HAEMOPHAGUS
“ATROCIOUS”
RAZORBACK RECORDINGS / ICONOCLAST RECORDS
From the land of all that is great in Horror, comes Italy’s sons, HAEMOPHAGUS and
their second full length album “ATROCIOUS” (the first being “SLAVES TO THE
NECROMANCER“ on DESPISE THE SUN RECORDS from 2009). These guys have
existed as a unit from 2004 until the present (with a break back in 2006-2007), so having
only two full lengths seems a bit sparse, but that’s before you count in one demo, an
anthology CD and ten split releases with bands ranging from AGATHOCLES, SPIRAL,
GRIND CRUSHER, REPUKED, BONESAW and Pennsylvania’s own
MAUSOLEUM. That should quiet any critics use of any “sparse” synonyms, these guys
have been busy!!! Mind you, that’s just the HAEMOPHAGUS output. Members here
have also spent time in, ASSUMPTION, GRAVESITE, MORBO, REPULSION,
SERGEANT HAMSTER and WOLVESGUARD. An additional recording can be
credited from F.D.A. REKOTZ tribute to REPULSION from 2009, in which these
sickos covered the classic “Excruciation”. “ATROCIOUS” has been given three separate
releases, covering all formats. The vinyl was on ICONOCLAST RECORDS, the tape
on WEED HUNTER RECORDS and picking up the CD release? Well, none other than
the US gods of gore at RAZORBACK RECORDINGS. Looking at the list of bands
HAEMOPHAGUS has done splits with as well as the honorable labels they have
released music under, one can probably, quickly and correctly assume where this band’s
influences lie. This is gritty, heavy, Death Metal, the real deal. In recent times, the term
“Death Metal“, for me anyway, holds almost none of the instant excitement it did 25
years ago. The slick, super-sheen of modern production, ultra technical fret board-
masturbation, endless blast beats and a heaviness factor that when put up against a
release like this, barely registers. I sleep well at night knowing bands like
HAEMOPHAGUS are out there doing their damnedest to correct any of my negative
connotations with modern Death Metal, if not for me personally, I think for a huge
segment of the Death Metal fan base from way back when. A list of this band’s
influences and “R.I.Y.L” labels reads like a who’s-who of celebrated Death Metal gods of
the late 1980s. Some easy to see names would be early AUTOPSY, DR. SHRINKER,
early MORTA SKULD, early IMMOLATION, and at this point the REPULSION
influence should be no surprise. Just check out “The Honorable Society Of Black
Sperm”. Not a band purely about name dropping either. These guys do it well and along
with the production on “ATROCIOUS”, HAEMOPHAGUS sound authentic, like it was
1988 all over again. Oh, to dream! Anybody not willing to take my word for it? I
recommend one listen through the Arduously heavy “Naked In The Snow”, “Siege Of
The Murderous Beasts” and the aforementioned “The Honorable Society Of Black
Sperm” had me literally going upstairs just to check the calendar. Seriously, this track
made the hair on the back of my neck stand up. Those of us who were there enjoying
this kind of thing in the 1980s, will instantly get what I’m trying to convey. Bands like
HAEMOPHAGUS are exactly what’s making Death Metal popular again especially
among the lifetime-fan crowd and purists, and the fact that they emulate the great bands
that made Death Metal popular the first time way back more than a quarter century ago,
is an object lesson in exactly WHAT Death Metal should sound like and WHY it should.
Hails to HAEMOPHAGUS for a great record and being one of the newer batch of bands
making Death Metal interesting again!
www.facebook.com/HAEMOPHAGUS
- Reviewed by Keith Dempe
“ATROCIOUS”
RAZORBACK RECORDINGS / ICONOCLAST RECORDS
From the land of all that is great in Horror, comes Italy’s sons, HAEMOPHAGUS and
their second full length album “ATROCIOUS” (the first being “SLAVES TO THE
NECROMANCER“ on DESPISE THE SUN RECORDS from 2009). These guys have
existed as a unit from 2004 until the present (with a break back in 2006-2007), so having
only two full lengths seems a bit sparse, but that’s before you count in one demo, an
anthology CD and ten split releases with bands ranging from AGATHOCLES, SPIRAL,
GRIND CRUSHER, REPUKED, BONESAW and Pennsylvania’s own
MAUSOLEUM. That should quiet any critics use of any “sparse” synonyms, these guys
have been busy!!! Mind you, that’s just the HAEMOPHAGUS output. Members here
have also spent time in, ASSUMPTION, GRAVESITE, MORBO, REPULSION,
SERGEANT HAMSTER and WOLVESGUARD. An additional recording can be
credited from F.D.A. REKOTZ tribute to REPULSION from 2009, in which these
sickos covered the classic “Excruciation”. “ATROCIOUS” has been given three separate
releases, covering all formats. The vinyl was on ICONOCLAST RECORDS, the tape
on WEED HUNTER RECORDS and picking up the CD release? Well, none other than
the US gods of gore at RAZORBACK RECORDINGS. Looking at the list of bands
HAEMOPHAGUS has done splits with as well as the honorable labels they have
released music under, one can probably, quickly and correctly assume where this band’s
influences lie. This is gritty, heavy, Death Metal, the real deal. In recent times, the term
“Death Metal“, for me anyway, holds almost none of the instant excitement it did 25
years ago. The slick, super-sheen of modern production, ultra technical fret board-
masturbation, endless blast beats and a heaviness factor that when put up against a
release like this, barely registers. I sleep well at night knowing bands like
HAEMOPHAGUS are out there doing their damnedest to correct any of my negative
connotations with modern Death Metal, if not for me personally, I think for a huge
segment of the Death Metal fan base from way back when. A list of this band’s
influences and “R.I.Y.L” labels reads like a who’s-who of celebrated Death Metal gods of
the late 1980s. Some easy to see names would be early AUTOPSY, DR. SHRINKER,
early MORTA SKULD, early IMMOLATION, and at this point the REPULSION
influence should be no surprise. Just check out “The Honorable Society Of Black
Sperm”. Not a band purely about name dropping either. These guys do it well and along
with the production on “ATROCIOUS”, HAEMOPHAGUS sound authentic, like it was
1988 all over again. Oh, to dream! Anybody not willing to take my word for it? I
recommend one listen through the Arduously heavy “Naked In The Snow”, “Siege Of
The Murderous Beasts” and the aforementioned “The Honorable Society Of Black
Sperm” had me literally going upstairs just to check the calendar. Seriously, this track
made the hair on the back of my neck stand up. Those of us who were there enjoying
this kind of thing in the 1980s, will instantly get what I’m trying to convey. Bands like
HAEMOPHAGUS are exactly what’s making Death Metal popular again especially
among the lifetime-fan crowd and purists, and the fact that they emulate the great bands
that made Death Metal popular the first time way back more than a quarter century ago,
is an object lesson in exactly WHAT Death Metal should sound like and WHY it should.
Hails to HAEMOPHAGUS for a great record and being one of the newer batch of bands
making Death Metal interesting again!
www.facebook.com/HAEMOPHAGUS
- Reviewed by Keith Dempe