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Carnivorous Vagina > Strage cannibale > Reviews
Carnivorous Vagina - Strage cannibale

Finally they know what they're doing! - 94%

Noktorn, February 17th, 2010

Now this, THIS is what Carnivorous Vagina should always have been doing. 'Istinto Omicida', their other well-known album, is a capable if unremarkable slab of Mortician worship that hinted at something more. The something more is 'Strage Cannibale', where the band finally pulls out all the stops, finds their own sound, and creates a completely sick and bestial death/grind record that everyone who appreciates the genre should hear. The chance of it being any more loved by the overall metal scene than 'Istinto Omicida' is essentially zero, but to perverse, demented people like me, this is fantastic and an essential 2008 release.

Even on this album, Carnivorous Vagina is still at heart a Mortician-worship band, but the small electronic and noise elements come into full bloom on this record, with haunting Giallo synths permeating just about every track and samples getting embedded more frequently into the body of the music rather than just being thrown in as an intro or outro. The effect on the music is staggering; the slight Giallo atmosphere of 'Instinto Omicida' is now the whole of the music, with the bizarre synths bouncing off the ultra-heavy, primitive riffs and lurching, unpleasant rhythms in a remarkably compelling way. The production is swathed in downtuning and reverb, and the vocals are still unintelligible Rahmer grunts, but the synths and electronic effects really add an unbelievably menacing tone to the music.

The band's compositional chops have improved as well. Just about every track on 'Strage Cannibale' is distinct and memorable, with slow, grinding riffs that stick to the brain, particularly when accentuated by the strange synths and Italian horror samples. Even the instrumental ambient/noise tracks genuinely add something to the character of the album, showing that the synthwork and electronics aren't just a random gimmick on the part of the duo but an integral part of the band's new-found sound. Honestly, it all comes together so naturally and perfectly that one has to wonder why they weren't doing this in the first place when it sounds like it's what they always wanted to do.

I can't really recommend this to those who hated 'Istinto Omicida', because the fact is the core of the music hasn't changed much. Alternately blasting and chugging death/grind tends to please only those who have a well-worn copy of 'Hacked Up For Barbecue' in their collection. However, if you enjoyed earlier Carnivorous Vagina or are simply a Mortician lover like me, you should absolutely pick this release up. It's borderline essential and a landmark album for 2008.