There is a common affirmative that it's always better late than never. It perfectly refers to the seventh album of these Spanish goregrind masters and my, let's say, review that is taking a shape right now. Despite fantastic front-cover drawn by Luisma himself, I needed three long years to write something about it... and it is not an easy task. Not because the Spaniards started to explore post/sludge/djent/stoner/shoegaze dimension. No. They are still on the Relapse roster, they are gore as the album title proudly informs. The reason is quite clear, as they served cosmetic changes in musical territory only... and I'm really delighted to listen to the final result. First of all, they had to face another drummer line-up change. Then, the production size, I tell you, this band hasn't had such a powerful sound before. I mean, powerful = modern. Yes, exactly, the Spaniards sounds a modern way: as compared to „Hospital Carnage”, the seventh has been recorded and mixed at Mpire Studio, and mastered at well-known Audiosiege. Guys, it worked!
As for the line-up, definitely Ana took the leading role in the family. She played way more leads than before, and what's more, only three songs doesn't contain it. They are kept rather a simple way, yet with quite melodic and memorable touch. Willy-nilly it extended the songs with the shortest one „Bathed in Bile” clocking in 1:47. Sometimes those leads are completely new method of execution, just take a listen to „Medical Maniacs”, „Miss Phlebotomy” or „The Cremator's Song” with even rock charm. For sure I didn't expect I would be focused on the leads during the review start. But this is the natural way of progress I guess and no-one can miss it. The Ana work really fits to the gore core.
Yep, I repeat myself, it's not an easy task to write something new on Haemorrhage new album and not being banal and boring. The main base is still the same: organs mutilating goregrind. Here I get an impression the band slowed down a bit, but I cannot call it a slow album. No, there are masterful destroyers like „Gore Gourment” with some vocal help from Ross Sewage and Sean McGrath or „Transporting Cadavers”, but the there are measurable slowdown parts (title track or the second part of mentioned „Bathed in Bile”) as well. The album delivers many grind-musical and lyrical hits with the best examples in the title song, „Medical Maniacs”, „Forensick Squad” and „C.S.C. (Crime Scene Cleaners)” to name a few.
And I may write once again: I got what I have been expecting for. Within the obvious and once intended patterns and standards, it still has got passion, vitality and unbelievable force I follow without a blink. The music, the vocals, the overwhelming gore aura, nothing is changed. All enclosed with the „We Are the Gore”. And finally, I'd like to mention two things. The vinyl version contains one bonus track called „Artifacts of the Autopsy” and... it fucking rips my cardiovascular system out. It seems to be forgotten treasure (of anatomy) from „Anatomical Inferno” session and it's really great it ends this piece of the black wax. The second thing, referring not only to the album's title, but to the whole Haemorrhage discography and acivity, is album dedication to all pathologists, morticians, nurses, embalmers, funeral directors, undertakers and all people working in this disguisting side of life. To put it briefly, full respect to the these Spaniards!
96/100
-Tlacaxipehualiztli
(written during covid months of September and October, 2020)
