The Bleeding

I mean we've gone from Entrails Ripped From A Virgin's Cunt to She Was Asking For It. Asking for what? Dinner? A beating because dinner is cold? Unsolicited artwork of Porky Pig raping Elmer Fudd? I'm certainly not going to make any claim that Chris was wimping out, as The Bleeding still features song-titles will churn the stomachs of 95% of decent Earthlings. It's just that the song-titles on Tomb of the Mutilated were so spectacularly and heinously over the top that even "Stripped, Raped & Strangled" seems like a step backwards.

In any case, Cannibal Corpse were on record saying that the two parties of "Chris Barnes" and "every other member that wasn't Chris Barnes" had just about had it with each other. Thankfully, they could conspire to make one more solid album, and their best since Eaten Back To Life. Often it is suggested that a band can use tension, even creative tension to make great music, and The Bleeding is certainly an argument to support that supposition. What Chris Barnes lost in sickening ingenuity, he and the rest of the band gained in the ability to write memorable, distinct songs.

Yes, Cannibal focused more on songwriting with this album, which I think is a net positive no matter what extreme sub-genre you're in, as the previous two Cannibal albums, while fun, were kind of monotonous. Yes, everyone loves Hammer Smashed Face, but can anyone that isn't a CC super fan honestly tell Necropedophile from Post Mortal Ejaculation? Not to mention the fact that Chris Barnes had spent a little too much time lowering his voice and turning into another instrument, making all the odes to depravity unintelligible. Reading along with the lyric sheet is fun every once in a while, but it shouldn't be mandatory for the sake of trying to gross yourself out. That's just too much work, and unfortunately Barnes' delivery still doesn't have much clarity.

The album opens with one of the finest three song sequences of death metal, which are all distinct death metal classics and very well deserved live staples. The second track is hands down the fastest of that bunch. I wonder if some nights after playing it live, Paul refers to the song as Fucked With A Drumstick? Pulverized has a very well developed chorus that manages to be memorable despite having no melodic elements whatsoever. But my personal favorite on here has to be the title track, with a thrash metal riff that reminds us of everything great about Eaten Back To Life: death-thrash mixed with gore with an understated penchant for comedy (tell me getting cut in half with a seatbelt isn't a joke Jimmy Carr or Frankie Boyle would make). Plus we see that glorious riff go through all sorts of delightful modulations and melodic permutations.

The Bleeding is the British Steel of death metal. There are some fine songs on here that proved the butchers from Buffalo weren't just song-titles and no musical substance. 1994 was the year where every black metal band that could release a great album, did, similar to death metal in 1991. As a result this one gets lost in the shuffle for me sometimes. Essential if you're a Cannibal Corpse fan, worth picking up if you're a death metal ghoul. For everyone else? Beware of falling pick-axes and knives. If you're living with your parents, make whatever your contraband stash is easier to find than this.