Review Summary: Come and get it, you motherfuckers!
There is always a nauseating stench in the air preceding the raids of the world's most infamous cannibal gang; a stink of blood and fear that brings a sense of impending death. You know suffering is coming and there's nothing you can do about it, no matter how much you shield yourself with the pop sensation of the week or some lucky charms blessed by the Dalai Lama himself. You're done, and you know it. So stop fighting and go grab your worn-out Slayer t-shirt, an axe, and embrace the pain; for they're coming, this time with ten new tracks revolving around zombies, pitchfork impalements, human trafficking, mass mutilation, dismemberment, and… oddly enough, knives (go figure). A complete, full-blooded package presented by the same homicidal crew who brought you
Violence Unimagined, including guitarist and producer Erik Rutan, who once again shares guitar duties with Rob Barrett.
Composed shortly after its predecessor,
Chaos Horrific follows in the footsteps of
Violence Unimagined, musically and production-wise, making them close relatives, so to speak. A somewhat expected outcome given the band's well-known reluctance to change and the fact that, once again, they chose to record at Erik Rutan's studios in Florida. There's nothing wrong with playing it safe, let alone a band that rarely ventures outside of its comfort zone. However, despite loving how the album sounds, I'd like to see the lads delve into deeper acoustic dimensions, as they did on
A Skeletal Domain. This would provide greater contrasts (production-wise) with
Violence Unimagined, giving
Chaos Horrific a more distinctive look and feel. Musically, it explores Cannibal Corpse's trademark sonic rollercoaster: overwhelming fast tempos ('Overlords of Violence', 'Frenzied Feeding'), crushing slow-paced sections ('Summoned For Sacrifice', 'Blood Blind') and compelling grooves ('Pestilential Rictus'), all with that unique neanderthal vibe we've come to love. As with the predecessor, Erik Rutan's songwriting makes itself felt again on songs like 'Summoned For Sacrifice' and 'Drain You Empty', adding a Hate Eternal-esque layer to the mix while injecting more diversity and technicality into the formula without detracting from it. The closing track is where Erik's presence becomes most evident, namely with its multi-layered power chords and reverb-laden tremolo picking, which stands out as one of the album's most unusual and contrasting nuances. Although Cannibal Corpse's strength lies in their reliability and stylistic consistency rather than innovation, I like it when the boys add some freshness, however subtle. The restrained 'Blood Blind' and 'Frenzied Feeding' also feature some interesting textures from both ends of the spectrum, with the latter entering territory akin to
Violence Unimagined's 'Ritual Annihilation'. Everything about
Chaos Horrific screams steadiness, maturity, and professionalism, which ultimately translates into absolute carnage. An unrelenting onslaught carried out by a highly trained squad of homicidal maniacs who have specialized in the art of killing (and riffing) for a few decades now.
Grab your weapons, lads, for the cannibal gang is back in a chaotic frenzy. Yes, I'm talking to you, boy; it's time to man up and start chopping some heads off. The zombie horde is right on your doorstep, and by the looks of things, you'll either join the death squad or you'll be cut to ribbons. But judging by the empty, dead look in your eyes, and that blood in your mouth, I know you'll do just fine.
Come and get it, you mother***ers!
