Artist: Impaled
Label: Century Media Records
Release Date: 3/8/05
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Title: Death After Life Artist: Impaled Label: Century Media Records Release Date: 3/8/05 |
Judgment Committee Reviews | Rating |
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5 | ||
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Abyss's Review:
The best little gorehouse in America has returned! Death After Life is another 'concept(ic) album' much in the way Mondo Medicale was. The songs are interspersed with campy, yet somewhat chilling, interludes of mad doctors with sadistic bedside manners. They plaster a smile on my face, and even once made me spit out my beer in a start of laughter ("Is this defibrillator even plugged in?").
"One word review: Entraileriffic!" Yes, this band's over the top style is still heavily influenced by Carcass and Autopsy, but to center on that is to miss the fact that these guys are presently the kings of the genre. They're at the gorefront, if you will. And the biggest reason for this is the music. All kidding and puns aside, this band have a real knack for writing technical riffs and presenting them with a loose, laid-back attitude that really makes this band stand out in a crowd.
Being quite the Mr. Bunglophile, I was excited to hear Trey Spruance's (and Billy Anderson's) effect on the album. The production/engineering is excellent, crisp yet also a bit dirty, but not a far departure from what the band has utilized previously. The leads tend to have a bit more light shined on them, but for the most part this album is exactly what one expects (and hopes) from this band. The riffs really slash and gnash with an (appropriately enough) chainsaw attack, and the songwriting provides song after song and riff after riff of meaty, groove-laden carnage, that is as infectious as it is delicious. New guitarist/throat Jason Kocal also enters the fold without the band missing a beat.
Impaled have really proven themselves to be well beyond the novelty act that too many mistake them for. And while their attitude may be a little hackneyed and slapstick, there is an unapologetic genius festering beneath the surface. One word review: Entraileriffic!
Death's Review:
I was psyched when Century Media picked up Impaled. Impaled were one of the best bands on the Necropolis roster, and I always thought they were one of the more underrated bands in the scene as a whole. Citing equal parts Carcass and Megadeth as influences, Impaled had a great sense of humor, killer, post-Carcass grind sensibilities and a great sense for killer groove and headbanging riffs. In my mind, all they were missing was a little extra in the production budget and a serious marketing push and they would be on their way. The Century Media signing was also of interest to me because it meant that the label was still interested in death and grind and was willing to invest in something other than the metalcore which has been wearing thin on these ears for some time now.
And here we are with the impending release of Death After Life. The verdict for me is that this is another killer Impaled album, lacking the highly elevated production values I was expecting but still at the core delivering the fun horror-medical sprit you'd expect and still grinding out the pummeling metal at every turn. All in all Death After Life is a great Impaled record, but I suppose my expectations were so high that the fact that this missing the mark in the sound department disappoints me enough to subtract one full skull in honor of what might have been. But don't get me wrong - if you've liked Impaled in the past you'll definitely be psyched about the new album. I know I am. I love the riffs, the vocals and the "skits" between songs about evil medical experiments. I really like the campy horror movie soundtrack music that kicks off the record too. So put on your lab coat and rip open the cadaver - Impaled are back and are as strong as ever. I’m not sure this is the total breakthrough I'd hoped for, but it is a great new album that I will be listening to long after this review has been posted.
"So put on your lab coat and rip open the cadaver - Impaled are back and are as strong as ever."
Hel's Review:
Once again, Impaled has taken the art of sound bites to an entirely new level. Death After Life finds the band with an entire original psuedo-storyline being told through these sound bites, thrillingly performed by the members of the band in an impressive tongue-in-cheek dramatic turn.
"Impaled is a band that knows how to write songs that are entertaining and infectious, while still being hilariously gruesome." Continuing on their never-ending quest to baffle and bemuse, the band has chosen to name certain tracks after some of their completed works. No, there was not a song named "The Dead Shall Dead Remain" on that album but, yes, there is one on this album. The same can be said for "Mondo Medicale" and "Medical Waste." Some not-so-hidden jokes for the fans, one may suppose.
Unfortunately, I do have one issue with this album, which is the rather muddy production job. While this is a glaring flaw, the gem nonetheless still manages to shine brightly, and I choose to overlook it and not let it trouble me as much as it normally would.
The fact remains that Impaled is a band that knows how to write songs that are entertaining and infectious, while still being hilariously gruesome. A new Impaled record is always an event in my book, and they have once again delivered a product that fulfills my rather high expectations. Slap on those surgical gloves, grab your scalpel, and begin your dissection of Death After Live immediately upon its release March 8th.
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