Exhumed "Anatomy is Destiny" CD
[Relapse]
Hot fucking damn! This is by far and wide the absolute best thing Exhumed has ever done. It's pretty much right along the lines of their previous work but much tighter and more precisely played, with a stunning recording compliments of Neil Kernon (Who would've thought?), and a lot of energetic songwriting that really leaves a mark. I've read numerous reviews comparing this record to "Heartwork", but that's not accurate at all. The only manner in which this record compares to "Heartwork" is that Exhumed has very obviously been majorly influenced by Carcass, and like "Heartwork", "Anatomy is Destiny" is an immense progression for Exhumed. But it does not sound like "Heartwork" at all. Really, if you ask me, and I know that many will disagree, but it sounds sort of like "Symphonies of Sickness" with a perfect fucking recording, longer songs, a bit more technicality and fluidity, and a shitload of furious energy. Yes, there are some really melodic solos, and sure, there are some slower riffs here and there. But there's more feeling to the playing and songwriting, and the performances have so much more overall force thanks to the production quality. It's insane. And it's aggressive as fuck! This is nowhere near as melodic as even "Necroticism...", so don't buy those lazy comparisons. I fucking can't believe how amazing the recording is. The bass tone is thick and distorted and you can actually make it out beneath the guitars, the vocals are clearer than ever and mixed perfectly, the drums sound fine... and the guitar tone. It's absolutely pristine for this style. It's heavy as fuck, it's got a nice bite of texture to it, but it's totally fucking clear as well. Amazing. The layout is pretty typical for Exhumed, aside from the fact that the cover image is a stark and artistic medical photo that is a bit more "true to life" in its twisted appearance. Inside though there are gruesome photos of the band members, granted I must confess that things look more realistic this time around, though I wouldn't say humor has been totally abandoned. I love the way the handwritten lyrics look, the text is small and can be hard to read, but it definitely works 100%. The lyrics are also similar, but this time longer and more involved, without as much blatant humor or anything like that, just sticking to the gory topics and snippets of medical jargon here and there. This is a fucking great disc. I've been waiting for Exhumed to drop something of this caliber for years. Fucking stellar. This shits all over everything that every other band of this nature has released in the last several years. The Carcass worship throne has been reclaimed, and I can't see any other band toping this masterpiece anytime soon. (8/10)
Running time - 45:03, Tracks: 11
[Notable tracks: Waxwork, The Matter of Splatter, Arclight]
Exhumed - http://www.exhumed.us

This review has been displayed 2405 times.