Search - Bloodbath :: Resurrection Through Carnage

A Fun Death Metal Classic

James F. Colobus | Pittsburgh, PA United States | 02/14/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Several years ago, I was milling around the balcony of a small venue in Pittsburgh waiting for a concert by the dream team of Paradise Lost and Opeth to begin. Several rather menacing college students approached me, including a towering gentleman with a shaved head and goatee. Fearing they had targeted me for a random act of violence, I was relieved to find they simply wanted to know which band I was there to see. When I replied that I was almost equally eager to see both bands, I quickly found myself quickly integrated into their little group for the evening, even if I didn't share their view that Paradise Lost had `sold out' when Nick Holmes abandoned his early death metal vocal style. Upon discovering my work often took me to Africa, the hulking guy at the center of the group launched into a shockingly informed soliloquy on the social and economic problems plaguing the continent. He then claimed to be the starting nose guard for Pitt's nationally ranked football team, and lamented that his teammates rarely let him blast death metal in the locker room. After quizzing me about my favorite Opeth albums and my history as a death metal fan dating back to the early 90s, he suggested that I check out Bloodbath, a side project featuring Michael Akerfeldt he was sure I'd like.



The concert that night lived up to my expectations, though I was dismayed to see the treatment Paradise Lost received from some of the younger Opeth fans who jeered them. Opeth fans are among the most notoriously snobby metal fans, but it was sad to see their lack of respect for Paradise Lost, one of the greatest metal bands of all time. I was happy that at least my new friends applauded Paradise Lost even though the band focused primarily on their newer material. After Paradise Lost finished their set, Opeth put on a great show as well, much to the delight of everyone in attendance.



A few days after the concert, I recalled the recommendation the football player had made to me regarding Bloodbath. I looked up Bloodbath on Amazon.com and ordered Resurrection Through Carnage soon thereafter. I also googled the football player and it turned out he'd been telling the truth - he was indeed starting nose guard on Pitt's team as well as a two-time Academic All-American. The latter explained the facility with which he spoke about the problems besetting Africa. Despite metal's popular perception as music for morons, there are many intelligent and erudite metal fans out there.



When Resurrection Through Carnage arrived, I discovered quickly that it more than satisfied the old-school death metal fan in me. Chunky riffs, double kick drums, and garbled cookie monster vocals made it an instant favorite. But the attention to catchy song structure is what has over time elevated the album to classic status in my mind. The album is a model of consistency in a genre where filler is sometimes a problem. Still, Resurrection Through Carnage is not without its highlights. One of these highlights is the very first track, "Ways to the Grave", which begins with a slow, tense build-up that transitions into a classic death metal groove. The sudden transition into the guitar solo around the two-minute mark is also extremely pleasing, as is the abrupt ending consisting of a brief guttural vocal spasm. Additional favorites are "Death Delirium" with its catchy chorus and "Buried By the Dead", propelled by its great surging Unleashed-inspired riff. Yet another highlight is the dizzying "Bathe in Blood" whose powerful chorus erupts out of nowhere on two and only two occasions during the song - be patient and you will be rewarded by this song.



Resurrection Through Carnage hearkens back to a day when death metal was novel and `fun'. I'd prefer you didn't take the lyrics too seriously - I certainly never have. Bloodbath consists of several modern metal legends having fun with the music of their youth and inviting you to do the same. After receiving some good advice, I'm glad I accepted their invitation."

Sick and Brutal w/o Being "Monkey Like."

avgvstvs | Omaha NE | 10/14/2008

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Bands like Cannibal Corpse did absolutely nothing good for the genre. In fact it drove me away and made me miss some really good bands hiding in Cannibal-Corpse like cloting.



Bloodbath is one of those. I recently found out about them from Katatonia's website; no--Katatonia is NOT death metal but the main guy from that band, Jonas Renske--IS a guitarist for Bloodbath.



Another reviewer commented on the strange guitar tone; I've never-ever heard a fuzz-box on a death metal record... it tends to lose some of the good crunchy grind that the genre uses so much. But they got a really usable death-metal tone; and I will tell you that they're using a Big Muff Pi... I own one and usually don't use it because it flattens everything out too much... but I really give the guys props at making one of these sound so.... METAL.



That said the tone is also the one thing that prevents this from reaching a 5-star for me. You won't get any twin-leads or layered guitarwork very often because the nature of the muff is to turn all of your chords into a single indistinguishable note. I've been playing and listening to guitars for over twelve years, and I couldn't tell you what notes the guys are playing in a powerchord if I didn't know what a powerchord was in the first place. This limits the guitarists because you'll never be able to fully use all of your instrument; and both these guys are incredible. In the few instances where a 'real' lead pops up it is very clearly NOT in the same distortion as the normal part, which is common, but its an audible difference.



Mike from Opeth sounds different enough from his main outing that I would not have suspected him right off. All of his vocals are also slightly distorted; I wonder if this wasn't a deliberate attempt to mimic production from the early 90's.



The drums sound a little old-school... like when listening to really old Sepultura; dry as a bone, a little tinny on the snare, but very tight.



That said, with all the limitations they obviously placed on themselves, they knock this one out of the park. Everyone else here has already covered song highlights, I'll leave it to you to go and make the selection..."