Rating: 8.5

Country: USA

Release Date: 2005

Track list:
1. Buried Alive VI: Stabbed, Beaten and Pregnant [mp3]
2. Amputation Of The Wrong Leg pt. II
3. Punched, Burned, Strangled and Decapitated
4. Living With The Mummy
5. Dead Garbage II: Strangled Babies Shoved In Bags
6. Skull Soccer Pt. II
7. Get High On A Dead Dog
8. Registered Sex Offender Lives Here
9. Foetal Remains In A Trash Compactor
10. The World Is A Stage…For Murder!
11. Sex Slaves
12. Self Devourment (Hideous Mangleus cover)
13. He Ate His Own Penis
14. He Attacked Her With A Chainsaw
15. Bake The Baby
16. Severed Head In My Hand
17. Hot Wedding And Burning Hearts
18. Bulldozer Blues
18. Outro

Band Website: Embalming Theatre

Embalming Theatre - The World Is A Stage...For Murder!

Pat E. - Bass
Esop Moced - Vocals
A. Dice - Guitar
P. Halous - Guitar
Li Quescent - Drums

Being a loyal fan of 90s Extreme Metal, I was overjoyed to note the old skool Deathcore feel of this release! I understand this is the second full length recording by Embalming Theatre, alongside a nice collection of split 7" EPs and other such underground frolics. The short 'n' punchy, grime-coated tracks to which we are treated employ nostalgic, nihilistic crush-rhythms and uplifting, noddable riffs, delivered with much conviction and vigour. To this reviewer, the album is like a hazy snapshot of that critical period during the 90s where the overlap of Death Metal and Gore/Grind appeared to be more prominent, back when the fusion of filthy rehearsal room blast and seething Grind-paroxysms with detuned guitar anti-virtuosity and grotesque, grooving riffage was executed more often.

I see this release as a compressed, bijou package of dust-covered Death and Grind, featuring sizeable splashes of vintage Blood and snatches of dusty 'n' forgotten Sexorcist material, along with some Hideous Mangleus and bit of Putrid Scum. Because structure and performance is good and cohesive, the disc doesn't contain any of the sprawling, elasticised 'Symphonies of Sickness' riffs, nor the unbridled, Impetigo style vomit-vox upchuck which I predicted afore playing the album, seeing as it was my first experience of Embalming Theatre. In pursuit of the adrenaline-infused groove throughout, the band manages to capture it without sounding contrived or clinical, unashamedly performing wonderfully catchy vokill-lines and riffs. This important catchiness is conveyed not only by the near-unforgettable riffery, but also by the highly infectious vokills. Unlike many Grind acts of today, who drown out their potential hooks with unrelenting snare-abuse and negate their lyrics [if any] by vocalising them with continuous, burbling 'reeeeeeeeeeeeee' laziness, Embalming Theatre place enormous importance upon writing memorable songs. I found it refreshing to hear unambiguous verses and choruses, with pleasing recursions of cutting riffs and clear, growl-along vokill (un)melodies, usually involving agreeable repetitions of the song-title. This is aided by excellent diction, many of the words sufficiently enunciated, making them decipherable without consulting the lyricsheet. Here and there, the gruff yet clear vokill style recalled Mucupurulent, as well as some old Brazilian splatter such as Rotting Flesh, and perhaps even Uterus, one of the better bands of the DIY drum-machine Gore scene circa 2003.

The production is perfect for the Embalming Theatre sound, with both clarity and dirt in appropriate measures. Whilst the brisk Grinding jollities of the tracks may have benefited from less murk, a cleaner production would of course remove the critical Grind-nerve and overall charm of the release.

In summary then, extremely likeable Grind/Death, or even Grind 'n' Roll, with plenty of distinguished, memorable moments, enough blast to satisfy without chipping away at the effective structures and an abundance of unmistakable catchiness. I'd recommend this to fans of older European Grindcore, who also enjoy some of the more recent good-time Grind bands from, say, Razorback Records, but wish to hear their favourite sounds being swathed in the production values of yesteryear and delivered with a conviction and attitude that has long since been left to suppurate in favour of overused, overmixed snare drums and amphibious laryngeal daftness. Although I appreciate the way in which the genre is being bludgeoned daily into a faster, sicker, excessive form of entertainment by hordes of bands, I'm always grateful of bands such as Embalming Theatre, who still recognize the value of digestible songs.

April 8th, 2006