Beware the Hospital Thieves
Hm… all
right, writing something about new adventures in hospital is always nice. So I
take my lab coat, stethoscope and wad of prescriptions (of course with no
“refundacja leku do decyzji NFZ” stamp), and start my hard work…
Yes, five
long years have passed, but it doesn’t mean that Haemorrhage was bathing in
luxury and prosperity after releasing the “Apology in Pathology” album. No
yachts, no private aeroplanes, no plastic surgeries… Being incessantly deeply
rooted in metal underground they released some split, live and demo
performances. Comparing to the previous album, the only change was a deal with
Relapse Records, and I think it is very good move, maybe it is a chance for the
band to conquer America. So the first thing I would like to notice is production.
Maybe it hasn’t such a merciless and smashing feeling like predecessor, but
drums have new life here, they sound superbly, even they are audible during
bestial surgical blasts. In general realization of sound is very clear yet it
has no modern sterility. Before writing about musical content I have to
distinguish the front cover made by Luisma himself, it refers perfectly to the
band’s image. The line-up is still the same, so what about the music and the de-compositions???
Here I’d like to assure everybody: no fuckin’ surprises!!!
“Hospital
Carnage” is opened by the slowest “Open Heart Butchery”, a real mid tempo
track, but do not consider this as a ballad, the fast parts are present also. When
the first words of Lugubrious (maligna vox as always!) “Rushed into butchery…” are
spilled from my speakers, I have an impression that this opener is like a calm
before the storm. And the next “Traumageddon” is a storm of gore grind indeed. Some
birdcalls on the beginning may lead you into error and after few seconds a real
‘surgerygeddon’ became effective crusher of your mind. This decomposition is
completely in the vein of Haemorrhage style: furious blasts and some slowdowns
in the chorus. I think it will be the next highlight on the live shows. But
what is interesting, I can write such words about many songs from the album. As
compared with “Apology for Pathology”, the band shows incredible catchy guitar
works, of course in gore grind meaning. Many songs are easily recognized by the
first meeting (the first two songs, “Fomite Fetish”, “911”, Hospital Thieves”,
Ingreso Cadaver” with lyrics written in Spanish, “Necronatology”…). The next
thing, Ana took a lead guitar and decorated songs with quite melodic solos,
just take a listen to “Flesh-devouring Pandemia”, “Hospital Thieves”,
“Hypochondriac” and “Necronatology”. And to be honest, “Necronatology” seems to
be the best decomposition in this deranged hospital. It is also the longest one
(4:46), but do not expect doom undertones here. The first part of this track is
maintained in mid-paced tempo, with Lugubrious words “… born on the mortuary
slab” my brain cells are attacked by really great group of riffs. The second
part is a real hurricane: pure gore grind with melodic (???) solo lead on the
end. The last track: “Intravenous Molestation of Obstructionist Arteries (O-Pus
VI)” is in turn the shortest song lasting almost one minute. And here I have to
raise an objection: it rather disturbs the overall atmosphere, the similar
situation is in the perception of “Morgue Sweet Home”, so better is to put this
track in the middle of the album. All right, the last words belong to the
‘singer’ called Lugubrious and his beautiful maligna vox. To be honest with
myself I have to declare: forget about any surprises once again. His vocal
cords are just classic in the genre, his is still on the vocal top, just listen
and stay in full admiration…
Haemorrhage,
over twenty years on the metal stage, still in the same savage medical gore
grind… Respect? Yes, it is a good word here to describe from my point of view
the ‘career’ of these musical surgeons. Maybe this record didn’t beat
“Anatomical Inferno”, but belongs for sure to one of the best performances of
the Spaniards. Once again there are gore hymns which will be dissected on live
shows. Once again they bring into my world metal fury and devastating energy, lyrics
concerning medical themes and fascinating guitar riffs (sometimes really
catchy…). One thing is also important: these sick musicians do not use long
(read: needless) intros/outros to lengthen the running time, simply it is
well-thought-out, just like all the music sounds. I hope that waiting on the
next album won’t be so long, the band has a new (better, I guess) deal, so the
future looks very fruitfully for them and supporters.
Listening
to “Hospital Carnage” is like a drip with nutritious stuff, so check this
immediately out. I am cured…
96/100
-Tlacaxipehualiztli
(previously written for Encyclopaedia Metallum, on February, 2012, now modified a bit)
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