Cannibal Corpse, A Skeletal Domain
So, I’m not going to start this review with any backstory on Cannibal Corpsethey’ve been cranking out solid death metal for longer than most of you probably have been alive. Fans of the band know what they are in store for with the group’s thirteenth studio album, A Skeletal Domain. And those of you that like to complain about them, don’t waste your time or mine. Stop reading now and move along.
A Skeletal Domain isn’t anything new under the blood-drenched sun. It’s the band doing what they do best. From album opener “High Velocity Impact Splatter” to maniacal ender, “Hollowed Bodie,” we’re treated to mental images of zombie decapitations, corpse mutilation and merciless bludgeonings. The production (courtesy Audiohammer Studios) is about the only major change from the last couple of albums. The sound here is crisp and allows each instrument to shine at just the right time.
If I were to have any complaints, and this isn’t really anything new with this particular album, is that the lyrical content can get repetitive at times. It’s the band’s style and really, in the end, not that much to deal with as they pummel and destroy with directed aggression. Every now and again, the band falls into comfortable patterns that we’ve heard in previous albums, but when you’ve been doing this for 25 years, these crumblings are negligible.
As far as the songs go, they are all performed well, but as with every album, a few stand out more than others. “Sadistic Embodiment” is a squelching, ferocious aural assault that never lets up off the accelerator as Cannibal Corpse tear through your lifeless shell with malevolence. The title track is a powerful beast with plenty of tempo shifts to keep you thoroughly entertained. For those looking to have their asses handed to them, check out the unrelenting “Bloodstained Cement.”
A Skeletal Domain is another notch that Cannibal Corpse can add to their long career, or at least the nearest severed, rotting femur that they can find close by. It’s not new or revolutionary, but it is the band kicking the collective asses of their fans once again.