Review by Carl on September 9, 2023.

Another one from The Netherlands, released by none other than Will Rahmer on his RedRum Records, and listening to this, it's pretty clear why.

Chainsaw Surgery deal in grinding death metal that scores high in the intensity stakes, and very low in the subtle nuance ones. Influenced by Mortician (of course) and Brodequin, with some sprinkles of early Aborted added as well, the band plow themselves through a collection of intense death metal, propelled forward by a clattering, raging ensemble of blast beats, guttural grunts and down-tuned guitar work. The music flies forward at high speed, and the compositions do not lend themselves to a lot of subtility in execution, although guitarist Pascal does manage to get in some sparse parts that go beyond the 'BRRRRRRRRHHHGGGGGHHHH' sound that is prevalent on this release. This is intense stuff, oozing unhinged aggression and barbarity, and is certainly not suited for the faint at heart. Some movie samples (that actually do not bother me here for once) ensure that this album more or less avoids the 'one long song' feel a release this unrelenting can evoke. Still, variation primarily goes between fast and faster, so Pink Floyd this never becomes (thankfully).

And while I certainly can appreciate the raging performance and stupid amounts of seething aggression this exudes, I have one glaring problem, and that is the drum sound. It's so digital and lifeless, clinical even, that it could have easily been a computer. An impressive and especially violent performance indeed, but it has the balls knocked out of it by the flat sound, and that is a bleeding shame. And while were at it, I would not have minded a bit more bottom to the overall sound as well, but what it does, it does adequately enough. It's all intense as fuck, and the psychotic aggression this album emanates more than makes up for the flaccid drum sound.

This one is only suited for the fanatic that gets it hard for only the most aggressive, relentless death metal/grindcore. If your preferred bag is anything more nuanced than the sound of a jackhammer on concrete, this is not for you. Despite the sometimes awkward production, I still think this is a beast of an album, sure to please all into savage, pretentionless death/grind.

Rating: 8 out of 10