Scatorgy - Scatorgy (2013;New Standard Elite)

Scatorgy. Just let that name sink in for a bit. Hell, just look at the cover art. You would probably guess this to be some garbage porngrind or goregrind album. You would also be gravely mistaken. Scatorgy play some of the most demented, vile, and vicious brutal death metal I have ever heard. It's almost as disgusting as the cover art.

This album presents you with approximately 20 minutes of pure insanity. Think Brodequin, if they were getting sodomized by Amputated Genitals, and you've got a good idea of what you're getting here. These guys don't fuck around. Insanely fast blasts are aplenty, complimented by some insane, almost deathgrind riffs. Sprinkle in a bit of technical noodling on the guitar, some massive slams, and what sounds like a bear on the microphone, and you have Scatorgy.

Instrumentally, Scatorgy is pretty much impeccable. Tom Allott, the guitarist, shows some great technical skill, transitioning from some incredibly fast riffs to some heavy as hell slams at the drop of a dime, while throwing in some little technical flourishes that you don't hear too often in brutal death metal. James Shuster does a great job with the vocals, employing a few different styles to keep it from being monotonous. Paul Lead does a good job on bass, but doesn't really stand out. Although I would say that's more of a problem with the mixing than his playing. And then we have the drummer, Tom Walker, who is quite possibly one of the fastest drummers I have ever heard. He blasts like a man possessed, but what's most impressive about his drumming is the subtle little nuances he adds in with his symbol work. That, and the goddamn Short Bus Pile Up styled snare production, which only adds to the sound they're going for.

There are some downsides to this record though. For one, the mixing job, while decent, leaves a little to be desired when it comes to the low end. It's almost impossible to hear the bass, which detracts from the overall heaviness. The biggest problem though is how everything seems to run together. There aren't many memorable moments to be had on this album. Even after listening to it ten, twenty, even thirty times, I'm hard pressed to remember any singular moment. I also would've liked a little bit of breathing room, but seeing how it's only a 20 minute album, it's not that big of an issue.

Overall, this is a pretty damn good record. It's definitely catered towards fans of Brodequin, Liturgy, Orchidectomy, and their ilk. If you're looking for an album to ruthlessly beat you into submission repeatedly, look no further.