A Sledgehammer and a Scalpel…
Any breakout demo or freshman release begs the question: Was it a fluke?
Demos are to bands as statements of intent are to artists: a short message from the creator detailing the message and essence of the art they are presenting. Now we’ve all heard a lot of killer demos in our times, but shit happens. Bands break up seemingly overnight, with no kiss goodbye. The direction changes, the spark is lost, or maybe the follow up material doesn’t deliver what you were expecting. It’s a sad thing really, seeing the potential trickle through your fingers like sand, contemplating the what-ifs you barely got to know. You shed a tear. You follow them on Bandcamp hoping to get an email one morning, and holy shit, they’re back! They dropped new music, they’re touring- oh sorry I was just coping over Insect Warfare again. None of this has to do with Slave to the Scalpel though; this album fucking rips.
When 200 STAB WOUNDS first graced my Twitter timeline, their EP implied some chewy brutal slamming death metal a là maggot stomp was coming down the pipeline, but I was more than happily surprised when I got my hands on Slave to the Scalpel. A healthy 26-minute runtime between nine tracks is quite the order, especially since Piles of Festering Decomp had me maimed in a ditch begging for more. Keeping the neanderthal skull but filling out the skeleton with more death metal elements is definitely a winning formula, especially with such an awaited release.
Yes, that’s their debut EP above. Listen to it, if you haven’t.
These Ohio boys definitely don’t shy away from putting some meat on their bones, with longer, more developed songs. Carving out more refined song structures, they leave healthy room for samples and layering on more frills from the lead guitar. Then there’s some skank beat action, stronger vocal presence from Steve, and some serious mastery being displayed on this record. Tracks like DRILLING YOUR HEAD are uncompromising, a master-at-arms style of violence on your ears that will have blood dripping from your headphones. If SKIN MILK doesn’t hook you, and STIFLING STEW doesn’t sell you, I don’t know what will.
200 STAB WOUNDS has no issues giving you a tour de force every chance they get. Piles of Festering Decomposition was no pushover of a release, but I can’t stress enough how vicious this release is. There’s a strong rhythmic core in this record — a staple in any quality riff-oriented death metal record. With a healthy amount of time changes and the classic “when the riff comes back but slower” trope sprinkled in, your dopamine receptors might burn up! I love 200 STAB WOUNDS for doubling down on the mosh riffs. They got me throwing elbows in my room to every song. The tracklist is stitched together beautifully, no red lights to be seen, just a straight shot from front to back. All-you-can-eat riffs baby. Did I mention the mosh riffs? Fuck, those are tough. Now, to be clear, this album didn’t challenge my ears at all, and I don’t expect it to challenge anyone. But that’s okay. Hell, you could argue it’s a good thing, even.
I find it interesting that in most underground scenes, and in most heavy genres, bands are always clawing and stabbing at new ideas and new sounds and to challenge the conventions around them. And that’s great; I love it. But right now we see death metal almost doing a cultural return-to-form. Now, before you jump down my throat and name all the big brained, upstart DM projects that you have in your Bandcamp collection for this exact situation, lemme finish. It’s rare to see return-to-form approaches to music on such a wide scale as we’ve experienced in modern death metal. Sanguisugabogg is not a gimmick band, nor are they fucking off into the sunset anytime soon (although I wouldn’t complain). Maggot Stomp isn’t a bedroom label, at least presumably, with all that merch money coming in. Tomb Mold ignited a spark in the scene almost a decade ago — and the ripples have definitely become waves. Black Metal always has 2nd-wave worship, Grind always has Carcass worship, but I’ve never experienced a scene rubberband from a few eyerolls to a full-fledged revival. What I do appreciate in this upheaval is the wide variety of approach and execution. We can all name-drop 10 death metal bands who prove that less is more’; it’s not exactly hard. Death Metal has noticeably changed and continues to change in a healthy direction. The tech and slam crazes of the 00s and 10s respectively have dwindled. Now, the kids like caveman riffs, slam dancing, and horror samples. I’m kids. 200 STAB WOUNDS is kids. Kids rule.
Overall, Slave to the Scalpel is fun, fresh, and the auditory equivalent of a caved-in cranium, simply a no-holds-barred ripper of a full-length. Head empty, just rotten riffs and brutal blasts. Give it a listen:
“What are death metal musicians to do when they’re looking to let off a little steam? Apparently, the answer is: play more death metal, only with a lighthearted twist.”
- Luc Messina, guitarist for LIQUID FLESH
Favorite Track: STIFLING STEW
Strongest Track: SKIN MILK
Weakest Track: EXPIRATED SPATTER
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