Impetigo may not have gotten the same exposure as the Florida
death metal scene or Cannibal Corpse, but they were also an early pioneer in
the death metal scene. For only having produced two full length albums, the
band has grown a cult status among death circles, which is not shocking
considering the brand of their music.
Impetigo play gore drenched, sample laden death metal in
vain of Mortician and Cannibal Corpse. I don’t need to describe the lyrical
content, as I’m sure you get the picture. As for the music, “Horror of the
Zombies” has a very low distorted, groovy sound as it trudges along. The riffs
are heavy, but don’t fall into the recycled category as they vary nicely from
track to track. The drumming is spot on with a brutal sound that never takes a
back seat to any other instrument. The production can be attributed for such
sound, but where it really shines is in the bass department. The bass is very noticeable
on “Horror of the Zombies”, something I would not have expected from an early, underground
death outfit. The vocals are what you would expect from this type of death
metal; gritty, ruff and deep growls (They even remind me a bit of Exit-13 on
songs like “I Work for the Streetcleaner”). They, along with the rest of the instruments,
play nicely together (another nod to the production) each adding the filthy
sound Impetigo set out to inflict on their listeners.
My biggest gripe with this album are the use of sample. I have
nothing wrong with the use of samples in general. I think they can serve as a
nice intro, add a specific sound mixed in the music or even serve as a segue
between sections of a song. That being said, when a sample continues for over
20-30 seconds, to me, it loses it’s a ability to bring anything meaningful to the
table. Maybe it’s just me, but I feel that when a killer song ends and I have
to listen to a clip of a movie for 80 seconds before the next killer song
begins, I get a little annoyed. Maybe, I’m just impatient, but I stand by my opinion.
“Horror of the Zombie” may not be a landmark album compared
to “Scream Blood Gore” or “Eaten Back to Life”, but I feel it’s an album of
historical significance in the early years of death metal. Impetigo’s debut, “Ultimo
Mondo Cannibale” is probably more cult, but also more in landmark territory
given the year of its release. In any case, this is still a nice slab of
gruesome death metal that I think most fans would at least enjoy.
Highlights: “Boneyard” “Defiling the Grave” “Staph Terrorist”
Rating: 3
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