Rating: 7.1

Country: Netherlands

Genre: Goregrind/Death Metal

Record Label: Rotten Roll Rex

Release Date: 2009

Track list:
1. Strap On Your Weapon
2. Mr. of Perversity
3. Whorified
4. Crackwhore Client
5. Praise the Load
6. Innocent Till Proven Filthy
7. Manaconda
8. Punk Rock Pussy
9. Sluts With Nuts
10. Cum Scene Investigation

Band Website: Hymen Holocaust

Hymen Holocaust - Hot Love

Morris - everything

Diabolical Conquest is doomed to review releases by Hymen Holocaust it seems. Someone in marketing once said “There is no such thing as bad publicity.” But what about the poor publicists? Two Hymen Holocaust releases on No Escape Records are reviewed on this webzine – Necromance was reviewed by Baz and it didn't get a very good review; the Self Titled release was reviewed by me and it got a worse rating. Just when we thought we had gotten rid of this band for good after giving two of their releases unflattering reviews, Marco of Rotten Roll Rex sends us their newest one.

I don't know whether Morris, the sole person responsibly for this gore madness, read our old reviews or not (he must have; they are all over the web!) but it would be nice to assume that he took our criticism seriously. It really does sound like he has worked on his weak areas. He has abandoned that unnecessarily cheap and fuzzy guitar tone on Self Titled album in favour of Bile-like massive leaden one. It now sounds like a solid brick wall moving towards you (albeit still slowly) and banging against your head. Even with the added clout of Cliteater, the music on Hot Love is a lot groovier and sloshier, as if Morris has overcome his shyness or grimness or whatever and is comfortable having some fun. The grooves here are fat and bouncy, well not off-the-ground bouncy but wobbling-all-over bouncy. They are alternated with seriously dark and ominous death metal riffs and it may get a bit awkward for you to find yourself suddenly moshing like a gorepig to a dark death metal part, but you will get used to it soon. It is as though Morris is a fun-loving kid who indulges in joyful gore-moshing every time his stern death metal father looks away. That happens often. And at times when he does get caught in the act, which pessimists would say was bound to happen, he is unable to stop himself and carries on doing that. Then I try to discipline him by shouting “Haha, stop that boy!” Admittedly, I do wish Morris would not go on gurgling Last Days of Humanity-style throughout the album; not only does it get a tad monotonous but the nice splattery pitchshifted vocals seem out of place during the brooding parts. For that he should take cues from the German pornogrind bands rather than someone like Bowel Fetus.

To predictably wrap up this review with an analogy, Hymen Holocaust on Hot Love is like a fat kid who has put on weight like an infant elephant and who in order to impress girls/listeners jumps and runs (tardily) all over the place. Though he doesn't speak intelligibly and constantly has spit around his mouth, he appears confident and has finally developed the attitude and energy to pull off those hefty grooves. For those not into analogies, Hot Love is Hymen Holocaust's best release I have heard till date. It has better cohesion, speed and song writing but it still suffers from dull parts that leave you bored and inert. In comparison with previous albums though, Morris has definitely hit the jackpot with Hot Love. He got the money and with it the pussy. Time for another Holocaust?

February 28, 2010