Gore Obsessed

Cannibal Corpse have received a lot of attention and controversy over the years for their song titles alone. But aside from all the over-the-top gross outs of the band's lyrics, the music is really worth checking out. Their relentless combination of neck-snapping death metal beats, sinister detuned guitar riffs, and Cookie Monster vocals is harrowing and fun at the same time, and the execution is better than that of most similar bands. Most impressively, the album remains interesting from front to back, thanks to concise song lengths and a healthy variety of tempos, which alternate from rat-tat-tat machine gun-style onslaughts to chugging mid-tempo mosh sections (check out "Dormant Bodies Bursting" to hear it all in one song). And don't forget about those great song titles; fans won't be disappointed with numbers like "Hatchet to the Head," "Compelled to Lacerate," and the exquisite "Sanded Faceless." This is great stuff. Includes a Metallica cover hidden at the end.