Severe Torture - Bloodletting

circus_brimstone

Forest: Sold Out
Jul 5, 2003
5,154
13
38
41
Indiana
Severe Torture – Bloodletting
Candlelight Records – CDL192 – March 22nd, 2005
By Jason Jordan

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Fact is, I don’t drool over live albums. I can appreciate them from time to time, but I seldom bask in non-studio offerings. And, I’ll also venture to say that releasing a live record after having only two studio albums is a bit premature. I really hate to complain, though, so I’ll attempt to make amends with the following statement: if you’re a dedicated fan of Severe Torture, then Bloodletting is something you’ll want to buy or steal from your local, music store. After all, no one purchases/downloads music off the Internet anymore.

Unsurprisingly, this particular excursion is unrelenting in its presentation of previously released material. The production is stunning – it’s hands down the best live production I’ve heard from an extreme metal band. Severe Torture blast their way through popular tracks such as “Feces for Jesus” (a present I’m sure he’ll enjoy), “Baptized in Virginal Liquid,” and “Impelled to Kill.” The band’s sound is simply bludgeoning, and I’m positive that the crowd was assaulted relentlessly. Also notable are Dennis’s brutal vocalizations that come off as guttural live as they do in studio. Seth’s drumming is truly above par on Bloodletting, as are all performances. Consistency is good. After the nine live tracks, we receive a fresh cover of Pestilence’s “Lost Souls,” and the Baptized… demo which was originally released waaaaay back in 1998. It’s nice to hear songs like “Severe Torture” and “Baptized in Virginal Liquid” as demo renditions.

The fifteen tracks that Severe Torture have so graciously provided us with run a fifty-minute gauntlet of brutality that essentially leaves no room to breathe. Though I can’t give Bloodletting my stamp of awe, I can recommend the aforesaid to people that marveled at Feasting on Blood (2000) and Misanthropic Carnage (2002). Unlike, say, Chuck Schuldiner’s Zero Tolerance, this release is intent upon pleasing fans rather than swiping their unsuspecting cash.

7.5/10

Official Severe Torture Website
Official Candlelight Records Website