Rating: 8.1

Country: Japan

Release Date: 2005

Track list:
1. Carnal Mutilation
2. Tortured Bleeding End
3. Drowned In Sewage
4. Funeral Feast
5. Suicides
6. Deceased
7. Morgue Of Cannibalism
8. Only Consumed By Dead
9. Stillborn (Autopsy Cover)

Band Website: Anatomia

Anatomia - Dissected Humanity

Yoshio Hasegawa- Guitars/Vocals
Takashi Tanaka- Drums/Vocals
Jun Tonosaki- Bass/Vocals

Bleedin' brilliant, this one is, a bloodsoaked smorgasbord of malefic and murderous doom/death that will titillate hot-blooded connoisseurs of carnivorous, bog-dwelling DEATH metal. I'll be the first to admit that I am a complete newbie to both this band and their previous incarnation as Transgressor, but a mere 45 seconds of the demo samples posted on the Anatomia site sufficed to make me a bloodthirsty convert, and I hurriedly ordered the record while making tapetrading arrangements for Transgressor material.

In many ways, I would say that this record very much represents a continuation of ideas first put forward by that most eulogized of cults, though in some senses the influences are far more bare than before- even a less-than-astute ear would be able to discern that 'Mental Funeral' is the primary point of reference for these folks, though it is equally apparent that they do not drink as deeply from this seemingly inexhaustible cesspool as, say, Mausoleum. Nay, the leering spirits of ‘ Season Of The Dead' Necrophagia, Derketa, Hellhammer and even Winter announce themselves periodically behind the impenetrable walls of Reifertian filth, while the occasionally sparse, cavernous instrumentation and the harrowingly despondent atmosphere actually reminds me of Gallhammer's debut opus, both bands absorbing and regurgitating rather obvious influences with crusty insistence, somehow managing to create fiercely individual, uncompromisingly spooky/morbid works of art with broad strokes of Celtic Frost.

Yeah., this is kind of what would happen if you threw Gallhammer, Transgressor, Coffins into an earthen cauldron, then proceeded to sprinkle liberal amounts of Derketa/Mythic, Rottrevore and ‘Tormented' Abscess on top. The record isn't excellent all the way through, but for the most part, it proves a thoroughly engaging listen.

Production throughout is organic and believable, the sheer approachability and honesty of the production again recalling last year's outing by Gallhammer, really capturing that “in studio rehearsal” feel that the Japanese seemingly have no difficulty in encapsulating, with the likes of Coffins and Zombie Ritual exhibiting a similarly immediate fluency/spontaneity to their studio output. This is DEATH fucking metal in every sense of the word, a trio of depraved ghouls bashing on caskets and sarcophagi, and the filthy, untampered and unvarnished “live” production does much to accent the individualistic/idiosyncratic approach of the band, particularly their affinity for unrelentingly bare DOOM passages. Blastbeats are few and far between on this affair, and the RESTRAINT of the tom-heavy drumming, AGAIN, reminds me of Risa Reaper's performance, Takashi Tanaka alternating between the Reifert beat ™ and nude Virus-ish plodding/pounding to GREAT effect. Songs ebb and flow, advance and recede, the band exhibiting an intense dynamism that really speaks volumes about their experience and ingénue.

Sure, some of the doom passages can drone a bit, and not all of them are quite as devastating/mindbending as that found halfway through “Carnal Mutilation ”, but to be sure, the finest numbers here rival any of the brightest spots in post-Hellhammer doom/death: the standout on the band's 2003 demo, “Funeral Feast” , remains the highlight here, driven by a perplexing, leftfield sludgehammer of a riff and accompanying, note-for-note floor tom beat. Fast forward to 02:32, and revel in the Gabriel-Fischer-on-downers majesty of that RIFF! Magic. The POWER TRIO aesthetic of the band really comes to the fore on “Deceased”, pretty much the quintessential centerpiece of the album, Yoshio Hasegawa and Jun Tonosaki alternating lead melody lines as Takashi Tanaka supplementing and supporting it all with supple, yet heavy as LEAD rhythm work. This isn't one of those records where bass and guitar coagulate into one acrid black mass, the bass is WHOLLY distinguishable from the Coralles-tuned guitars here, and sounds surprisingly clean throughout, providing consistent, meandering counterpoints to the flesh-shredding insistence of the guitars.

Yeah, this one's a winner. Haunting, genuinely oppressive death metal. Don't fucking miss it.

July 1st, 2006