Severe Torture - Bloodletting

Rating: 8.8

Country: Netherlands

Release Date: 2005

Track list:
1. Feces For Jesus
2. Baptized in Virginal Liquid
3. Decomposing Bitch
4. Impelled to Kill
5. Mutilation of the Flesh
6. Butchery of the Soul
7. Carnivorous Force
8. Misanthropic Carnage
9. Pray for Nothing
10. Lost Souls (Pestilence cover)
11. Till the End
12. Severe Torture
13. Baptized in Virginal Liquid
14. Lamb of a God
15. Taking Down the Descender

Total playing time: 50:27

Tracks 1-9 are live, Tracks 11-15 are from the “Baptized…” Demo
Tracks 1-9 recorded in Aarhus/Danmark by Tue Madsen
Track 10 recorded in Ijmuiden at Voodoo Sound Studio
Tracks 1-10 mixed by Hans Pieters at Excess Studio Rotterdam
Tracks 11-15 recorded & mixed in Utrecht at QSA Studio by Vincent Dijkers

Band Website: Severe Torture

Severe Torture - Bloodletting

Thijs Van LaarHoven - Guitars
Seth Van De Loo - Drums
Dennis Schreurs - Vocals
Patrick Boleij - Bass
Marvin Vriesde - Guitars

I like Severe Torture, I like Live albums, I like cover songs, I like evil and raw demos.
I like 'Bloodletting'. End of review, eh, just kidding!

But seriously, that's all this is, so you BETTER at least enjoy live recordings, and unfortunately I know most death metal dudes (and dudettes) don't so maybe you've already made up your mind. Regardless of the previous stated fact, if you DO enjoy live recordings this one does not offend. Contained on the live portion of 'Bloodletting' is approximately 32 minutes made up of 5 select hymns from the debut (The awesome 'Tomb of the Mutilated'-esque 'Feasting on Blood') and 4 crushers from the grindier, meaner follow up ('Misanthropic Carnage'). The recording is clear and volatile enough, yet I would personally would have liked to hear more of a crowd reaction. It doesn't sound as if there was any overdubbing, but it DOES sound like the crowd was remixed at a much lower volume, because one has to assume there would be SOME crowd noise at a Severe Torture show!

The downside to the live production would be the snare's trigger which has a rather loud, hollow pong/ponk sound to it we all know and some love. While I assumed that this would grow to be annoying, it never really did thanks to a great guitar mix. The bass playing is audible but lower in the mix than it's found on the studio recordings (drat! Patrick is amazing…and he shows just how so later on this “full length”). Overall I give the live portion of this album a SOLID 9 because I'm a nut for Severe Torture's brand of “Cannibal Corpse 'Tomb of the Mutilated' era with a current day production and no solos” death metal. The preferred live numbers on here would be “Decomposing Bitch” and “Butchery of the Soul” both come across particularly menacing and contusive. There would not have been anything wrong with having one or two more songs on here but with this particular release being close to an hour already I will cut them slack!

Next up is a Pestilence cover, “Lost Souls“ from 'Testimony of the Ancients'…!?!. Admittedly, I was apprehensive before it played. Would vocalist Dennis Schreurs “Chris Barnes” this number or will he shock me and go for a Patrick Mameli styled throaty death snarl. Lo and behold the glory of tradition! A throaty, acidic, meaty, heart felt, heaving, aggressive death snarl! Indeed I am content! The rest of the band does their best to emulate one of my all time favorites and to a definite success. Bassist Patrick Boleij (the Dutch have the coolest names…) seemingly with ease plays Tony Choy's lines with zero flaws-amazing! The tempo is slightly faster-much like Decapitated's Slayer cover of “Mandatory Suicide”. The production is neither muddy nor overtly bottom heavy, it's more of a mid range production but with plenty of bight-matches the original very well! Hearing one of your favorite new bands EFFECTIVELY cover one of your all time classic thrills is such a beautiful thing. Cheers Severe Torture, you truly have won me over. I hope you use this type of influence on your upcoming compositions! A proud, and almost emotionally charged 10 for such a killing cover (now I really want to hear how they did with their Cannibal Corpse -”Perverse Suffering“ cover!).

Rounding out this little compilation of sorts is the 'Baptized…' demo, Severe Torture's debut recording. Featuring former vocalist Eric de Windt who went on to play with Sinister (as a vocalist) and Destroyer 666 (as a drummer), Baptized shows off Severe Torture in their most raw and gruesome state. The vocals are slightly different, more moist and obscure, but still very similar to the vocals of today. We are given 2 songs that made their way to the debut and 3 that did not. The songs that did not make that cut may not have because they bare a closer resemblance to older, more demonic styled death than the “Corpse/Tomb” like tracks that DID. A part of me wishes the band had taken their “lurid, sinister and morbid” route rather than the “punish them with brutality” route-but then I think of how satisfied I am with the band now, with their current direction, so it really doesn't matter too much in the end! 7 for the demo, points deducted for having a somewhat split personality.

Is this mandatory? If you are a Severe Torture fan, surely! “Decomposing Bitch” comes across live perfectly and it's a good appetizer (if a bit lengthy) for the new album which I'm sure will more than satisfy. The Pestilence cover must be heard to be believed and the demo is cool enough to pass the test of multiple listens (especially the closer “Taking Down the Descender”). Non Severe Torture fans need no reason to bother. But PLEASE give the Pestilence cover a listen!

June 18th, 2005