Splatterhouse/Gruesome Stuff Relish "split" CD
[No Escape]
Splatterhouse (Portland) kicks things off with three tracks of vicious Carcass worship plus a cover of Haemorrhage's "Decom-Posers" (which, of course, also sounds not unlike Carcass). Not surprisingly they sound similar to early Exhumed or Impaled, and hence Carcass, but they've got a fucking great recording that really gives their material an edge. The mix is nice and even, the tones are thick and retain tons of texture, etc. I wouldn't change anything, because most bands of this nature sound like crap by comparison. Expect a good dose of speed and some chunky midpaced rhythms with lots of vocal shifts between sick low growls, midrange grunts, and bitter high-end sneers, as well as just a smidge of melody buried in there. Original? Nope. But they're dead on the money for what they're going for. Gruesome Stuff Relish (Spain) knocks out five tracks in less than seven minutes, again sounding similar to the whole Carcass worship style of gore grind. Their recording is a little thin and raw, especially compared to that of Splatterhouse, but they can get by I suppose. I'd like to hear more of a bass presence and a slightly fuller guitar sound, but it's not the worst thing I've heard. Many of the tracks get into a little more speed and throw down some quick solos (check the 30-second blast of "Don't Feel Shame"), but they knock out some killer breaks as well. The layout's not bad, it's pretty straightforward. Most everything is high contrast red and black with white text, and the cover shows some zombies tearing a woman's clothes off. I'm annoyed by the fact that the cover art is blurry for some reason, so it looks a little rough, but had it been clear everything would've turned out alright. Lyrics are included for both bands, and you should know what to expect. Splatterhouse gives you more gore for your buck since their lyrics are about four times as long as Gruesome Stuff Relish's, though. This is a really brief split, but in my opinion fans of this style should grab this fucker for the Splatterhouse material alone. I've heard better from Gruesome Stuff Relish, but Splatterhouse is a band to keep an eye on. (7/10)
Running time - 18:58, Tracks: 9
[Notable tracks: Maggot Sermon, Awash in Gore, Splatterhouse, Don't Feel Shame, Zombie Madness]
No Escape Records - http://www.noescaperecords.com

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