EP Review: Castrated - Surgical Vicissitude
Reviewed by Drew McCarthy
Castrated were formed by experienced practitioners who are incredibly well versed when it comes to the art of sonic savagery, their members having previously served time in various death metal bands including Horrific Demise and Desecrate The Faith. The four members that comprise Castrated have now joined forces with one singular goal in mind, the pursuit of the ultimate expression of pure aggression and raw heaviness. Castrated have arrived and are ready to tear the death metal scene a new one with the imminent arrival of their debut EP.
'Surgical Vicissitude' will no doubt have any self respecting metalhead headbanging until it feels like their neck may snap. However, those of a nervous disposition may find themselves rocking back and forth in a darkened room while questioning what would possess four men to write something that is the aural equivalent of repeatedly being punched in the face.
Death metal is a genre that I have been a fan of since I was twelve years old and after listening to it for many years, I honestly thought that there was nothing it could throw my way that would shock me. That was until I heard the intro to 'Propagate The Subservient', which hand on heart is the only thing that I have heard on any death metal album that has made my skin crawl. The perversity of what is implied, does definitely not bear thinking about.
Every little detail of 'Surgical Vicissitude' has been meticulously and painstakingly daubed in a disturbing swathe of gore, which in no small part is thanks both to the mixing and mastering, handled by Tony Tipton - a man who has given the work of the likes of Between The Killings and Kraanium a considerably beefy tone. He has managed to make the complex musicianship, the precision of the riffs, the crunchiness of the bass, the thunderous drumming and the guttural vocals on this release, especially on the title track, sound like Dying Fetus on steroids.
The nightmarish and disturbing imagery of 'Surgical Vicissitude' was spawned from the imagination of Rudi Yanto of Gorging Suicide Art, who has previously lent his considerable artistic talents to the likes of Devangelic and Texan death metallers Flesh Hoarder. The cover of this EP has what every death metal album, EP or single should have... a barley legible logo.
Desolate, bleak and uncompromisingly brutal, the untamed savagery that is 'Surgical Vicissitude' cannot be understated, I would go as far as to say that Castrated may have just released the best death metal album that I have heard this year.
