Bloodletting

• Artist: Severe Torture
• Rating:
• Release Date: March 22, 2005
• Type: Contains explicit content
• Genre: Rock

Review

Those who have a limited knowledge of the death metal/black metal field will tell you that all of it sounds alike. But truth be told, death metal has a variety of bands -- some totally extreme, some more melodic and accessible by mainstream standards. Bands that are categorized as melodic death metal (At the Gates and In Flames, for example) have -- much like symphonic black metal artists -- made melody, musicality, and intricacy a priority. On the other hand, grindcore is death metal at its most extreme -- and grindcore is exactly what Severe Torture provide on this live album. Bloodletting is stereotypical grindcore -- harsh, unmusical, amelodic, ultra-fast brutality with twisted lyrics and deep, guttural, growling vocals that usually render those lyrics indecipherable. Stylistically, this Dutch band is right out of Cannibal Corpse and Carcass, and the song titles (which include "Mutilation of the Flesh," "Decomposing Bitch," and "Baptized in Virginal Liquid") thrive on cartoonish shock value. While live material dominates this 2005 release, Bloodletting offers several 1998 demos as bonus tracks -- and whether Severe Torture are live or in the studio, their work is an exercise in bombast for the sake of bombast and shock value for the sake of shock value. Severe Torture's material won't win any awards for originality; anyone who was listening to Cannibal Corpse, Cancer, Necrophagia, Carcass, and/or Deicide back in the late '80s and early '90s will hear Bloodletting and think, "Been there, done that." But the Dutch death metallers are good at what they do, and die-hard grindcore enthusiasts will find Bloodletting to be a decent -- if derivative and totally predictable -- document of Severe Torture on-stage. ~ Alex Henderson, All Music Guide

Tracks

Track Title	Composers	Performers	Time
Feces for Jesus	Severe Torture	Severe Torture	(3:25)
Baptized in Virginal Liquid	Severe Torture	Severe Torture	(2:42)
Decomposing Bitch	Severe Torture	Severe Torture	(5:05)
Impelled to Kill	Severe Torture	Severe Torture	(2:11)
Mutilation of the Flesh	Severe Torture	Severe Torture	(3:24)
Butchery of the Soul	Severe Torture	Severe Torture	(3:48)
Carnivorous Force	Severe Torture	Severe Torture	(2:59)
Misanthropic Carnage	Severe Torture	Severe Torture	(4:53)
Pray for Nothing	Severe Torture	Severe Torture	(4:08)
Lost Souls	Pestilence	Severe Torture	(3:30)
Till the End	Severe Torture	Severe Torture	(3:03)
Severe Torture	Severe Torture	Severe Torture	(2:12)
Baptized in Virginal Liquid	Severe Torture	Severe Torture	(2:37)
Lambs of a God	Severe Torture	Severe Torture	(2:28)
Taking Down the Descender	Severe Torture	Severe Torture	(4:02)

Credits

Hans Pieters (Mastering), Hans Pieters (Mixing), Paul Van Rijswijk (Engineer), Vincent Dijkers (Engineer), Vincent Dijkers (Mixing), Severe Torture (Engineer), Severe Torture (Liner Notes), Severe Torture (Mixing), Severe Torture (Layout Design), Severe Torture (Logo), Tue Madsen (Engineer), Sven de Caluwé (Artwork), Patrick Boleij (Bass), Thomas Werr (Photography)