Standard procedure for common music reviewing, especially for the work of a “new artist” is for the “journalist” to behave like a librarian with OCD – that is, to scrape away all nuanced, original (or unique) appendages and compile each artist into its basest genre. This way, they feel it is easier for the reader to find what he/she may enjoy based solely on stylistic similarities to other artists.
Then there are artists that force these “journalists” to think outside of their comfort zones, which usually results in mimicking those lovely Rolling Stone Magazine critics who thrive on inventing their own polysyllabic genres, like post-punk-progressive-emo-pop-core, and things just as ridiculous to mask the writers’ own lack of creativity or unwillingness to explore poetic license.
And finally, there are the metal critics, who live and die by comparing bands to other bands, either out of sheer laziness or an unfortunate admission of their own limited palate. And we all fall prey to it, especially in conversation, because, well, I guess it’s the thing to do.
Throughout its entire career, San Jose’s Exhumed has been branded album-after-album as some sort of second-coming of Carcass. You see the reviews crop up all the time - this album sounds like SYMPHONIES OF SICKNESS; that one sounds like REEK OF PUTREFACTION; and yes, scores of reviewers are comparing ALL GUTS, NO GLORY to HEARTWORK.
Is the consistent comparison an act of flattery? Sure it is; Carcass is a “golden child” among metal purists - almost incapable of doing wrong while always wearing a crown of “originality.”
However, to constantly make this comparison with Exhumed more often than not downplays its own contributions to the genre. Of course, Exhumed, Carcass, and a handful of others piss in the same genre-gene pool that is lathered with melodic riffing, grind-blasting time-changes, dual reptilian and graven vocals, and Kleenex-sogging solos. But ALL GUTS, NO GLORY is so much more.
The band’s “resurrection” album, so to speak, is also a love-letter to the thrash metal movement, while simultaneously recalling the beauty of crusty grindcore. Bay Area logic, NY mosh grooves, and UK-grind dialectic compose the rip-roaring stew ejaculated by Exhumed.
Can a person really credit one band with the inspiration that goes into an album like ALL GUTS, NO GLORY? Absolutely not, as it limits the perception and sound-experience of each listener. One person may hear Testament-isms, Autopsy-eria, and Napalm Death-itis, while another may hearken Accüsed-ness, S.O.D.-ity, and Megadeth-osity. It’s all in what YOU bring to the table.
And therein lies the magic of Exhumed; while you can ask the band what its influences are, you are ultimately going to hear what your ears and mind are going to extrapolate based on your own previous experiences. I suppose we can consider Exhumed the ultimate melting pot of extreme metal; thereby enticing us to enjoy its spewing as the music into which it allows itself to ferment – grotesque, fast, and loud!
Catch Exhumed on tour now with Goatwhore and Havok on the following dates:
- Nov 04 at Les Foufounes Electriques in Montreal, QC, Can.
- Nov 05 at Rock Café Le Stage in Trois Rivieres, QC, Can.
- Nov 06 at L’Agitee in Quebec City, QC, Can.
- Nov 08 at Palladium in Worcester, MA
- Nov 09 at Europa in Brooklyn, NY
- Nov 10 at Championships in Trenton, NJ
- Nov 11 at Mojo 13 in Wilmington, DE
- Nov 12 at Sonar in Baltimore, MD
- Nov 13 at The Casbah at Tremont Music Hall in Charlotte, NC
- Nov 14 at Masquerade in Atlanta, GA
- Nov 15 at Brass Mug in Tampa, FL
- Nov 16 at Engine Room in Tallahassee, FL
- Nov 17 at Siberia in New Orleans, LA
- Nov 18 at Korova in San Antonio, TX
- Nov 19 at The Juggernaut in Gallup, NM (no Goatwhore)
- Nov 20 at Orpheum Theatre in Flagstaff, AZ (no Goatwhore)
And grab a copy of ALL GUTS, NO GLORY now at Amazon and Amazon Digital!
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