Horror

Gorecore institution Exhumed began their brutal journey in 1990 as a blindingly intense death metal act obsessed with horrific themes. Horror is the bands eighth album, arriving nearly three decades into their run of various lineups centered around founding guitarist/vocalist/songwriter Matt Harvey. In their many years as a band, Exhumed went through phases of Slayer-esque technicality, punkish grindcore, and even more groove-focused takes on their gory metal. Horror is a notable departure from even its immediate predecessor, 2017s Death Revenge, in that its a considerably more raw, stripped-down, and frenzied assault on the senses. The album was recorded at the bands home studio and the rougher-edged production suits the material. Horror charges out of the gate with the blastbeats and unhinged ripping of Unsound. Not interested in dynamics, technical perfection, or pausing to take a breath, Horror stays at one red-lined speed for its entirety. Packaged like an 80s VHS horror movie, the album sticks with entertainingly overstated themes of decay, the undead, and other ghastly gore on standout tracks like Ravenous Cadavers, Utter Mutilation of Your Corpse (a seven-second blast of terror) and Naked, Screaming & Covered in Blood. ~ Fred Thomas