Cannibal Corpse - Torture
Metal Blade
Death Metal
12 songs (43:51)
Release year: 2012
Cannibal Corpse, Metal Blade
Reviewed by Tony
Album of the year
Before fielding any questions regarding this review: Yes, I am the guy who is crazy for Cannibal Corpse and yes, I have not written a review in weeks.

That being said, maybe I should have waited a few weeks before I let the dust settle to review this. I have waited far too long for the latest meaty slab of gore from our favorites here in Florida. Torture arrived in my mailbox after I probably viewed the sampled track online about fifty times. Evisceration Plague was nothing above an 80 / 100. The score given on MR was as fair as it gets. The song structure was laden with eclectic time changes as usual, but something didn’t feel right. The guitar tone was there, and the bands’ performance was excellent as always, but it didn’t feel right… In seeing Cannibal Corpse live a year or so ago, I realized that much of their track lineup featured material from The Wretched Spawn and Kill. Of course, the finale and the encore was Chris Barnes era tracks from Tomb of the Mutilated and The Bleeding.

So of course, a major follow up was expected. Part of me was expecting this to be everything I had dreamed of, but the other half of me (the reviewer) had me waiting – waiting for some sort of flaw to appear. I had to take this with a grain of salt, as to not smear my reputation as an unbiased fan. What I found was nothing short of brilliant. This is an album that ten years from now will challenge as Cannibal Corpse’s best work. It will attack Tomb of the Mutilated in its virulence, Kill for its pace, and The Bleeding for its diversity. In the review of Evisceration Plague, the reviewer made sense in stating that the sheer simplicity of Kill was what made it what it was. Musically, it had the frenetic time changes, blast beats, and shredding strings that made the band what it is, but something about it seemed effortless in a positive way. Of course, Torture made a return to the whole “pin our ears back and f***in slay” ideal. With the refreshment of insanity, Cannibal Corpse did make some minor changes.

Paul used a metronome for once whilst recording. He hadn’t done this for quite some time. Paul is a basic drummer with little to no flair. He is the background and the punch behind the band. His bomb blasts were game changing at the time, and they still add that thump in your chest when you hear their shows. Paul’s beats are faster, tighter, and his fills exceed anything he has ever done. For once in his career, Paul has exited the normality of his textbook drumming and added some of his own flavor.

The guitars are as expected: incredible. It seems as if Rob Barrett and Pat O’Brien have some sort of never-ending chasm they can reach into and find new riffs. The new set of riffs follow in similar suit of their past, but they have a different feel. There are even small nodes of melody in songs like Sarcophagic Frenzy. The band slows down during Scourge of Iron to bring a doom-like visage to their sound, only to break out with a fast solo and an insane duo of Encased in Concrete and As Deep as the Knife Will Go. The latter could be the biggest hit from the album due to its nasty groove and Paul’s excellent performance.

The sound is thicker on the album. This is in part due to the improved drums and of course the nasty guitars. However, the best musician in the band, Alex Webster, is entirely audible. For once with a decent set of speakers it is possible to audibly hear the unreal talent this man possesses. He could rival for one of the best bassists in the world, solidifying his stance with a quick bass solo in The Strangulation Chair.

There is no point in even talking about individual songs. Everything from the revitalized production to each individual performance screams of progress and transition. The guitars have the time to work independently and duel with phenomenal solos, yet in concert during riffs bring the heat that only these two can bring. I can’t say that it’s their best ever, but it’s better than Kill, Vile, and Bloodthirst. Cannibal Corpse have gained a step as they age. There is no stopping them right now. After around ten listens through, it is hard to let the hype die down. Let’s just say when they break out this lineup live there will be some real bloodshed in the pit.

Killing Songs :
It's not a CC album without the pregnant girl!
Tony quoted 100 / 100
Other albums by Cannibal Corpse that we have reviewed:
Cannibal Corpse - Chaos Horrific reviewed by Goat and quoted 75 / 100
Cannibal Corpse - Violence Unimagined reviewed by Goat and quoted 84 / 100
Cannibal Corpse - A Skeletal Domain reviewed by Goat and quoted 70 / 100
Cannibal Corpse - Bloodthirst reviewed by Tony and quoted 83 / 100
Cannibal Corpse - Butchered at Birth reviewed by Tony and quoted 96 / 100
To see all 14 reviews click here
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