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Symphony of Slit Throats reviews
Review by: www.teufelstomb.comWith kiddie pride and a prolific history of drunken dumbness, comes Brian Forgue’s Syphilic. Formerly applying his howler monkey impressions to Gutrot and Mutilated, Brian is certainly the genuine article. A one time one-man-band reaches out to a real bassist, keeps the programmed drums on insane, and does his fuckin’ thang on vocals and guitar. Look out now.
I first saw Brian in a mugshot. My friend sent me a link to a mugshot site, and I was amazed. Fucked up photo after fucked up photo had me convulsing with amusement. Then the guy with the Cryptopsy neck tat shows up. Holy shit, that guy is fucked up! I later discover that this is Brian in one of his gloriously pickled states.
Syphilic is extra brutal. If the drums were real I could easily end up with a little tip juice saturating my shorts. Moving past that, I am thoroughly pleased. The vocals are dredging the very colon of old pointy tail. The evolution of inhuman gutturals have been proliferated with this contribution. The occasional layering of vocals reminds me of Phlegeton’s approach from Human Mincer and Wormed. This is sick shit. The cover art will convince you of that.
The drums are not organic, but Forgue knows how to do some serious programming. Relentless pummeling of digitized skins and cymbals meet the ear in a surprisingly pleasant way. The sound quality of the drums are very good. In fact, if you act now, Mr. Forgue will send you a copy of his drum software, with a CD or t-shirt purchase, absolutely free (RIP FZ). That’s awfully nice, isn’t it? Check the Syphilic MySpace page for instant savings.
The bass player, Brian Baxter, holds down the fort with an effortless feel. This is quite a feat since the music is so relentless, chaotic, and technical at times. I have to hand it to a guy like this. He just upped Syphilic’s ante, and it’s piled high and deep. When I heard Syphilic’s 2007 release, Erotishock Therapy, I knew there was something seriously devastating in development. The problem was not really the programmed drum parts, but the programmed bass. It was quite painful to be honest. Real bass playing adds massively to the overall feel, sound, and legitimacy.
Finally, we come to the guitar. Forgue delivers chops and song writing ability that are so rarely paired. His riffs and phrasing are excellent, and sometimes layered. You won’t be left feeling like you just listened to another guy’s basement creation (even though that’s what it is). The jack-of-all-trades thing is sort of happening here, but it is so far above the average metal guy’s wet dream, it’s ridiculous.
This is brutal death metal. Love it or leave it. One song doesn’t sound entirely different from the next, but I don’t care. 21 minutes of relentless aggression is cool with me. Oh, and if you’ve been pining for some good audio clips laced with your metal, hold tight. Beavis and Butthead, Something About Mary, and some angry black guy are just the beginning of the fun you’ll find. This is a great EP, and I give it the “fuck yes” seal of approval. Thanks Kin.
Link to review: http://www.teufelstomb.com/reviews/syphilic-symphonyofslitthroats/
Review by: Danny Bobanny
Let me start of by saying this ep is 20-21 minutes of punishing brutality that will make you want to get out of your car and beat someone's ass just because you are listening to it. This is even better than the first CD. But, be forewarned, this ep is a complex listen. There is no way you can simply listen to the songs with one take and understand the complexity behind the songs. Each song must be dissected: first vocals, then guitar,and then bass. There is a drum machine used, but it is not annoying. It is basically used to accentuate the riffs and create an even flow, without becoming too "over-the-top". In other words, the drum machine does not take away from the fantastic blend of fanatic riffs and dark rumbling bass.
Vocals are deep and guttural, a slurred abomination of all goodness without any of the annoying chirping used by so many bands today. There is something dark about the vocals..as they should be since the lyrics are as inhumane as any I've ever heard. When I first played this disc I was in my car, and I have to tell you, I was finally glad to hear vocals that are presented as part of the package and not the "look at me I am the best growler in the world". Whether they are meant to or not, the vocals sound like a drunk satan spilling forth corrupt sickness into the world. A task so many bands try to incorporate visually or lyrically, but simply can't do audially ala Deicide. As a matter- of- fact, this is nothing like the aforementioned band so don't plan on hearing any decipherable chants to the devil. is These vocals are a "feel" of guttural gloom used to create an overall dark and uneasy feeling something that the subject matter already conveys. If you are not familiar with bands like Guttural Secrete/ Necrotic Disgorgement/ Putrid Pile you may want to sample this disc before buying. This is not watered down death metal. The guitar work is some of the most brutal shit I have ever heard. Like a bad diarrhea episode after a night of eating severly "hot wings" and then not being able to make it to the commode (not that that has ever happened to me). The harmonics are a barrage of dark fueled aggression that often times becomes chaotic, but never strays from being tight. In other words Brian is like a master chemist creating the most complex formulas only appreciated by other genius chemists. The riffs are almost mathematic, when broken down, but flow perfectly with the entire strong structure. Stop and turn on a dime riff changes that are thick and unwavering. You almost have to listen to each song repeatedly to even understand the complexity behind each song. Few musicians can actually pull off such a feat.
The bass playing is also very technical, with the perfect sprinkle of open bass lines and chaotic fills, glueing the foundation of each song to the barrage of musical guitar sickness aforementioned. It is as if "brotown" Baxter decided to fill the songs with his own unique style while maintaining the integrity of each song..each note for that matter. When playing music of this caliber, you have to have 2 top notch musicians playing together or else one bad musician would just weigh down the song. Overall, this ep contains a perfect blend of brutality and dark elements to make it sicker than a nursing home orgy. It is far ahead of it's time especially in regard to how many clone bands are out now. It is great to hear a gem like this and know that there is still some fresh and innovative blood in extreme metal to carry it to yet another level. How sick that level gets can only be revealed by the next release. LISTENERS ARE FORE-WARNED!!!!!!!!!!
Review by: Beatsfromhell
Even though this is only an EP Brian Forgue has truly one-upped himself in several ways from his previous release, Erotishock Therapy. One thing you might notice is that Brian Baxter, who has been in a hand full of brutal death metal bands, recorded all the bass tracks. And this time the cover art is a lot more vulgar. Much like Syphilic’s first release, Erotishock Therapy, Symphony Of Slit Throats is relentless about intensity, brutality, and obscenity. If you’ve ever wanted to make someone have a heart attack from music, this twenty-one minute EP would be one of the best for that.
Brian Forgue’s voice remains as insane as ever, He has some of the deepest inhales I have ever heard (inhales, not “pig squeals”). If you hear Brian Forgue’s vocals and you think he’s singing about raping and murdering your family, you’d be right. His deep, dark and brutal voice already makes this a horrifying release and the lyrics are some of the most gruesome I’ve ever read. There are also a few brutal guest vocalists.
One thing about Syphilic that never seems to get old is the ridiculous samples he uses. Much like Erotishock Therapy there are a few great examples of that on this EP. Starting off with the first song (the title track) there is a hilarious sample from Beavis and Butt-head. I could not identify the rest of the samples but rest assured they are humorous and they are well placed. Most the samples sound like phone calls left on an answer machine. At the very end of the album you hear one of these samples that sounds like phone message, it’s rather unsettling but it’s still humorous.
The guitar work is very technical featuring plenty of pinch harmonics. It’s less of a generic feel and more of an electrifying feel, it’s the kind of electrifying horror sound that will reawake all of your childhood phobias. The guitar is very thick and heavy with a ball busting tone. In the least to say, the riffs are fucking intense, like Origin or Cephalic Carnage intense with a darker tone. Russ Crossman is back to perform another solo which is featured on the song “Riverbank Skank” and is an incredible forty-eight second mind fuck of complexity and groove.
Brian Baxter (Gorgasm, Necrotic Disgorgement, Sodomized, an...) recorded the bass for this EP which you can loud and throbbing. And of course what’s the point of hiring a bassist unless you’re going to have two to five second bass solos/transitions? The bass is loud and has a skull crushing sound which is something that a lot of “death metal” bands seem to lack. The bass is as intense, technical and chaotic as the guitar is.
The drums are rather realistic sounding for a machine. Even though it’s a machine with endless possibilities and without limits it was used rationally, Nothing ridiculous was done with the drum machine (*ahem* Agoraphobic Nosebleed). Lots of blast beats and double bass like any death metal record should have. The drum tracks suit the guitars very well and carries the flow of them nicely.
This is another great release from Syphilic. Extreme, guttural, brutal, intense and obscene. This is a must buy for any fan of brutal death metal.
Review by: Pitchline-Zine.com
Brian Forgue (voz en Mutilated, Gutrot) es un tipo peculiar. Al poco de terminar el primer cd de Syphilic, “Erotishock Therapy” fue sentenciado a seis meses de cárcel bajo los cargos de conducción ebria, tenencia de recipientes alcohólicos abiertos en público (... sí, allí es delito), posesión de narcóticos y siete u ocho violaciones de la condicional, según sus propias palabras. En el juicio, le dijo al juez a la cara que no iba a dejar de beber y que tampoco tenía intención de pagar las multas. Es más, le dijo que la cárcel sería un buen descanso y que por favor aumentase al máximo su condena, hasta nueve meses. Imagino que el juez, sólo por joderle, se la dejó en seis. Si tarde o temprano me llevan a juicio alguna de las denuncias que tengo pendientes por insultar a grupos, probaré la misma estrategia. Durante su estancia en prisión, Forgue escribió los temas que conformarán el próximo larga duración de Syphilic, “Behind Bars”, y que posiblemente vea la luz a principios de 2010. Yo aprovecharé para escribir más reseñas insultando a más grupos.
Mientras tanto, tenemos este “Symphony of Slit Throats”, que imagino gestaría justo antes de entrar a prisión. Al primer cd de Syphilic le di alguna escucha por encima en su momento, sin que llegase a atraerme demasiado. Puede que ahora le dé otra oportunidad, porque este mcd sí ha conseguido llamar mi atención: es un brutal death a medio camino entre lo muy técnico y lo un poco más simple, siempre riffs muy rápidos y retorcidos, nada de pajeo estéril ni ritmos slam. Especialmente la primera mitad del quinto tema “Riverbank Skank” es de lo más enfermo que he escuchado últimamente. Supongo que puede trazarse alguna ligera similitud con los Cannibal Corpse de finales de los 90, pero en una vena mucho, mucho más retorcida, sobre todo en lo que se refiere a la percusión, que Forgue programa con bastante eficacia. Sus voces son tan jodidamente profundas que pasan de puntillas por tu umbral de percepción en la primera escucha y te tienes que parar a fijarte en ellas para percibirlas... hacia el final del primer tema “Symphony of Slit Throats” son como un maldito vendaval dentro de tu cabeza. Es justo señalar la presencia de Brian Baxter (Necrotic Disgorgement, Gorgasm) al bajo, engrosando convenientemente el sonido y con algunos pequeños detalles aquí y allá para especiar los temas.
Veintiún minutos de tralla realmente enferma, rematada con una portada igualmente insidiosa (por no hablar de las letras, con leer la del primer tema ya he tenido bastante). Una elección idónea para las mentes más pervertidas.
Link to review: http://www.pitchline-zine.com/reviews.item.php?id=001555
