song length, complexity and depth, for example in the song 'Submassive Necrosis Disgorgement', the entire section from 1.25 to 2.49 and begins again briefly at 3.03 as a break. This beautifully placed mid-piece is one of the moments where this album truly shines through and stands out, well this and their melodic and out of place solos, this gives the album character and ups the song writing to make you enjoy their unique sound a little more.

The vocals are as good as ever, with clear production so you can understand the grotesque gore lyrics they usually spew out. There are also some incredible guest performances in the vocal department by mighty Dan Swanö and Johan Axelsson. The production on this album is amazing. It sounds like the producer went carefully through recording track and edited and adjusted to make the most raw and simple production and make every instrument fully able to be heard, even the bass sticks out every now and then (for example the intro on 'Gynopathological Excav-Eater'). The whole sound picture just blends into one another, the collaboration between the guttural noises and the medicinal vocabulary telling stories of pathology and parasitic sicknesses.

All in all, this is one of my favourite records of all time. Every time I put this on, I get surprised again and again. The feel, the music and overall sound just makes this album a must-have for any deathgrind fan out there. If you can find it somewhere for a decent price, I got mine for around 30 euro which is considered pretty cheap since I have heard people buying this album for the outrageous price of 100 euro.

Memorable Songs:
Dexterous Embryectomy, Gynopathological Excav-Eater, Ocular Obliteration, The Squirming Worms, Acute Pyencephalus and Cerebral Decomposure

Rating

9.0

Carcass - Heartwork

"Enslaved to the Grind"


Compared to the predecessor which were much more dark and creepy, Heartwork punches you in the face in a much more straight forward style.
When you think melodic death metal, names like Children of Bodom and Arch Enemy will probably pop into your mind. And the idea of death metal blended with clean vocals and keyboards. Wipe out those thoughts, because Heartwork is the album that shows how melodic death metal should be done. With hair on the chest and a firm grip around the balls and of course the snarling vocals of Jeff Walker. Many Carcass fans hates this album and the following album Swansong that got released in '96, and that is a damn shame because this album is the bands best effort next to Necroticism: Descanting the Insalubrious. I have heard this album being called "a blueprint for selling out". It's more like a blueprint and a showcase of how melodic death metal should be played. Packed with aggression from the guitars, and the melodic solos of Amott fits well into the songs and so does Dr. Steers more aggressive solos. Ken Owen steps up yet again and after listening to the album a couple of times and learning the tracks so you know when he hits the crashes, it is just a fucking awesome feeling to smack the air at the same time! Or... your drums, if you're a drummer.

Lyrically the album is not as much about carving up stuff as it used to be. The album still got some really good song writing and a song that really struck me was Arbeit Macht Fleisch. First of all I was wondering why Carcass was doing a song with a German title, but after talking about it with my friend we remembered that the Nazis used the term Arbeit Macht Frei, that term is also mentioned in the song. Speculations is that the lyrics of the songs are comparing modern society to a death camp. I don't know what to think myself, which leaves a great mystery about the song, and you can form your very own opinion. Besides Arbeit Macht Fleisch this album is just filled with tracks you can listen to again and again. I would suggest Blind Bleeding the Blind, Embodiment and Doctrinal Expletives. But if you're not too lazy, it would be a better idea to listen to the whole album!

Some may think it is just filling for a review... But I always enjoy a good cover, and I like to talk about it, also when it is bad. I must admit that Carcass is not the band that I would mention first when I think about a band that got a line of awesome covers on the shelf. Heartwork is not really an exception. Even though it is not as horrible as the grindcore covers and Swansong. It still just strikes me as an odd cover to choose. The cover, or at least the sculpture on the cover was created by Hans Rudolf Giger, more commonly known as H. R. Giger. He also created works for bands like Celtic Frost, Danzig, Edge of Sanity and Triptykon.

Heartwork is a truly unique album. Even if you got the opinion that this album led to a sell out for Carcass this album clarified the bands legacy as legends. Pioneering grindcore and melodic death metal, now that is an achievement. With the rumours of a new Carcass record I really hope it will contain some elements from Heartwork. Now that Michael Amott and Daniel Erlandsson is not in the band any more, Carcass could return to their harder roots and mix it up with a bit of Necroticism.
But if you enjoy snarling vocals, and a fast assault with melodic elements you should definitely try out the album, and even if you don't know this band, give it a shot anyway! Maybe you have stayed away from Heartwork because of the negative feelings there is regarding melodic death metal, maybe you should think again and give it a chance...

Rating

9.3