Cannibal Corpse - Torture (2012) Album Review

Artist: Cannibal Corpse

Album: Torture

Genre: death metal \m/

# Album by Artist: 12th studio album

Year: 2012

Track Listing:

1. Demented Aggression

2. Sarcophagic Frenzy

3. Scourge of Iron

4. Encased in Concrete

5. As Deep as the Knife Will Go

6. Intestinal Crank

7. Followed Home Then Killed

8. The Strangulation Chair

9. Caged... Contorted

10. Crucifier Avenged

11. Rabid

12. Torn Through

So, for my first death metal album review, I figured I'd pick the newest from one of my all time favorite bands, Cannibal Corpse. These guys are the writers of what is arguably two of the best known death metal songs ever, "Hammer Smashed Face", and "Make Them Suffer". Through the 90's, they had an incredible string of releases, like Tomb of the Mutilated, The Bleeding, and what I think is the best CC album, and possibly the best death metal album, Bloodthirst. Their 1996 album Vile was the first death metal album to chart EVER! 

With a background like that, you could imagine that a lot of pressure and expectation was on top of these guys to make a killer album. What did they respond with? One of their greatest releases in recent years. I have heard people say that this album is "Perfect" or "The greatest death metal release ever". Although I think it's great, it isn't quite perfect, but it's pretty close.

Guitar: Well, let's start the guitar with "Demented Aggression". What killer riffing thoughout the whole song! There was a reason this was released before the album, because I think this song will be the next "Make Them Suffer". The rest of the album just doesn't quit with the amazing riffing, but I think it uncoveres a problem, not necessarily with the album, but with Cannibal Corpse in general. Yeah the guitar is again amazing, but I feel like Cannibal has played it all before, ya know? It seems like the riffs are being repeated almost. But even if they are being repeated, that doesn't stop how brutal this album is.

Drums: Paul Mazurkiewicz is a pretty standard death metal drummer. He is certainly no Pete Sandoval (Morbid Angel) or Gene Hoglan (formerly of Death), but his drummer really fits CC! He seems like he just plain knows what to do at any given moment in a song, and it really shows on this album. It had seemed like on Gore Obsessed and The Wretched Spawn he had started slowing down, but after Kill, he seemed to step it up. A partucularly good drum performance is on "As Deep as the Knife Will Go", as he keeps double bass or a blast beat going throughout almost the whole song. Very solid drumming from a very solid drummer.

Bass: I couldn't really hear Alex Webster much in this album, mainly because I can never seem to pick out the bass in music anyway, but I'm sure he's doing a killer job like always. He is truly one of the best death metal bassists out there and you can clearly hear his bass sound occasionally above everything else, like a slapping noise. Now, one part you could hear clearly is in "The Strangulation Chair", which has a bass solo that is very reminicent of "Hammer Smashed Face", but it's even faster and more technical. Again, a very good job.

Vocals: Now, I think the vocals are amazing, but CC's vocals, along with death metal in general, is an aquired taste, but Corpsegrinder really delivers on this one. Pretty standard CC stuff, but it's still great, and there isn't much different. However, on a couple of songs, I want to say on some parts of "Encased in Concrete", and "Crucifier Avenged" it sounds like either Fisher is doing higher death screams above everything else. It actually, now that I think about it, sounds like Glen Benton from Deicide, but don't quote me on that, because I'm not sure. Great vocal preformance.

Overall, this is an extremely amazing release from Cannibal Corpse, and it reminds me of the solidity of The Bleeding.  Easily the best death metal album of the last ten years, but it still isn't quite perfect, however, it's about as close as you can get. This one gets 4.5 horns out of 5.

Thank you,

-Brandon