Corpsegrinder – Corpsegrinder
Release Date: 25th February 2022
Label: Perseverance Music Group
Bandcamp
Genre: Death Metal, Hardcore, Thrash.
FFO: Cannibal Corpse, Hatebreed, Dying Fetus.
Review By: Trina Julian Edwards
In the wake of Cannibal Corpse’s critically acclaimed success, Violence Unimagined, beloved frontman, George “Corpsegrinder” Fisher, returns to the fray with his first solo album, Corpsegrinder, on February 25. Corpsegrinder is co-produced by Nick Bellmore (Dee Snider/Kingdom Of Sorrow) and Jamey Jasta (Hatebreed) and will be released through Jasta’s new label, Perseverance Music Group. Charlie Bellmore (Dee Snider, ex-Toxic Holocaust) takes the lead on both guitar and bass, while Nick Bellmore (Dee Snider, ex-Toxic Holocaust) slays on drums.
Corpsegrinder goes straight for the throat with the first track, Acid Vat, which features a guest appearance from Erik Rutan (Cannibal Corpse, Hate Eternal). Beginning with hectic drumming and thrashy guitars, it slides into a walloping groove while Fisher growls, “Into the acid vat / you must go…” It’s not particularly intricate or complicated, but the guitarwork, the groovy chorus, and the rousing transitions make this otherwise straightforward track noteworthy. The hardcore assault continues with Bottom Dweller. This standout track is relentless with riffs from start to finish, and Fisher’s guttural snarls (plus a few well-placed screams) perfectly complement the ferocious rhythm. The following track, On Wings of Carnage, gleefully lives up to its name. It’s a hooky little devil with a menacing 90s death metal mood and an inherent invitation to throw down in the pit.
If that wasn’t enough, All Souls Get Torn brings the thrash with a vengeance and closes with – dare I say – a breakdown? Get ready to hit the circle pit again, friends. Death is the Only Key takes the pace down a notch, but it doubles down on the heaviness. Fisher’s opening roar of “It’s your funeral!” is a jump-scare trigger worthy of any horror film. Crimson Proof is another track that starts out a little slower and weightier, but it quickly escalates to a breakneck speed before slamming on the brakes and hitting that final groove.
Devourer of Souls is a mid-tempo headbanger with some sexy beatdown elements and lively guitar leads, overlaid with Fisher’s relentless vocal onslaught. Likewise, Defined by Your Demise is a hefty mid-tempo track with solid guitarwork, including an engaging little guitar solo. As usual, Fisher’s vocals are unwavering in their intensity. Master of the Longest Night is memorable for its ominous opening riff and that punch-to-the-face hardcore aggressiveness. The album closes with Vaguely Human, which is the musical equivalent of a barely held together vehicle careening full-throttle toward the edge of a cliff. The blackened vibes are unexpected but not unwelcome, and gave the track some additional flair.
Overall, this is a fun listen, and there’s no denying the vocals are Corpsegrinder at the height of his powers. This amalgamation of death metal, thrash, and hardcore, while nothing groundbreaking, also doesn’t scream recycled riffs from Cannibal Corpse or Hatebreed (although fans may find elements of both here and there given the circumstances). Fisher isn’t charting any new territory on Corpsegrinder, like many artists do when striking out on their own; instead, he’s sticking to what he knows best – old school death metal with hammering riffs, chunky grooves, and those iconic growls.
(4 / 5)
