### Cannibal Corpse: The wretched spawn

#### 20/11/07 || The Duff

Cannibal Corpse fans seem to be a little divided when it comes to releases of this century, some saying that the band just can’t live up to its legacy built up on the strength of past albums. Well, this may revolt some such people, but “The Wretched Spawn” is the only Cannibal Corpse album to which I have given serious time, as much as I may hear about earlier works and their influence on today’s scene – if you can’t stomach someone who is unaware of this band’s past glories praise one of its later works, then turn back now.

One thing that Cannibal Corpse seem to believe in at least with this album is that they should come in fast, disembowel, amputate and rape your limbless cadaver in as little time as possible, for “The Wretched Spawn” comprises thirteen tracks, very few of which break the four-minute mark. This in part is down to the one-drumming technique style of Paul Mazurkiewicz, one of the longest serving members of the band next to Alex Webster. I have no clue as to why or how this guy has managed to retain his position behind the kit for so long, as I feel him to be one of the dullest musicians I’ve ever had the displeasure of listening to. Moving on…

The rest of the band is very capable – Pat O’Brien and the now legendary Jack Owen combine speed, groove, heavy breakdowns, dark, droning metal and sharp, angular riffs all to positive effect – this is well written, technical and worthy material, some of it on par with the best death metal has to offer, even if it all lacks shitloads of originality. Given the album-cover (over which I’m left speechless) and track titles, you would be correct in presuming the lyrics to cover all the usual topics of love-and-loss, bunny-rabbits and the pleasures of eating a chocolate-coated bonbon.

Cannibal Corpse also boast one of metal’s finest bass players, whose performance here is truly outstanding, and an oft-imitated, very brutal vocalist who has quite a range yet unfortunately lacks a great deal of versatility – can’t say it really matters given the music. The production handled by Neil Kernon renders the lower-end guitars very fuzzy, yet keeps everything else crystal clear – possibly some of the man’s best work, and exceptionally complementary to the CC sound.

An album that stands up to the greatest I’ve heard, yet fails to entice me into purchasing Cannibal Corpse’s back-catalogue – in short, no complaints, and something that comes recommended.

8 worst album-covers I’ve ever seen out of 10.

- Information
- Released: 2004
- Label: Metal Blade
- Website: www.cannibalcorpse.net
- Band
- George Fisher: vocals
- Alex Webster: bass
- Pat O’Brien: guitars
- Jack Owen: guitars
- Paul Mazurkiewicz: drums

- Tracklist
- 01. Severed Head Stoning
- 02. Psychotic Precision
- 03. Decency Defied
- 04. Frantic Disembowelment
- 05. The Wretched Spawn
- 06. Cyanide Assassin
- 07. Festering In The Crypt
- 08. Nothing left To Mutilate
- 09. Blunt Force Castration
- 10. Rotted Body Landslide
- 11. Slain
- 12. Bent Backwards And Broken
- 13. They Deserve To Die