GOMORRHA - Body (P)art CD | REVIEWS | Third Full Length album from the German Brutal Death Metal band

Robert - Guitar
Rene - Bass
T.J. Meathook - Vocals
Flo - Drums
Jan - Guitar, Vocals

Like most of their brutal German peers, Gomorrha too played beefy Cannibal Corpse influenced death metal. Sexual Perversity by Autopsy was a fine example of that, a powerful and aggressive album with fleshy riffs, ass-grabbing hooks, and loads of clout. Enjoyable as that form of music was, progression became imperative for Gomorrha as they could only play in this manner for so long before it got redundant, especially with so many other bands doing the same thing. Brutal compatriots Maledictive Pigs went first, shedding their bulk in favour of a trim, energetic and diversified sound on Soul Surgery. Perhaps encouraged by their successful image transformation, Gomorrha too went under the knife for a makeover, a comparatively more conservative and calculated one, which would give them scope for better speed and dynamics for their next album without betraying their roots or alienating their fan base.

Body (P)art emerges out of the operation room as a slicker, faster and meaner son of a bitch. The bulky freight train has been transformed into an ugly aerodynamic monster on wheels. Album opener “Conjuration” is a slow to mid paced instrumental evocative of Cannibal Corpse circa Gallery of Suicide, and as the song progresses so does its speed. They burst their way into “The Sirens” breaking all speed barriers to become unstoppable in their momentum that is maintained almost throughout the album. You can feel the exhilarating surge of rising speed in this song that is emphasised by porcine squeals, and if there were actual sirens they would almost certainly go off. Moving firmly on the tracks laid by Cannibal Corpse, the next few songs have riffs that are similar to their contemporaries, Severe Torture and Prostitute Disfigurement, but unlike them, Gomorrha don't come to a near stop in order to play catchy chug-riffs or change tracks to play leads of a melodic nature. Their sole focus is to rampage at maximum speed on just the track that is familiar to them, smashing to smithereens anything that gets in their way.

That is not to say Body (P)art is devoid of variations. Gomorrha are able to regulate their speed so masterfully that you can actually feel the inertial forces acting on your body; it is as if you were somehow connected to the music in motion. Your body nearly leans backwards when Gomorrha accelerate their pace, and after cruising at the desired neck-breaking speed, either they begin to chug raucously or suddenly let go of the controls and allow the momentum of the music to carry it forward. This usually happens in the form of slow paced hooks, making you feel as though the Gomorrha train has come to an abrupt halt after crashing into something solid, but instead of getting crushed in the carnage, you are hauled forward in the air where you drift in a suspended state for a limited period of time before you land on the back of another devilishly speeding train ahead. Processed sounding vocals that are actually unprocessed and probably sound better, have a wide range that is brilliantly utilised according to the varying pace and tempo changes: usually a contest of high and low pig grunts takes place during the unrestrained chugging or rampaging parts, high pitched squeals go along with accelerating music, and long hoarse growls when the hooks are unleashed.

Drumming is simply inhuman, and when coupled with its timely application and dexterity, most drum machines would immediately start spurting sparks of envy. The sound is cohesive and has a slight metallic tinge to it that lends to the album a ruthless mechanical feel. The album also has a Napalm Death cover of their classic song “Unchallenged Hate” which Gomorrha have done interestingly in their unmitigated hacking style. To conclude the album, there are three different songs representing three parts of the same song, “Love. Heart. Bodyart”. These songs, while almost as brutal, are darker, sicker, and more experimental in comparison with the other songs, very much reminiscent of the under-appreciated second half of Gallery of Suicide. Played with similar demented delight like the rest of the songs, these ones in particular have a pompous air to them, the kind a serial killer would have after successfully executing his heinous plans.

Gomorrha have taken Cannibal Corpse-inspired brutal death metal to a new level. Not only is Body (P)art the most accomplished work of their career, with the kind of unsurpassed smart brutality and speed on it, Gomorrha have actually created a new benchmark for this form of music. Their only drawback is their single-tracked approach which naturally makes their music sound one-dimensional. Brutalheads, I dare you to climb aboard this well-oiled German contraption and come down unscathed.

Gomorrha - Body (P)art