Album Review: Corpus Offal - Corpus Offal
Reviewed by Sam Jones
Upon the news that beloved death metal act Cerebral Rot were breaking up,I was gutted. The band had become a modern favourite of mine, releasing two albums to critical acclaim. But shortly afterwards, news would arrive detailing the formation of Corpus Offal, effectively the spiritual successor to Cerebral Rot, which had me absolutely elated. Formed in 2024 out of Texas, United States, the band sees ex-Cerebral Rot guitarist Clyde Lindstrom, also of Caustic Wound and Fetid rapport, as well as guitarist and Cerebral Rot’s longtime vocalist Ian Scwab bring together Jason Sachs on bass from Demoncy and firmly established drummer Jesse Schreibmann whose work can be found throughout Bell Witch, Autophagy and more. Utilising half of Cerebral Rot’s roster including a founding member can only benefit Corpus Offal as they prepare to demonstrate that old spirit hasn’t departed. Releasing their Demo early last year they were immediately picked up by that most illustrious label 20 Buck Spin, and thus the band now have their debut self-titled record to unleash upon us come March 21st. This is an important record. The band need to offer themselves to newcomers who they are whilst simultaneously reassuring older Cerebral Rot fans that its still business as usual. I’m so glad I was able to pick this up.
Naturally with starting up a new band, and releasing your first record of said band, it makes sense to introduce new and old audiences alike to an opening piece. What this introductory track does is quickly prepare us for the assured carnage yet to assail us, employing a deep-tone voiceover laid atop ripping strumming and sporadic drums that only foresee some oncoming harbinger. Afterwards however all bets are off as the band effectively carry on from Cerebral Rot’s last record as if nothing, and no time at all, has passed since. That familiar tempo and crushing atmosphere is just as prevalent even as no typically atmosphere-inducing elements are thrown our way; the crushing weight is derived solely from the band’s instrumental and vocal talents. Though the band showcase a similar, depraved soundscape to Cerebral Rot I will say Corpus Offal offset themselves strongly by utilising a meaty and pronounced bass presence that thankfully finds our ears even as their sickest, most repellant riffs yet hit us. The bass itself isn’t overtly low in the mix nor is it any louder than regular mixing processes would produce, however there’s certainly been work done to incorporate its macabre bass lines into the songwriting. It’s a soundscape that doesn’t rest on the guitar work alone, whose bass is as thunderous and beastly as any atmospheric implementation.
What’s curious about this album is how Corpus Offal write their riffs in such a way that they can play them at great speed to create terrifying vistas of hell, but then bring the tempo down so naturally that the steadier playing crafts this encroaching, creeping vibe that really sells the mood of Corpus Offal. The band are continuing to play that drenched, slime-laden aesthetic synonymous with bands like Obituary, Autopsy etc where their songwriting emits this doomed, suffering cry. Owing to varying members’ experience, we know we’re in great and competent hands since they know how to interweave their riffs around faster and steadier tempos, and just because they may slow down doesn’t mean the intensity needs to wane either. My favourite aspects from this record are arguably when the band are employing those more methodically written, steadier sequences where their bridges are taking us to the next piece or its accompanied by drums or bass, either of which assuming the mantle of responsibility for the band in the moment. The riffs are these fat yet malleable forces that can bludgeon your head yet are clearly more than what your typical caveman would write.
Though the instrumentation and vocal work is exceptional, I think Corpus Offal are equally aided by everything surrounding their performance. Take the production, their soundscape is massive and baring down on us but with every riff and lick or blast beat volley, the band seem to hint towards something far grander in scope hidden away from us. This choice effectively blinding us to the true scale of Corpus Offal is a masterstroke since we, the audience, feel all the more enticed to dive in and see what else could be hiding away for us to discover. The record hasn’t been produced to create a wall of sound, at least not one that’s so cemented and pieced together that no air can escape; I had no trouble at all experiencing this record at max volume whilst the band refused to relent on their performance. In addition, the band emit a terrific sense of momentum; they’ll throw these seven-eight minute tracks your way and make them feel like passing seconds on a clock. This is especially prevalent when their closing track commences, the longest ever written and performed by ex-Cerebral Rot members, at over twelve minutes long. The band throw an awful lot at us and rightfully so given the time we need to invest wholeheartedly into their record and yet its as natural to enjoy as breathing is to the body. For all its merciless brutality Corpus Offal give us one hell of a ride to experience their debut work, ensuring our time with it isn’t spent pondering on what’s going to happen next; the band will answer that for you with rapid succession and then throw another segment to dazzle and melt your psyche.
I was in two minds about the drums. Initially I felt they were somewhat lacking in the mix, but as the album continued doing its thing and the songwriting continuously unfolded I realised the drums are precisely the volume and position in the mix necessary. Any louder and they may conflict with the bass thus subduing those heinous bass lines, any more taut and they might have diminished the riffs’ impact for we wouldn’t have identified the guitar work to be as methodically, intricately composed as it is. When the songwriting relaxes now and again and the drums are given their due, their presence suddenly jumps with heightened strength reminding us that the riffs and bass alone aren’t propelling Corpus Offal’s sound. The drumming has been gifted a position whereby it blends seamlessly with the rest of the band and with the rest of the band’s songwriting. Their approach to death metal isn’t to simply berate us with blistering violence at every turn. Yes, you get exactly what you’re after but the drumming doesn’t just dish out one blast beat assault after another then call it a day. Its great that we can nicely follow along to the evolving drum tracks as easily as the guitar and bass tracks do, for it really helps unfold Corpus Offal into a more three-dimensional band. These guys aren’t newcomers to extreme metal and they remind us of that.
In conclusion, Corpus Offal may be a continuation of Cerebral Rot’s style of death metal yet the band certainly possess a stronger sense of doom, of a merciless fate, heading our way. Though their songwriting is as strong and heaped with macabre vibes I think this direction might work out for the band in greater capacities since they no longer feel penned in by one particular approach to extreme metal. They close things out with their longest ever track but even as we reach that point you’ll feel like you could replay this record start to finish all over again. The band are here to deliver crushing tones in serrated riffs but that doesn’t mean it’s a nonstop barrage; there’s a needed levity within their performance periodically which allows us to breathe whilst giving their other instrumental aspects their moments to shine. Perhaps more than any record beforehand, including Cerebral Rot’s original material, this is where you feel the entire band being brought in and infuse the record with performances, which if lessened in writing or the mix, would dissipate the album’s effectiveness on us. Its one meticulously crafted record where everything is in its required place so everything keeps functioning along the way a clock is comprised of a multitude of specifically created gears; should any one fail the mechanism will break. Will Corpus Offal succeed the name of Cerebral Rot? That will take time. All I know is this self-titled debut album by the band is an exceptionally malignant, cadaverous way to start.
