Engorged - Engorged
Deathvomit Records, 2002
by Perkele
When I hear a band's name that contains 'gorge' in it, I'm never sure if I've already heard from them or not; seems it's a very popular word in death metal. As far as I know, ENGORGED have had some other releases before but for me this self-titled album of theirs is the first I got my hands on. These guys from Oregon are playing pure, old-school death metal whose roots are in the '80s.
Engorged is an hour long classical death metal album. They're not so technical, don't try to speed up with their music to an insane level as it's so common in the death metal scene lately. Instead they make an aggressive sounding death metal with lots of thrash riffs, shouted choruses, some slower breakdowns, a little black metal touch here and there and not to mention a bit of the rock feeling. Yes, yes I wrote rock and I'm talking about the sixth song on the album, 'Death Metal Attack 3'. Typical DM song title and even the intro line of the song 'If this one doesn't scare you, you are alread dead' makes you think this but the mid-tempo music turns into some kind of stoner rock with the bit hardcore feeling . Well... interesting piece on a death album. I also like the vocals on the album since every member of the band takes part in it. Distorted growlings, deep gurglings and everything low-toned voice you can find in the world of death metal. I also like the 'concept' of the album, the lyrics are based on classical horror movies.
But let's take the songs under a bit more detailed analysis. The album starts with an S.O.D. influenced song, just read the title of it 'March of the Engorged' (do you remember March of the S.O.D.?), that gives me the vision of the moshing, bubbling pit in front of their stage. This intensive tempo continues in the second song 'The Dreadnaught' that makes you headbang causing a muscular stiffness. Storming guitar riffs, blasting drums and great growlings made by Dave. Cool example of the style! 'It Came From Beyond' is a more typical American death metal song with a catchy breakdown in the middle. We have to face the evil Cobras from G.I. Joe in the next song, 'Cobra Rage'. Heavy riffs are rumbling, sweeping away everything. 'Eaten Alive!' starts one notch slower and we can say it is the most technical song on the album but later the fast grind rhythms take the lead and this is the first song on the album where you can hear the above mentioned black metal touch. Songs like 'White Line Nightmare', 'Slithis', 'Shockwaves', 'Beer Guts' are more typical death songs with deep, heavy riffs, with some shrieking guitar sound and the well-known drum beatings - totally chrushing music. 'Night of the Living Dead', about a girl who eats her mother, opens with a killer speed attack but if you survive that you will hear it slows down a bit. The guitar solos and the gabbling, evil vocals make NOTLD really unforgettable ('They are coming for you'). Next one 'Dawn of the Dead' is more of a grind song, a bit too dry for me. Followed by a slower, doom influenced 'Zombie' - we can also label it as some kind of death metal 'ballad' - that has a very dark atmosphere. 'Zombie' closes with acoustic guitars, but the scream and the howling sound at the end of the song leave no doubts what might have happened. The last song on the album, 'Day of the Dead', is the second song where I feel the black metal influence. From this the song becomes cold and mournful that is a perfect combination.
Engorged is a very concentrated, heavy album and, sorry to say, because of this listening to it all at once is a bit tiring. With two or three songs shorter this would be a splendid death metal release of this year.
Stand out tracks for me: 'The Dreadnaught', 'Death Metal Attack 3', 'Slithis', 'N.O.T.L.D.', 'Zombie', 'Day of the Dead'.
Tracklist:
1. March Of The Engorged
2. The Dreadnaught
3. It Came From Beyond
4. Cobra Rage
5. Eaten Alive!
6. Death Metal Attack 3
7. White Line Nightmare
8. Slithis
9. Shockwaves
10. Beer Guts
11. N.O.T.L.D.
12. Dawn Of The Dead
13. Zombie
14. Day Of The Dead
Length 58:45
Engorged Official Homepage
Necropolis Records
Deathvomit Records, 2002
by Perkele
When I hear a band's name that contains 'gorge' in it, I'm never sure if I've already heard from them or not; seems it's a very popular word in death metal. As far as I know, ENGORGED have had some other releases before but for me this self-titled album of theirs is the first I got my hands on. These guys from Oregon are playing pure, old-school death metal whose roots are in the '80s.
Engorged is an hour long classical death metal album. They're not so technical, don't try to speed up with their music to an insane level as it's so common in the death metal scene lately. Instead they make an aggressive sounding death metal with lots of thrash riffs, shouted choruses, some slower breakdowns, a little black metal touch here and there and not to mention a bit of the rock feeling. Yes, yes I wrote rock and I'm talking about the sixth song on the album, 'Death Metal Attack 3'. Typical DM song title and even the intro line of the song 'If this one doesn't scare you, you are alread dead' makes you think this but the mid-tempo music turns into some kind of stoner rock with the bit hardcore feeling . Well... interesting piece on a death album. I also like the vocals on the album since every member of the band takes part in it. Distorted growlings, deep gurglings and everything low-toned voice you can find in the world of death metal. I also like the 'concept' of the album, the lyrics are based on classical horror movies.
But let's take the songs under a bit more detailed analysis. The album starts with an S.O.D. influenced song, just read the title of it 'March of the Engorged' (do you remember March of the S.O.D.?), that gives me the vision of the moshing, bubbling pit in front of their stage. This intensive tempo continues in the second song 'The Dreadnaught' that makes you headbang causing a muscular stiffness. Storming guitar riffs, blasting drums and great growlings made by Dave. Cool example of the style! 'It Came From Beyond' is a more typical American death metal song with a catchy breakdown in the middle. We have to face the evil Cobras from G.I. Joe in the next song, 'Cobra Rage'. Heavy riffs are rumbling, sweeping away everything. 'Eaten Alive!' starts one notch slower and we can say it is the most technical song on the album but later the fast grind rhythms take the lead and this is the first song on the album where you can hear the above mentioned black metal touch. Songs like 'White Line Nightmare', 'Slithis', 'Shockwaves', 'Beer Guts' are more typical death songs with deep, heavy riffs, with some shrieking guitar sound and the well-known drum beatings - totally chrushing music. 'Night of the Living Dead', about a girl who eats her mother, opens with a killer speed attack but if you survive that you will hear it slows down a bit. The guitar solos and the gabbling, evil vocals make NOTLD really unforgettable ('They are coming for you'). Next one 'Dawn of the Dead' is more of a grind song, a bit too dry for me. Followed by a slower, doom influenced 'Zombie' - we can also label it as some kind of death metal 'ballad' - that has a very dark atmosphere. 'Zombie' closes with acoustic guitars, but the scream and the howling sound at the end of the song leave no doubts what might have happened. The last song on the album, 'Day of the Dead', is the second song where I feel the black metal influence. From this the song becomes cold and mournful that is a perfect combination.
Engorged is a very concentrated, heavy album and, sorry to say, because of this listening to it all at once is a bit tiring. With two or three songs shorter this would be a splendid death metal release of this year.
Stand out tracks for me: 'The Dreadnaught', 'Death Metal Attack 3', 'Slithis', 'N.O.T.L.D.', 'Zombie', 'Day of the Dead'.
Tracklist:
1. March Of The Engorged
2. The Dreadnaught
3. It Came From Beyond
4. Cobra Rage
5. Eaten Alive!
6. Death Metal Attack 3
7. White Line Nightmare
8. Slithis
9. Shockwaves
10. Beer Guts
11. N.O.T.L.D.
12. Dawn Of The Dead
13. Zombie
14. Day Of The Dead
Length 58:45
Engorged Official Homepage
Necropolis Records
