### Vomiting Corpses: Coma - The spheres of innocence

#### 11/06/14 || Kunal Choksi

Vomiting Corpses is pre- Anasarca and sounds as such. I remember “Godmachine” that was released on the legendary Repulse Records. That was a fine album having aggressive Death Metal music with undercurrents of quaint melodies. It was something special, after which the band streamlined its sound and went for more aggression and speed at the expense of those intricate structures. Pre- Anasarca i.e. Vomiting Corpses is probably even better because it has that old school charm, authentic at that. This is a re-release of the 1995 album titled “Coma: The Spheres of Innocence” which I admit to looking all over eBay and failing in an attempt to acquire it. That was before the birth of Wardead Records from US who released this album all over again (the original version was released on Invasion Records, known for putting out some excellent Death Metal gems back in the day). This time around, the label has given this release only a slightly modified artwork but a fantastic layout and more importantly, included the band’s “Cold Blood” demo from 1994.

Coming to the music, this sounds rugged, rough around the edges, but that’s part of the charm because it’s contrasted against melodies and therein lays all the beauty. So essentially, you have something that resembles a freight train but with embellishments, exotic and colorful ones almost. When comparing the music to others in that time, this resembles early Asphyx and ’90s Pestilence albeit more technical and off-kilter. What’s good about this band is that it isn’t plainly derivative or similar to any of the “old school” metal bands or scene. This one is from Germany and was doing its own thing. Back then Germany had some great bands of course and this one came slightly late to the party in terms of putting music out, at least full lengths. But as I said, it was just when the classic sound began to fade and develop into something else, something more brutal (in some cases) that Vomiting Corpses emerged and just about managed to get the best of both worlds in terms of sound and influences.

The music is challenging but doesn’t make you want to shoot yourself. It’s partially comparable to Sentenced’s epic but underrated album “North from Here”, in that the music is not chewed out for you to readily digest. It takes effort – you have to get into the momentum to appreciate both the technicality and catchiness, and the connection between the two. But it’s there. That’s why I keep coming back to this unprepossessing album from the looks of it, because there’s something not plainly visible at first. It’s also evocative of some of Death’s technical albums but this isn’t as simple. It’s twisted and it’s doing its own thing, or at least trying to. At least it didn’t pussy out like so many bands did after 1993. This works.

So you don’t have to get on eBay to procure this and I’m glad I don’t have to either. It’s probably worth a lot if you’re into old school music with some feeling as well as technicality, and also if you’re fan of German Death Metal especially of bands like Anasarca (cult following) and Fearer that the members ended up forming following the demise of Vomiting Corpses.

- Information
- Released: 2014
- Label: Wardead Records
- Website: www.wardeadrecords
- Band
- Mike Dormann: vocals, bass
- Tom Zorn: vocals, guitar
- Frank Spinka: vocals, guitar
- Heiner Saliger: drums

- Tracklist
- 01. Kingdom of the Blind
- 02. Dogmas Ignored
- 03. Banished from Remembrance
- 04. Ice-Age of the Common Sense
- 05. Coma…
- 06. Cold Blood
- 07. When Doves Cry
- 08. Si Vis Pacem
- 09. Island of Sorrow
- 10. Kingdom of the Blind
- 11. Screaming Spirits
- 12. When Doves Cry
- 13. Causes of Misery
- 14. Cold Blood
- 15. Operation Desertstorm
- 16. ICE-AGE of the Common Sense
- 17. Exhausted Will to Live