Cannibal Corpse
Live Cannibalism (Metal Blade)
by Tim Den
Even though I find myself moving further and further away from metal these days, I always come back for the greats: Deicide, Napalm Death, and, of course, Cannibal Corpse. These five guys just know how to do it right. If you’ve seen them live, you know to expect nothing less than sheer technical precision from their shows. Capturing all the jaw-dropping heaviness and scrutinized string-grinds on 18 songs, Live Cannibalism‘s choice of songs (every studio album is well represented, with the exception of smashing debut Eaten Back to Life which only gets one track), production (master engineer Colin Richardson once again delivering the goods), and performance are a ripping headache of a good time. Whether it’s the classic breakdown in the middle of “Meat Hook Sodomy,” the ridiculously catchy chorus of “Unleashing the Bloodthirsty,” or the circle-pit favorite “I Cum Blood,” there’s no stopping the pain. With the exception of minimal between-song-banter (not that we really need any with a band like Cannibal Corpse; even though the subject matter isn’t serious, I don’t think we really need to document misogynistic banter about whores and bloody fornication on a CD) and not being able to gawk at bassist Alex Webster’s flying fingers (guess you’ll have to get the live video to witness that), I’d say Live Cannibalism is just like being there (except there’s no “live cannibalism” going on, really). Don’t miss out on the ass-kicking.
(2828 Cochran St. PMB 302 Simi Valley, CA 93065)