Corpus Mortale, Fleshcraft

I’m not all that familiar with Corpus Mortale’s material or their brand of brutal death metal. Perhaps that’s because they reside within the relatively underrated country of Denmark. Then again, maybe it’s because this is only their fourth full-length effort since 1993. At any rate, if Fleshcraft is any indication of what I could have heard on their previous albums, I just might have to do a little backtracking to check it out.

Fairly restrained in terms of the pace, the ten tracks on Fleshcraft are still quite full and powerful. You don’t need speed to cave in the skulls of the meek I suppose. Thick riffs and a solid helping of Behemoth, Cannibal Corpse and even a little Hate Eternal pepper the band’s sound as they march unrelenting right from the start of album opener, “Weakest of the Weak.” What I really enjoy about this release is the solid groove that flows like a freshly slit jugular. Yes, the music is brutal and violent, but it’s also got a flow and momentum that carries you all until the crashing end.

While much of the material on Fleshcraft can come across as relatively one-dimensional, there are moments of technicality that really capture your attention. Amongst the barbaric drumming and driving riffs, there are some stellar leads, tempo shifts and fills that break your from the single mindedness of straight-up and all-out head banging. The slick guitar work of “Scorn of the Earth” is a great example of this as the band chuck all sorts of mayhem at your skull. Additionally, everyone is in sync with one another, delivering their message and performance as tightly and as professionally as possible. “Love Lies Bleeding” sees the band hitting all cylinders and marks a highpoint in the album.

“Enthralled” delivers a furious blend of groove and destructive rhythms. “Feasting Upon Souls” has a solid marching riff pattern and animalistic rhythms as the deep guttural vocals bark along, rarely changing tone. If this album, despite it stellar production and delivery, has one knock against it, it’s that the songs tend to sound a little samey as you make your way through it’s forty plus minute run time.

While Corpus Mortale may not be the coolest in cool or the next evil messiahs of death metal, the music within Fleshcraft is well performed and produced as well as one would hope for. The Danes’ brand of brutal death metal is infectious and has enough variety within it’s bludgeoning depths to keep from stagnating and, in the end, delivers a solid and entertaining slab of mayhem.