Cumbeast - Gore Zoo
Cumbeast is a groovy brutal death/grind band from Turku, Finland. They were formed in 2005 and they definetly are hard workers. "Gore Zoo" is already their 6th full length album! Their first 4 albums were released from the Spanish Pathologically Explicit Recordings while "Gore Zoo" and its predecessor are issued from Rotten Roll Rex.
But let's get straight to reviewing "Gore Zoo". The first impression I always get from an album is from its cover artwork! The cover artwork here is based on the 80's horror film artworks standards. It gives the impression that werewolves or wild animals are killing visitors to a zoo. Like Animals Killing People said it looks like "Human Hunting Season"!
In terms of music, Cumbeast without losing their sense of humor on titles like 'Cocktopus' or 'Colon Colonized', create a brutal and horror film atmosphere upon which they spray sickness. Cumbeast style includes an excellent drive of thick and chunky mid tempo palm muting riffs with nice drumming and doublebass beatdowns. The bass guitar shines throughout the whole album on the background with an excellent overtone and by performing really nice themes and clever fills. The vocals sound really cool and tasty being basically standard low-end growls performed with a nice groove that reminds me of bands like Dying Fetus, Lividity and Entorturement, you know the American school of groovy brutal death metal. Screeching and grinding vocal parts are also used and you will also listen to some hardcore-influenced endings on certain vocal phrases. This vocal diversity gives more interest. The guitar performs steadily throughout the whole album keeping it to playing mostly groovy rhythm patters with the addition of some guitar whistling sounds at the end of some music phrases to make it more tasty but without exaggerating at all with techniques. Everything in Cumbeast works for the benefit of the groove.
Some standouts in this very decent album are:
- The 2nd beatdown after the beatdown in 'Cocktopus'. This was an excellent idea for the opening track of the album. It immediately captured my full attention and got me into the groove (for I have to prove *laughs*). I loved the way the drums/bass had the song back in as well. Nicely done!
- 'Chickencage Of Terror' and 'Sarcofuck' background but still very shining bass guitar work!
- 'Nocturnal Disembowlment' amazing finale with what sounds like string arrangements making it more of a soundtrack to a horror film. I think this is a field where Cumbeast could work more upon and deliver some freshness to the style.
- The screeching and sickly performed a-la Soils Of Fate vocals of 'Autobahn brutality' (the bass in this one performs some really amazing a-la Steve Di Giorgio Death-era fills definitely worth to check out).
- The Devourment-worship low-end gutturals of 'Colon Colonized'.
The album's length (it just exceeds 30 minutes) increases its consistency and quality. A very decent album overall for fans of the American groovy brutal death/grind. I gave it a spin twice in a row!
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But let's get straight to reviewing "Gore Zoo". The first impression I always get from an album is from its cover artwork! The cover artwork here is based on the 80's horror film artworks standards. It gives the impression that werewolves or wild animals are killing visitors to a zoo. Like Animals Killing People said it looks like "Human Hunting Season"!
In terms of music, Cumbeast without losing their sense of humor on titles like 'Cocktopus' or 'Colon Colonized', create a brutal and horror film atmosphere upon which they spray sickness. Cumbeast style includes an excellent drive of thick and chunky mid tempo palm muting riffs with nice drumming and doublebass beatdowns. The bass guitar shines throughout the whole album on the background with an excellent overtone and by performing really nice themes and clever fills. The vocals sound really cool and tasty being basically standard low-end growls performed with a nice groove that reminds me of bands like Dying Fetus, Lividity and Entorturement, you know the American school of groovy brutal death metal. Screeching and grinding vocal parts are also used and you will also listen to some hardcore-influenced endings on certain vocal phrases. This vocal diversity gives more interest. The guitar performs steadily throughout the whole album keeping it to playing mostly groovy rhythm patters with the addition of some guitar whistling sounds at the end of some music phrases to make it more tasty but without exaggerating at all with techniques. Everything in Cumbeast works for the benefit of the groove.
Some standouts in this very decent album are:
- The 2nd beatdown after the beatdown in 'Cocktopus'. This was an excellent idea for the opening track of the album. It immediately captured my full attention and got me into the groove (for I have to prove *laughs*). I loved the way the drums/bass had the song back in as well. Nicely done!
- 'Chickencage Of Terror' and 'Sarcofuck' background but still very shining bass guitar work!
- 'Nocturnal Disembowlment' amazing finale with what sounds like string arrangements making it more of a soundtrack to a horror film. I think this is a field where Cumbeast could work more upon and deliver some freshness to the style.
- The screeching and sickly performed a-la Soils Of Fate vocals of 'Autobahn brutality' (the bass in this one performs some really amazing a-la Steve Di Giorgio Death-era fills definitely worth to check out).
- The Devourment-worship low-end gutturals of 'Colon Colonized'.
The album's length (it just exceeds 30 minutes) increases its consistency and quality. A very decent album overall for fans of the American groovy brutal death/grind. I gave it a spin twice in a row!
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1. Cocktopus
2. Chickencage Of Terror
3. Nocturnal Disembowlment
4. Sarcofuck
5. Rhino Rampage
6. Autobahn Brutality
7. Colon Colonized
8. Jungle Bells (Hostile Ape Posse, part 3)
2. Chickencage Of Terror
3. Nocturnal Disembowlment
4. Sarcofuck
5. Rhino Rampage
6. Autobahn Brutality
7. Colon Colonized
8. Jungle Bells (Hostile Ape Posse, part 3)
Reviewer: Manos Michaelides
Oct 2, 2019
Oct 2, 2019
Next review:
No One Gets Out Alive - Die Like The Rest
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