Rating: 9.2

Country: USA

Release Date: 2003

Record Label: Forever Underground

Track list:
1. Hollowed Out Cunt
2. Axe VS Throat
3. Female Face Breaker [MP3]
4. Lactating Blood
5. Crush the Skull…Consume the Contents
6. Shit Stuffed and Broiled
7. Her Spaded Anus
8. Burnt off Human Face
9. Impetuous Bloodshed

Total Playing Time: 29:10

Band Website: Mutilated

Mutilated - Devirginated Genital Pulp

Ryan Hall - Guitar
Tony Cosgrove - Drums
Adam Meindal - Bass on tracks 1-8
Justin Emery - Vocals
Russ Crossman - Gguitar, backing vocals, bass on track 9

It's just my opinion but I feel the American “Brutal Death” is severely plagued by an overcrowding disorder, full of faceless, charmless bands who simply can not satisfy any of my desires musically. So many worthless bands doing the same thing with the same album covers and the same production values and same musical ideologies. All just as plain, bland and as trite as the other. Thank God for bands like Mutilated, who-yes-do take influences from here and there (some strong some more subtle) are able to stand above a crowd and earn my respect with ease in the process. Mutilated is one of the few bands in the “American Brutal Death” scene with character!

If I were to refer Mutilated's style and sound I would relate them to: the vocal style of Mortician, deep thick, bottom heavy , moaning groans, spiced with a few inhaled putrefactive vocals. Usually I don't care for the inhale vocals as I feel too many bands beat them to death and they are almost always entirely too faceless (see: Pustulated), thankfully here they are only used as back ups. The guitar department? Oh yes, a variety of angles appear here. A strong Cannibal Corpse influence is apparent. As in EVERY era of Cannibal Corpse, you'll find riffs here that could fit on 'The Bleeding', 'Vile' and 'Blood Thirst' and of course plenty of 'Butchered at Birth' and 'Tomb of the Mutilated'-isms. Cannibal Corpse fans would salivate with morbid lust over tracks like violently grooving “Axe vs. Throat“.

I also detect traces of Morgue, the French Morgue with their dark, obscure and often bizarre atmosphere, and all of those wild pinch harmonics out the ass, ears and nostrils (“Female Face Breaker“…). But don't think the band is that limited, oh no… Fans of Iniquity will even crack a sinister smile at some of the bizarre riffs/time shifts (“Lactating Blood” is full of crazy riffing!). Also I often think how perfect of a follow up this would be to Regurgitation's Tales of Necrophilia, with the blending of crushing heaviness, subtle evilness and overt extremism alongside the old school sensibilities of catchiness and brilliant solos. Did I say solos?!?! Oh my yes, loads of solos litter this album in a glorious manner, tapping, tremolo abuse, nimble fingered fret board molestation, heaps of lovely leads of all sorts (the solos on “Burnt off Human Face” are simply excellent). Final track “To Fuck the Rotted” loosely reminds me of something Vile would have written for the 'Stench of the Deceased' album., especially the lead work near the end of the song. Also some songs here seem to have thrash sensibilities but within a brutal death context (“Burnt off Human Face” & “Impetuous Bloodshed”). The bass work is excellent-however buried by the mix, which is a shame because well trained ears will hear the talent that unfortunately doesn't shine very well thanks to the guitar heavy production.

The drums, while heavily triggered never annoy with a overly loud mix. Expect no aggravatingly obnoxious “PWONG” or “TOANG” snare sounds mixed higher than the guitars, expect no “CLICKITY CLICKITY CLICKITY” kicks ala Tim Yeung (most overrated drummer ever…). In fact I sometimes feel that Tony Cosgrove is one of the smartest drummer in the new school American scene, because he actually LET'S THE MUSIC BREATH (I'm looking RIGHT AT YOU Tim Yeung!!!!). So kudos to you Mr.Cosgrove for not only your excellent job behind the kit but for that gruesome cover art! Too bad you're no longer with Mutilated, hopefully they won't suffer with such a loss.

As mentioned previously the production is guitar heavy-yet balanced for the most part (the bass could have been mixed MUCH higher). Thanks to Chris Djurcic, (Gorgasm, Fleshgrind, Incestuous etc.) everything comes across beautifully…brutal! A massive wall of concrete crashing down with furious and merciless velocity. Listen to this on head phones and let it force your brains out of your nose, don't bother with a tissue or trying to stop the cerebral flow… after the music worms it's way into your cranium-it's all you'll need to get by in life (had to stick a ridiculous line like that somewhere in my review).

This album is a fantastic balance of new school brutality and extremism and the old school tradition of actually writing GOOD SONGS. As long as I've had this album, and as many times as I've played it, to it's credit it has not gotten old or bland, it seems to age fairly well for as long as it's been out and I believe this is mostly due to the variety within the brutality!

Another testament to this albums strengths is a good chunk of this review was written while I was at work, unable to listen to the music as I wrote. The songs were able to stick themselves close enough to my brain to the point where I could practically hear them in my mind, amazing Mutilated, welcome yourselves among my personal elite!

Now, before my concluding paragraph it's time to unfortunately expose the negative aspects of this release.
#1 The anal sex intro was a bit long, funny the first time, but now I find myself fast forwarding. I feel strongly that an overabundance of intros is a terrible idea, as well as overly long intros regardless of the number of them. An intro lasting a few seconds is fine (“Shit Stuffed and Broiled” is a quality example), but the intro to “Her Spaded Anus” simply runs too long.
#2 The bass could have been higher in the mix, thus adding even more color to the already wonderful compositions.
#3 Some songs, specifically opener “Hollowed Out Cunt” and “Lactating Blood” could have benefited with a little more meat in the arrangements and could have been at least 30 seconds longer and in turn, more effective.

Aside from the very miniscule negative aspects I rank this particular slab of “Brutal American Death” proudly high!
Not only recommended for fans of Cannibal Corpse, Morgue, Mortician, Vile and Regurgitation-also recommended for fans of Deranged, Severe Torture and Gorgasm. And with that being said, you ARE ordering this now, right!?!?!!!!

July 3rd, 2005