To Separate The Flesh From The Bones
Utopia Sadistica
8.3
Quite frankly, I wouldn't have expected members of Amorphis, Moonspell, and HIM to unite under the pretense of extremity. Adopting brilliant aliases, Herr Arschstein (Pasi Koskinen), Rot Wailer (Niclas Etelävuori), and Pus Sypope (Mika "Kaasu" Karppinen) have started a grind outfit. In any case, I'm glad, as they've done a fine job on Utopia Sadistica. In other words, the bands they're a part of essentially mean nothing - the music is what truly stands out. It's more of an interesting side-note.
Most of what you'll get out of Utopia Sadistica is death/grind not unlike old Carcass with a handful of hardcore/punk drumbeats and songwriting structures. After doing quite a bit of searching, I've come to find that Jeff Walker (Carcass) is definitely a featured guest vocalist, and even Lee Dorrian (Napalm Death, Cathedral) might be on the album. I could almost care less though, as the vocals are so varied and excellent for a grindcore album - it wouldn't matter if there wasn't a single guest vocalist. It's all competent mid-range garbling snarls working alongside a strong low and guttural growl. "Rotten Siege" jumps right out with its extremely catchy chorus before "The Final Extinction" starts with its thrashy verse that sounds straight from Necrotism. The groovy aggressive rhythm of "Amputated Whore" could draw comparisons to Abscess, while the following track, "Conflagration", shifts back and forth from a slow and head-bobbing tempo to a faster grind with more nostalgia. I'm pretty certain "The Spoon", which starts with an outrageous bass lead, has Jeff Walker spearheading the vocal delivery, and I can hear him on "Reek of Excrete". And perhaps even the Lee Dorrian rumors are founded, as if you cut out the brutal death metal in the middle of it, "The Rot" could even sound like a Cathedral track. To Separate The Flesh From The Bones do a great job of keeping things stimulating throughout the 27 minute assault. Chalk-full of time changes, catchy dual vocal parts, and familiar repetitive guitar parts, those who find themselves typically bored by grind might be able to find a lot of redeemable tracks on Utopia Sadistica. Yes, it's produced well, and there are plenty of heavier and more intense acts out there. Fact of the matter is, it's simple, easily digested, and above all things, it's enjoyable.
To Separate The Flesh From The Bones aren't rewriting the book on the genre, but they're certainly dusting it off and restoring it a bit. My only hope is that the members of the band decide to keep progressing with this project, as I'd imagine they've certainly accomplished all they've set out to do on Utopia Sadistica. Keep your eyes out for them.
