Impaled "The Last Gasp"

Tracklist: 01. G.O.R.E. 02. Sickness Is Health 03. The Visible Man 04. You Are The Dead 05. All Gut, No Glory 06. Up The Dose 07. Torture Of Duty 08. masters Of Ordure 09. Right To Die 10. Dawn Of The Dead 11. The Last Gasp Release: 2007 Genre: Death Metal URL: www.impaled.info Label: www.willowtip.com

Let's make a short trip back in time. In the year 2002 Impaled released a real classic in the Death Metal genre with "Mondo Medicale",which is 5 years later still able to convince and is also still assumed by many fans as the bands best work. 3 years later "Death After Life" followed; released through my personal hatred label Century Media. The apprehensions that Impaled would sink in total unit mash was nearly affirmed. Sure it was still Impaled, but through all the different experimental elements "Death After Life" just didn't want to ignite. Not let's get back to presence again. In the meantime they left Century Media and overleaped to Willowtip Records, on which also bands like Malignancy, Psycroptic or Odious Mortem can be found. Ok so "The Last Gasp" is the title of the fourth album from these US pathologists from St. Julien's and already with the first view on the cover artwork of this new CD one will clearly notice, that the times of Century Media experiments are over again. One could mean, that Last Days Of Humanity have released another CD, as the artwork just looks very sick. The Censorship authorities will puke blood and purulence with joy, even because one has completely renounced on a censored artwork. Here gore is written in capitals. Corresponding to the gory artwork the whole thing is starting with a track simply called "G.O.R.E.". Typical Impaled Screams done by Sean McGrath alternate with cool guttural growls from Ross Sewage, which are clearly further integrated into the tracks on "The Last Gasp" as it was the case on "Death After Life". Further the tempo has been increased a little bit. Indeed the definitely Carcass inspired faster mid-tempo way with some rock attitudes is still offered at a overbalancing part, but from time to time some grind elements are involved into the tracks and then the double bass is allowed to blast. Sure one should not expect blastbeats in light speed, but compared to classics such as "Raise The Stakes" or "Operating Theatre" the speed keeps itself quiet good on the same level. The biggest difference to the previous Impaled albums is for sure the track "All Gut, No Glory", which really is a mid-tempo roller and has some guttural vocals that are clearly orientated on "The Dead Shall Dead Remain" and also remind a little bit on vocals from Cock And Ball Torture. The upon following track "Up The Dose" is showing explicitly one more time that they didn't unlearnt anything since "Mondo Medicale". Refined also with some blast-deposits as well as the changing three-way singing this is indeed the track, that could be named in a slide with the classics from at that time. But also the remaining of these 11 tracks are able to convince due to a succeeded production. There's no really weak track available, as each one is offering something different and the alternation is hold high through guitar solos, samples and breaks. Talking about the lyrics one has of course not to resign on the sick thoughts from this St. Julien's troop. The show is going on as usual in the "Operating Theatre", for near 40 minutes until the curtain is falling again accompanied by the sounds from some trumpets. As a funny gag this album has been provided with a sticker, which implies that they are not gladly seen in 336 countries. If this number is correct could be doubted. All in all they are not able to leave the classic from 2002 behind with "The Last Gasp", however "Death After Life" has been put into the pocket more than distinctly. Impaled have found back on the correct track. They have been "mentally deranged", but now they are "cured" again.

Rating: 85 % | from ScYthe | Date: 05.11.07 | Time: 20:30	shut down