Rating: 8.2

Country: USA

Release Date: 2005

Track list:
1. My Inner Demon
2. S.T.F.C.
3. Rush - Hour Killing Spree
4, Putrid Pile (Of Rotting Corpses)
5. Baby Brains
6. Gorging On Labia
7. Rip Her To Shreds
8. Battered Bitch
9. Bind, Torture, Kill
10. Caged And Awaiting Death
11. Circlepit Commando
12. Food For The Maggots [mp3]

Band Website: Putrid Pile

Putrid Pile - The Pleasure In Suffering

Shaun LaCanne - Vocals, Guitars, Bass, Drum Programming, and Drum Overdubs

‘The Pleasure In Suffering' is the sophomore album of this American one-man band (at least until this album was released) playing brutal death metal. If you happen to suffer because of this, blame it solely on Shaun LaCanne because he's the one who'll be deriving most pleasure out of it. But if you aren't a wimp and are well hardened with this genre, then he's equally deserving of your undivided gay love and affection.

Now with that cleared, let's get on to the music description. If you aren't blind, you must've noticed the words “American” and “brutal death metal” used in the first sentence of this review. Usually one is accustomed to associate it with music that goes like “JUN-JUN-JUN-JUN” x 30mins, but as it turns out, Putrid Pile has shattered that stereotype by playing music that sounds more European than American – unless he's actually from Europe, say the Netherlands and has smuggled himself to the US. Why the Netherlands you ask? Because you dimwit, the music here is pretty much in the vein of the Dutch acts such as Prostitute Disfigurement, Severe Torture and to a lesser extent even Caedere (much slimmer and energized though)+. The music he plays is very sensible too; he plucks out influences from conventional death metal acts like Panzerchrist, Anasarca, at times even Vomitory, and sticks it in his butt before shaking it madly like a rooster in the face of his dumber counterparts. Hang on now, hold back your racist attack on Shaun, he's quite inclined to the American culture as well – I'm saying that because I can also hear the omnipresent Cannibal Corpse touches, the shitty (not in the literal sense) Waco Jesus, Texas death metallers Prophecy and slammin' Dying Fetus parts in the music.

What I can't come to terms with is the unabashed Panzerchrist influence on this album. I mean what are the chances of an American brutal death metal band playing the same kind of riffs played by a band like Panzerchrist? Not only the riffs, even the drumming and vocals sound similar. So scary, but perhaps that's the reason why I like this album so much. Then there are quite a few similarities between Putrid Pile and Lividity that I could ascertain. I also found the opening of the song “Blind, Torture, Kill “ resembling Christ Denied's “Festerchrist”. Um, so my point is that the music here is fine but not mind-blowingly original - don't tell me you actually expected that, even in your dreams. But you'll be surprised to know that their songs are exquisitely written and are really well structured. Looking at this kind of genre, it's almost magical. Plus you have sweet fucking riffs that will force a smile even on the most serious and stuck-up death metal fan, and carefully laid amidst them are some powerful Deicide-like bursts of Prophecy and mighty chugs and breakdowns of bands like (new) Godless Truth, Soils of Fate or Vomit Remnants which are sure to excite the br00tal fans.

To give you a couple of examples, in “Caged and Awaiting Death” there is this great part where you have a very brief but ceiling scarring lead that is followed almost suddenly by a mad thumping riff, creating an explosive effect and making you leap across the room like a frog in tatters. Un-real. But wait till you hear the opening riff of the last song “Food for the Maggots” - it's not only the best riff of this album, but the best one I've heard since… well, a long time. Hearing that, your fists just take off like face-seeking missiles and keep swerving like a live snake until they meet their designated target. Sadly in my case there was no one around so they met their target with my own.

The production is so slick it's as if it were smeared with oil and all the instruments shine out well as a result. More mass would've definitely helped but it's still good. The drum machine in particular is thinner than preferred, but in spite of that, it sounds fairly decent and is programmed proficiently. I've however maintained that the presence of a human drummer is most beneficial and I'm glad to know that Shaun too shares that view. The vocals are extracted wonderfully from his mouth/throat/lungs/ass/girlfriend without the usage of any effects and very few would've believed it if it weren't mentioned in the booklet. It comes out in various forms but mainly it's guttural grunts and rasps, the latter sounding close to the ones done by Waco Jesus on their first album. They shouldn't be overused though as they tend to have a nagging effect like during the latter part of this album. Dudes from Screaming Afterbirth return the favour by doing guest vocals on this album, with the dude from the band Lupara also accompanying him. Sweet.

This is one of the best brutal death metal albums I've heard in recent times, by a band showing frightening potential. Even all you oblivious weaklings out there, don't you dare commit the mistake of dismissing them as a Putrid Pile of shit, rather think of them as a Putrid Pile of rich European chocolate. Mmmm.

March 7th, 2006