| Reviews for Guttural Secrete's Reek of Pubescent Despoilment |
| Disappointingly underwhelming - 67% |
| Written by Muloc7253
on June 24th, 2009
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| For reasons I can't QUITE put my finger on (although I have my suspicions, which I'll get to in a moment) this album simply hasn't clicked with me. It was actually quite disappointing experience when I first gave 'Reek of Pubescent Despoilment' a full listen, it's an albums that seems to have become very popular in the brutal death metal scene, and also outside of it, this is one of those albums that even regular metal listeners that aren't into the more brutal stuff seem to like. I've heard people say things like "Guttural Secrete have a great mix of brutality, technical talent, infectious songwriting and powerful production" and in essense, they're right. That's kind of why I don't like it. A funny thing happens when you're playing with paints as a child. The more colours you try to mix together, the more dull the colour becomes. You pick out a nice clean white, a dark all-encompasing black, a pretty pink, a fiery orange and a tranquil blue and you mix them all together and you get...a dull brown. Guttural Secrete mix all different elements from the brutal death metal spectrum together, but what comes out at the end actually ends up being pretty dull, which I'm sure was not the desired result. I mean, it is true to say that this album has everything...gurgles, growls, screams, blast beats, tech riffs, slam riffs, pinch harmonics, tremolos, double bass, fills, chugs, atonal riffs, melodic riffs, grinding parts, sick samples...the list goes on and on. If someone had never heard brutal death metal and needed a good example album to show them what it's all about, this would be the perfect one. That doesn't mean it's the best, though, or even that it's very good. After the first sample (and a great opening sample it is), the music is pretty damn overwhelming - strong production, chaotic music, lots of things going on at once, very brutal. However, it only lasts for several minutes and the shock wears off for me, and once it does the songwriting becomes rather monotonous and I tend to switch off, only to mentally wake back up several songs later when a sample interrupts the flow of the music. I guess it feels like the band didn't quite know what they were aiming for other than "a really brutal death metal album". 'Reek of Pubescent Despoilment' sounds like it was influenced by Suffocation and Cryptopsy equally, and perhaps also influenced by Devourment, Deeds of Flesh, Disgorge (US), Origin, Wormed and maybe a handful of South American bands aswell. The band will literally switch from modernised Suffocation worship to modernised Cryptopsy worship within several seconds, and the music becomes too chaotic for it's own good. Not necessarily chaotic in a cool way, but in a more confused, rather unfocused way. By the end of the album you either feel bored (if you've stopped paying attention) or exhausted (if you've been following the music). A good way of demonstrating the confusion of this album is to point out that the first sample involves a serial killer, the second involves shit (it's that disgusting old lady from 'Kingpin') and the third is a sex/rape related sample. The band know that they want to be really really brutal, but haven't really chose one direct route to go about it. I can't really rate this low, the band have successfully made a very chaotic brutal death metal album, but it's not a sort of chaos I really appreciate, and listening to this can either leave me feeling rather underwhelmed or overwhelmed with irritance. I see that a lot of people that like this aren't actually very big brutal death metal fans, or at least that's been my experience when discussing this album. I guess this could be a good introduction to outsiders to the world of brutal death metal, and it's certainly a great album to play along to if you're looking to improve your guitar skills, but I don't necessarily enjoy listening to it and if it wasn't so strangely popular I wouldn't recommend it to anyone. |
| They're reeking the good stuff. - 88% |
| Written by Feeble_screams
on April 9th, 2008
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| Every so often I get the occasional death/grind urge; and when that comes, it comes hard and without warning. I decided to focus my interest on something new this time, so I stumbled upon this bad boy. Hailing from mothafuckin' Vegas, Guttural Secrete tore me several new ones upon first hearing such death/grind excellency. Guttural Secrete is just that. Fucking guttural. I am thoroughly impressed with how low this man can get, and how he makes this kind of vocal work seem like utter child's play as he puts the majority of this genre to shame. Now what we have here is an average (by a fundamental standpoint) brutal death metal record with a well proportioned mix of technical prowess, relentless brutality, slam/breakdown sections, and of course, your typical sampling. Which by the way, is for the most part comical, and doesn't distract from the mood at all, like in many other cases in this genre. The sampling here will only add to the fun of this exilarating death/grind cocktail of limbs, vaginal whathaveyou, and so forth. The drumming here is fucking brutal and intense, and leaves no guitar lick unhinged. The constant change of pace every 5 seconds really makes the album one huge kick in the ass. The guitar playing is maniacal, and as equally intense, grinding along with the drums and bass, with such a sheer crushing tone that is certainly fit for this type of music. The only downside is that the bass isn't as up front as it necessarily should be, but it really doesn't bring the album down, given what this band has brought to the table. Overall, this is a very impressive record, especially for death/grind standards. The music isn't sterile, and does what it ultimately should do. Rape you. By this point and simply by judging from the cover and song titles, the lyrical content of this album should be quite obvious. However, it generally seems to be the only appropriate context for such a romp. Now, combine everything previously mentioned with some excellent, perfectly utilized samples and add the deepest, lowest gurgling possible, and what you've got is a brutal death metal concoction that simply keeps you at attention with it's intense, maniacal nature. Outstanding. |
| They're fascinated by coprophilia and blast beats - 86% |
| Written by Pathological_Frolic
on April 8th, 2008
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| A terse description of this would effectively be "Another brutal death metal album". Of course, it's good at what it's meant to be, which is a morbid romp (Ah, get the joke there?) filled with tremolo passages, crushing slam riffs and some vile gutturals, all spewing out one variation or another on some sickening theme, dwelling on the subjects of coprophilia and violence (Generally of a sexual nature) against women most especially. Musically, this band resembles a marriage of Insidious Decrepancy's rhythmic (And some vocal) tendencies along with the chaotic nature and songwriting style of Disgorge. Insidious Decrepancy's influence makes itself apparent when those slower sections typically come in, as I hear a touch of Shawn Whitaker's guitar method in each of them. The vocals mostly resemble Insidious Decrepancy as well, with the same ideas on vocal variation in Decadent Orgy of Atrocious Suffering used here. The instrumentation is the same chaotic insanity one would expect from a brutal death band, the production being average at the very least. A very bass heavy sound, as usual, with the guitars fluctuating between the forefront of the mix and taking a backseat to the drums, which are played very well. A personal hobby of mine is going down to Rivers of Gore (A tablature site I recommend to any fans of brutal/technical death metal) and making attempts at playing songs from the more brutal/technical side of my musical interests. I ventured at playing the track "Coprophilic Asphyxia", and I will testify quite readily this is not simplistic music from a technical standpoint. A particularly curious (And perhaps humorous) novelty of this album would be those samples before almost every song, likely taken from various snuff/gore/exploitation films. I can't help but titter just a slight when I hear the line "What is it about good sex that makes me have to crap?" spoken by a female voice from one of the samples right before the track "Coprophilic Asphyxia". Now, for a moment, let's look to the only track that separates this band in any conceivable manner from the typical band of their ilk: The track "Adulteration". It differs entirely from everything else on this album, as it's a completely clean piece consisting of dramatic chordal arpeggios with some atmospheric use of a mildly distorted guitar. I can't recall or think of a single band in the recent history (Save Insidious Decrepancy with their latest album - but let's not mention that one) of this style that has done that, and in such a skillful way. The way the man at confession in the sample laughs so hauntingly concludes the piece somewhat harshly, but you're taken to another immense pummeling of brutality with the closing track almost immediately afterwards, no buildup could prepare you for it enough to make you feel comfortable when it kicks in. So, did the boys in Guttural Secrete re-invent the wheel with this one? Far from it, but who says you have to improve on something that works fine as it is? |
| Amazing Release - 98% |
| Written by sacrificial_curse
on February 11th, 2008
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| Guttural Secrete is probably the craziest band I've ever heard. Anyone who likes insane music with impossible guitar riffs, technical fast drumming, and low, non vocal effect vocals, Guttural Secrete is for them. Under the CD in the case for this album, it clearly states that no vocal effects were used. That is shocking because the vocals on ths album are extremely low, guttural, and non-human like. The vocals are the second best thing on this album. The guitars are just as insane. There are many different riffs in each song making it harder to play, and remember. These musicians are obviously talented. The riffs aren't simple either. They are very complicated. The bass mostly follows the guitars. I highlt admire these musicians. The drums are the best thing about this band. They are so fast. The double bass is perfect, as well as the blast beats. Each song probably has twenty different drum beats, breaks not included. Their drummer is featured on Sickdrummer.com I can see why. This album gets a 98 from me because it's just really good. The band isn't too well known, but for their following, it is high for a band's first full length. Their is a clean song on the album that brought the score down. It's kind of repetative. The rest of the album is a classic in the insane metal catagory. |