Maximum Metal Rating Legend

Pathology Incisions of Perverse Debauchery Company: Grindhead Records Release: 2008 Reviewer: Al Kikuras Genre: Death

Rating 3.5

Calculating, dangerously intelligent criminal mind with a murderous streak

I've been playing a lot of Resident Evil 4 on the PS2 lately. Loving it to the point that I finished the game after about 50 hours of game play, I started playing it again immediately. Can you tell I live alone right now? Being separated sucks, but I have to admit, there are one or two decent things about it...unlimited video game time.

Anyway, I digest. Or digress. The cover of Incisions of Perverse Debauchery reminds me very much of some of the scenes in Resident Evil 4, so we were off on the good foot from the start. Judging by the logo and cover (and let's be honest, this isn't a book...there are a lot of death metal records you CAN judge by the cover), I expected mindless and barbaric death metal ala Mortician. While this certainly is brutal beyond belief, mindless I wouldn't call it. Single-minded maybe, but Pathology are a calculating, dangerously intelligent criminal mind with a murderous streak to Mortician's sloppy, axe-wielding, spree killer that dies in a rain of bullets and buckshot after mowing through half a dozen people.

Hooks? Naah, there ain't many here aside from the meat variety. Pathology maintain an impressive level of intensity throughout the just under 30 minutes making up Incisions of Perverse Debauchery. It may not be catchy... EVER... but your jaw is guaranteed to drop at just how over-the-top this slab is. The vocals are of the scraping-the-bowel variety and their entire sound has much in common with Brodequin when it comes to that wall-of-sound, "holy shit, it's a death metal tsunami," type of atmosphere. If you are not a seasoned death metal or grindcore fan, Pathology may push the brutality envelope a bit too much for you, but if you are and you want to hear an album that doesn't let up for a second, Incisions of Perverse Debauchery is just the toe tag you've been waiting for.