200 Stab Wounds - Piles Of Festering Decomposition (Metal Blade Records) [Mark Young]
As titles go, this goes some way into giving you a clue of what is about to unfold. And, as I type their name into a well-known search engine, it pops up with:
People also ask: Is 200 Stab Wounds Death Metal?
Well, If they aren’t then I don’t know what is. This is 5 tracks in 14 minutes, a festering fly-blown heap of accumulated filth. In a good way.
Released in 2020, this is a reissue on Metal Blade, so let’s dive in and see what’s what.
Maggot Casket is the first stop on the train to the pits of despair and sounds just like you thought it would. Vocals that can barely be discerned, occupying the same low register as their guitars its heavy AF. It sounds as though life is gurgling away through a slit throat and without pause, we are discovering the Body In The Basement which hits in much the same way, trem picking is the order of the day here, that bottom end chug dominating when they slow down. There is that argument about how bands sound brutal which normally boils down to each song just being a re-tread of the one before and although there are similarities to Maggot, it is in execution only. This is a sub three-minute attack which is then followed by the charmingly titled She Was Already Dead. Its just more putrid heaviness, no more no less.
Digested Desire shows no sign of changing anything in terms of attack. It’s a frenzied attack, with one aim but to crush all that is front of it. The last track is a lovely slice of UK grindcore, with a cracking cover of Carcass’s Ruptured In Purulence. This is awesome and sounds fantastic as they tear through it with considerable aplomb. What it also does is show that at this point, 200 Stab Wounds had the execution of their songs down as each one is as frenzied as the next, but they felt slightly empty. Its heavy, definitely but it didn’t really excite as much as I thought it would. The inclusion of the Carcass cover is welcome, and for me a high point of this release. The rest is merely ok. 7/10
Wretched Fate - Incineration Of The Pious (Redefining Darkness Records) [Mark Young]
Now this is interesting. A six track EP with three absolute classics presented as covers. If they pull those off then we could be onto EP of the year. The first three songs represent music that Wretched Fate left off their Carnal Heresy album, which they describe as music that didn’t fit within the sound they wanted for that album.
As titles go, this goes some way into giving you a clue of what is about to unfold. And, as I type their name into a well-known search engine, it pops up with:
People also ask: Is 200 Stab Wounds Death Metal?
Well, If they aren’t then I don’t know what is. This is 5 tracks in 14 minutes, a festering fly-blown heap of accumulated filth. In a good way.
Released in 2020, this is a reissue on Metal Blade, so let’s dive in and see what’s what.
Maggot Casket is the first stop on the train to the pits of despair and sounds just like you thought it would. Vocals that can barely be discerned, occupying the same low register as their guitars its heavy AF. It sounds as though life is gurgling away through a slit throat and without pause, we are discovering the Body In The Basement which hits in much the same way, trem picking is the order of the day here, that bottom end chug dominating when they slow down. There is that argument about how bands sound brutal which normally boils down to each song just being a re-tread of the one before and although there are similarities to Maggot, it is in execution only. This is a sub three-minute attack which is then followed by the charmingly titled She Was Already Dead. Its just more putrid heaviness, no more no less.
Digested Desire shows no sign of changing anything in terms of attack. It’s a frenzied attack, with one aim but to crush all that is front of it. The last track is a lovely slice of UK grindcore, with a cracking cover of Carcass’s Ruptured In Purulence. This is awesome and sounds fantastic as they tear through it with considerable aplomb. What it also does is show that at this point, 200 Stab Wounds had the execution of their songs down as each one is as frenzied as the next, but they felt slightly empty. Its heavy, definitely but it didn’t really excite as much as I thought it would. The inclusion of the Carcass cover is welcome, and for me a high point of this release. The rest is merely ok. 7/10
Wretched Fate - Incineration Of The Pious (Redefining Darkness Records) [Mark Young]
Now this is interesting. A six track EP with three absolute classics presented as covers. If they pull those off then we could be onto EP of the year. The first three songs represent music that Wretched Fate left off their Carnal Heresy album, which they describe as music that didn’t fit within the sound they wanted for that album.
We know that sometimes, music left off an album is done because they just aren’t very good, or at least not at the same level as those which made it onto the album. In any event, this is a bold move. Well first track With Ashen Breath is a superior slice of Swe-death that doesn’t go down the route of trying to ape At The Gates. This is a straight up gut-punch of a track that relies on a central hammering riff to get the job done. Melody is provided by some dizzying guitar lines that dive in and out but its that simple but effective riff that makes you take notice.
Incineration Of The Pious is next and goes off in a big way. I’ve mentioned it before but it’s refreshing to hear a band do something different whilst still staying true to the traditions of extreme metal from Scandinavia and the same can be said of Callous Mutilation Grandeur whose attack lives up to that brilliant title. There is a lot of energy in these three songs, each one comes in and slays in its own way. They do what they need to do without being overlong or repeating the same measures over and over and although you can audibly tell that they are by the same band there are no shared ideas between them.
Not sounding like every other Swe-death band is also a massive plus point.
Now for side B.
Dominate (Morbid Angel cover) brings a smile to my face almost straight away as this sounds like a swarm of angry wasps attacking a picnicking family. This is top-notch, staying faithful without being a straight copy they manage to put their own stamp on it. Like Fire (Bloodbath cover) is as good, keeping the brutality in place and like Dominate they stay faithful enough to it. Final track is Abnormally Deceased (Nihilist cover) which grinds its way in and strips the enamel from your teeth. Job done.
Incineration Of The Pious is next and goes off in a big way. I’ve mentioned it before but it’s refreshing to hear a band do something different whilst still staying true to the traditions of extreme metal from Scandinavia and the same can be said of Callous Mutilation Grandeur whose attack lives up to that brilliant title. There is a lot of energy in these three songs, each one comes in and slays in its own way. They do what they need to do without being overlong or repeating the same measures over and over and although you can audibly tell that they are by the same band there are no shared ideas between them.
Not sounding like every other Swe-death band is also a massive plus point.
Now for side B.
Dominate (Morbid Angel cover) brings a smile to my face almost straight away as this sounds like a swarm of angry wasps attacking a picnicking family. This is top-notch, staying faithful without being a straight copy they manage to put their own stamp on it. Like Fire (Bloodbath cover) is as good, keeping the brutality in place and like Dominate they stay faithful enough to it. Final track is Abnormally Deceased (Nihilist cover) which grinds its way in and strips the enamel from your teeth. Job done.
Any worries I had about side B were unfounded, each one is treated like the classics they are without being a boring re-tread. There is a sense of fun with these, and they attack them with the same energy as a young band starting out playing covers for friends in a local bar. This is a great EP and I would suggest it is a suitable jumping on point for Wretched Fate. 8/10
Ghostwound - Ghostwound (Go Down Records) [Rich Piva]
Their name sounds like it could be some kind of death metal band, but what Ghostwound actually brings to the party is psychedelic funky space rock. You, get no growls here, just a lot of acid and cocaine, figuratively speaking of course. The Italian band with the interesting bio (immortal?) bring their version of fuzzy funk on their debut self-titled record that is fun, weird, and unexpected.
Tracks like the opener, Funky Robot, incorporate some funk rock guitar work across a psych landscape driven by the sometimes subtle and sometimes not synths and dreamy vocals. The bass work is top notch (as required if you mention 70s funk in your bio) and there is just enough of the space/psych stuff in the formula to keep the trippy side of me interested. The tracks seamlessly flow, as the title track (triple threat here; song, album, and band name all the same, it is never bad) brings more of the same but heavier on the psych, almost going into shoegaze territory, but with the funkiness always lurking around the corner.
Ghostwound - Ghostwound (Go Down Records) [Rich Piva]
Their name sounds like it could be some kind of death metal band, but what Ghostwound actually brings to the party is psychedelic funky space rock. You, get no growls here, just a lot of acid and cocaine, figuratively speaking of course. The Italian band with the interesting bio (immortal?) bring their version of fuzzy funk on their debut self-titled record that is fun, weird, and unexpected.
Tracks like the opener, Funky Robot, incorporate some funk rock guitar work across a psych landscape driven by the sometimes subtle and sometimes not synths and dreamy vocals. The bass work is top notch (as required if you mention 70s funk in your bio) and there is just enough of the space/psych stuff in the formula to keep the trippy side of me interested. The tracks seamlessly flow, as the title track (triple threat here; song, album, and band name all the same, it is never bad) brings more of the same but heavier on the psych, almost going into shoegaze territory, but with the funkiness always lurking around the corner.
Smoke brings serious 70s vibes with the bass leading the way partnering with the synths for a trippy dance party. I love how Gimcana Spiralis picks up the pace and incorporates and almost Krautrock feel to it while the sudden beats of Dive Into The Mirror almost reminds me of Duran Duran if they were more into Hawkwind (and bongos!). Five Ave Marias turns up the funk meter where the bass rules the day and the guitar work sounds like it is off a Chic record while Lycantropus almost sounds like space disco. Rojava is my favourite track, especially the part that rocks, where the fuzzy guitar decides to escape from its funky master and rip it up for a bit. Azimuth is the most out there track on the record where the band doubles down on the frantic trippy-ness leading to the closer, Coffee Grounds Revelations, where the fuzzy funk guitar and synths are the highlight of this super trippy track.
The debut from Ghosthound is a fun and unexpected record that may be a bit too repetitive at times. These guys can play and while they are all over the place it seems like it is a controlled chaos, mostly. Overall, the record is worth a spin if you want less riffs and more funk, which can happen every now and then. 7/10
Tak Matsumoto Group - TMG II (Frontiers Music Srl) [Rich Piva]
On the surface, even if I didn’t know who “guitar virtuoso” Tak Matsumoto was you would still think I would get some enjoyment out of a supergroup that contains said virtuoso with Eric Martin from Mr. Big on vocals, Jack Blades from Night Ranger on bass, and Matt Sorum from Gn’R and The Cult (amongst others) on drums. Well, the surface is wrong, because whatever is going on with this latest Frontiers release is just terrible. I am not sure anyone listened to it before it dropped because it is tough to listen to. It is not any fault of the players.
Martin sounds fine, the stars of the rhythm section are solid, while I would have liked to experience more of his so-called virtuoso work, there was some great guitar playing too, but the songs are just horrible. The production is really weird too, in that unlike most Frontiers releases that are so slick you slip on it downloading the files, this one is weird, in that it sounds so unprofessionally recorded, and not in the good way that I actually enjoy. The two songs with guest vocalists doing duets (Babymetal and a Lisa) are off the charts bad.
Poor Eric Martin had to try to make it work with two voices that are just not compatible with his, with catastrophic results. The lyrics of Dark Island Woman and Color In The World are cringe to say the least. You know how on a record by other so-called virtuosos, like, say, Yngwie Malmsteen, the songs can be pretty bad, but his playing, no matter what you think of the track or the guy, is off the charts? Well, you get none of that here, where you would expect Matsumoto to go off at some point you really don’t get it, even on a song called Guitar Hero. Yeah, he has some great solos, but I expected him to just shred it up for at least 70% of the record, but you barely get 10%.
I have not heard TMG I, but no matter how good that was, if it was at all, there was zero reason for this uninspired part two. Sorry to the musicians I love that are on this record, I will not hold it against you. 2/10
The debut from Ghosthound is a fun and unexpected record that may be a bit too repetitive at times. These guys can play and while they are all over the place it seems like it is a controlled chaos, mostly. Overall, the record is worth a spin if you want less riffs and more funk, which can happen every now and then. 7/10
Tak Matsumoto Group - TMG II (Frontiers Music Srl) [Rich Piva]
On the surface, even if I didn’t know who “guitar virtuoso” Tak Matsumoto was you would still think I would get some enjoyment out of a supergroup that contains said virtuoso with Eric Martin from Mr. Big on vocals, Jack Blades from Night Ranger on bass, and Matt Sorum from Gn’R and The Cult (amongst others) on drums. Well, the surface is wrong, because whatever is going on with this latest Frontiers release is just terrible. I am not sure anyone listened to it before it dropped because it is tough to listen to. It is not any fault of the players.
Martin sounds fine, the stars of the rhythm section are solid, while I would have liked to experience more of his so-called virtuoso work, there was some great guitar playing too, but the songs are just horrible. The production is really weird too, in that unlike most Frontiers releases that are so slick you slip on it downloading the files, this one is weird, in that it sounds so unprofessionally recorded, and not in the good way that I actually enjoy. The two songs with guest vocalists doing duets (Babymetal and a Lisa) are off the charts bad.
Poor Eric Martin had to try to make it work with two voices that are just not compatible with his, with catastrophic results. The lyrics of Dark Island Woman and Color In The World are cringe to say the least. You know how on a record by other so-called virtuosos, like, say, Yngwie Malmsteen, the songs can be pretty bad, but his playing, no matter what you think of the track or the guy, is off the charts? Well, you get none of that here, where you would expect Matsumoto to go off at some point you really don’t get it, even on a song called Guitar Hero. Yeah, he has some great solos, but I expected him to just shred it up for at least 70% of the record, but you barely get 10%.
I have not heard TMG I, but no matter how good that was, if it was at all, there was zero reason for this uninspired part two. Sorry to the musicians I love that are on this record, I will not hold it against you. 2/10
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