Incessant Ramblings of Cardiac Tom: November 2007

Well, here we are on Black Wednesday...the most busiest bar day all year from what I hear. Why am I not at the bar? Easy...it is amateur night. All the people who think they can drink go out, and it makes for an annoying night for us pros...Not to mention, cops know that this is the biggest drinking day of the year...so instead of getting pissed off and pulled over on Black Wednesday, I just stay home and drink. Safer and cheaper...

So, since I am bored, I wanted to get all the reviews of Morgue Mutilations together in one place. We have them posted in the Cardiac Arrest My Space blog, but that blog entry is buried somewhere, and I doubt anyone would search for them...This is just for ease of reference...

From Guttural Zine (GER)
www.gutturalzine.tk
CARDIAC ARREST – Morgue Mutilations – Full Length – Redrum Records

After I rated the CARDIAC ARREST MCD as well as the 7" as very positive it now is time for their 1st full length album as usual decorated with an awesome gore zombie artwork reminding of bands of the likes of FRIGHTMARE, GHOUL or GOREROTTED and released via Will Rahmers little label "Redrum Records". But this has nothing to do with Mortician in any way. I can only say, that the fans of this band won't be disappointed, and those who bought the earlier releases already will for sure be entertained very well. The sound from this band has been improved a lot again and the production is much more clear now and doesn't sound like it has been affected that much. I personally would not have expected Cardiac Arrest to put up such an awesome work of art with “Morgue Mutilations” as it is 100% ass kicking death metal containing old school elements as well as some modern influences, making me think of bands like Impaled, Ghoul, Grave, Autopsy or Unleashed. The main ingredients are consisting on stomping mid-tempo riffs which are scattered with some blastbeat attacks and it does not get boring as well due to a few tightly rubbed guitar solos, totally fitting into to the rest. "Morgue Mutilations" gives you everything making DM interesting. Unfortunately 3 of the songs aren't really new. “I See Red” for example was already release on their 7” EP and the songs "Carnage Your Fate" and "As The Dead Pillage" are from their MCD, but screw that because in 2006 they sound better than ever. Especially drummer Jim gives an excellent job here. This band has developed nicely, and I can recommend this album to any death-metal head, who is into some old school brutality and not only here looking for some ultra brutal guttural slam death, should make sure not to miss this killer album! 93/100

From Unbound Zine (CAN)
www.unboundzine.com
CARDIAC ARREST – Morgue Mutilations – Full Length – Redrum Records

Now this is what I like to hear. After an impressive debut MCD, Cardiac Arrest is back with a full length of old school death metal that kicks a whole lot of ass. Think vintage Carcass mixed with Bolt Thrower and possibly even Massacre. You have fast blasting sections, thrashy sections, and pounding sections where I hear the Bolt Thrower influence. There is definitely a slight modern feel to the album as it does have a bit of a goregrind feel to it at times. In fact I would say that the album almost has a Razorback Records feel to it. I know that most of the bands on Razorback do sound different, but this is an album that would have fit in quite well with the usual sound of the label. I have to say that this album pretty much takes everything about Cardiac Arrest and improves on it greatly. The MCD showed a lot of potential, but this album is tighter, faster and just plain better. The songs are memorable and filled with some of the best old school flavored riffs I have heard in a long time. The production is also actually quite impressive. It has a powerful sound with thick guitars, natural drums and well balanced vocals. There is no mistaking that this is an underground release and I wouldn’t expect or want a different sound. It fits the band perfectly with just the right amount of rawness. This is one of the best underground metal albums I have heard in a very long time. It’s awesome to see bands keeping the more old school style of death metal alive. Sure I like some of the hyper fast technical bands, but for me this is what death metal is all about; memorable riffs, powerful vocals, and heaviness to spare. 4/5

From Metal Domain Magazine (US)
CARDIAC ARREST – Morgue Mutilations – Full Length – Redrum Records

Cardiac Arrest is the Death Metal act to listen to, not for the speed and blast beats, but the rhythmic brutality within. With one look at the cartoon-made-violent album artwork, it is obvious that Cardiac Arrest are not the ones to fuck around with. The poser-repelling Illinois Death Metal group released a new record, Morgue Mutilations, to fuel the central Illinois Metal scene. The new album features earthquake bass riffs and heavy guitars that keep you listening from start to finish. By the first track “I See Red”, it becomes clear that songwriting plays an important role in the band’s work. When most Death Metal bands think that speed is the key, Cardiac Arrest go more melodic than rushed. Don’t think that this stops the razor-sharp snare beats from raping your stereo system! The drums on tracks such as “Riding As I Carve” and “Carnage Your Fate” are beyond your typical Death Metal snare slamming. Most songs on Morgue Mutilations are compressed into a 3 ½ minute blast of insanity. However, the album’s closer, “Breathing in the Dirt” brings a full 6-minute melodic Death Metal feast for the ears. Any band can slap together an album with some intestines on the cover, but Cardiac Arrest makes it worth your while. B-

From E Metal Reviews (US)
www.myspace.com/emetalreviews
CARDIAC ARREST – Morgue Mutilations – Full Length – Redrum Records

Cardiac Arrest really blew me away! I knew by their site, and what I had heard they would be good, but they surpassed all my expectations. Old school influences from both the early 90's Swedish scene (Dismember) and most of the early 90's Florida gods. Extremely well thought out and played guitar chords and solos. Drums that are played at mid paced but keep the heaviness intact. Vocals are growls but the vocalist has his own style and doesn’t really copy any one vocalist (this could be said for the entire band though). Definitely a must have if you're like me and you've been into death metal for along time and your tired of all the copy cat bands in the scene. Cardiac Arrest will be huge in 2007.

From The Wormwood Chronicles (US)
www.wormwoodchronicles.com
CARDIAC ARREST – Morgue Mutilations – Full Length – Redrum Records

Boasting a cover of cringe-inducing cartoon carnage, "Morgue Mutilations" causes even necrophiliac Dr. Mality to turn away in disgust. How these guys avoided winding up on Razorback Records is anybody's guess, because they have every trademark of the Horror Hive on them. Well, I saw these maniacs upstage Waco Jesus and destroy the Rock Hollow Gun Club in Freeport a little while back so I knew what they were capable of live. Happily, I can confirm that these sonsofbitches are equally revolting on disc as this little piece of plastic will surely put a ghoulish grin on the face of every fan of Obituary, Massacre, early Death and many others.
Fuck all trends in death metal, this is the real deal. It is MORBID! It's all about low-tuned sludge, skull-evaporating blast beats, lurching zombie-like doom and sewer-trench vocals. This thing is produced PERFECT and sounds like what Death might have come up with after "Leprosy" if Chuck hadn't decided to go progressive. Narration from an H.G, Lewis gore flick kicks off "I See Red" and already the dead begin to mosh. Things don't let up and get even more heavy and oppressive as Adam Scott leads his zombie troops to war. As much as I love the fast stuff here, it's always those super-chunky mid-paced riffs that cause me to froth at the mouth. Some of the best arise on "As the Dead Pillage", "Stiffs in the Basement" and "Into the Woodchipper". Another good thing is how "live" it all sounds, with no obvious ProTools or drum machine fuckery....kinda ironic, ain't it? A "death" metal band sounding live? HA!
You can hear some ripped off riffs throughout ("Breathing in the Dirt" nips one from Cianide's "Divide and Conquer" album) but I can surely forgive this, as Cardiac Arrest is bone-crushing, vomit-inducing OLDSCHOOL death metal of the most sinister kind. So grab those greasy grimy gopher guts, french fried parakeets, insulated monkey feets and prepare to EAT IT RAW!!! ARRRRGGGGGHHHHH!!!

From ISK Webzine (Bosnia)
www.isk.int.ba/rec61.htm
CARDIAC ARREST – Morgue Mutilations – Full Length – Redrum Records

OMG...here comes that poser sentence that Bosnian metal community likes to yell out loud, but this review wouldn't be worthy without it - YOU MUST OWN THIS ALBUM IF YOU CONSIDER YOURSELF A DEATH METAL FAN! This is truly unbelievable, when I heard Cardiac Arrest's debut album, I almost got killed by their name - this is fucking old school death metal, no modern influences! You wanna Old School Cannibal Corpse in 2006? You want Num Skull in 2006? You want Bolt Thrower in 2006? Well, with CA, you got 'em all! Cardiac Arrest is following the trail of great American (and British) death metal with simple and brutal riffs, accompanied with effective solo parts which will suit you perfectly, and will never bore you to death! I could play this album for days and months, which is actually what am I doing for the past 15 days!

Let me make a little comparison system here - remember the first time you've heard some death metal album, and you said to yourself - this is it, this is DEATH metal? I remember the first time when I heard ''Seven Churches'' (Possessed), ''Slowly We Rot'' (Obituary), ''Horror of the Zombies'' (Impetigo), ''Spiritual Healing'' (Death) and ''Grind Bastard'' (Benediction), which are my all time favorite death metal albums till this day. Well, the same great feeling embraced my body and soul when I heard ''Morgue Mutilations''! CA captured the essence of fear, and that good ol' horror feeling, which I remember very well from Impetigo songs...and just, wait a moment, maybe a coincidence, but these guys are also from ILLinois...

I am very sorry you don't have a chance to see larger picture of MM cover, which was painted perfectly by artist named Putrid, but jump to www.putridgoreart.com to see Putrid's works! His style and technique blended perfectly to the music surroundings of the album, and made the whole puzzle complete!

Now, forget about any modern, new death metal album, and go back to the golden age of Death Metal! Get this as fast as you can! OLD SCHOOL DEATH METAL!!!

ARGHHHHHHHHHHHHH: Sharan is banging his head off... 5/5

From Voices From The Darkside Magazine (Germany)
www.voicesfromthedarkside.de
CARDIAC ARREST-Morgue Mutilations-Full Length-Redrum Records-40:00min

The tenth installment of Roger and Will’s (MORTICIAN) label Redrum Records, violently heaving forth this Illinois meat wagon, a now four piece of grim Death/Grind. Featuring within its ranks an old penpal of mine, who also plays in the band SEVERED, Tom Kninzer. Quality old style brutal Death Metal is on the toe tag for this Wheaton / Chicago outfit. Delivering blood soaked regurgitated remains from the late 80s / early 90s bands like BOLT THROWER, BENEDICTION, CARCASS, MASSACRE and DEATH. With each passing blast, chunking riff and hateful growl it’s no wonder at all why the casket Gestapo of MORTICIAN chose these sickos to represent them. If any band right at this very moment needs your attention and support it is CARDIAC ARREST. This CD is like a virtual time machine taking me back to the days when Death Metal was new, hard to obtain, dirty as Hell and meant all the world to hear blasting out of your Boom Box! I am more than pleased with this album and can’t wait to hear more from the band! Go CARDIAC! Contact: info@cardiacarrest666.com or 1855 Brentwood Lane, Wheaton, Il 60187 U.S.A or www.cardiacarrest666.com

Wes Rhodes

From Global Domination Zine (Sweden)
www.globaldomination.se
Cardiac Arrest: Morgue Mutilations 24/01/08 || Eric Wright

What is the difference between good death metal… and the bad? To me, good death metal is made by people passionate about the music, good musicians, and when they write songs that are all unique from each other. Cardiac Arrest fits all of those categories, not only does their album have great musicianship, but every song can be picked out from one another.

Tom, the new member of the band, not present in this recording, had sent me “Morgue Mutilations” to review, which I was happy to do as I already knew/liked the band already, received the album in the post, but was not able to sit down and give it the attention it deserved until just now. To start off, the album artwork done by the wonderful Matt “Putrid” Carr, known for his horror artwork, doing a lot of album covers for Razorback Records, this one really evokes a sense of unavoidable horror, tied down and forced to witness things that would break anyone with a sane mind, which really sums up the music.

As soon as the album starts, it kicks out a creepy sample, then the warped guitars and ultra-fast riffing takes you into a seedy world of murder and mayhem, with music that has the atmosphere of death, unlike any of the bands playing for brutality sake. The productions are muddy but still sharp as a razor, the drums are loud and destroying but do not overpower the music, the bass hits you like a sledge hammer, murky yet visible in the toxic sludge of the sound.

The riffs are all extremely good, catchy without becoming too melodic, you can hear some Cannibal Corpse here, some Bolt Thrower there, with a modern sound that really destroys most of the bands in the scene right now. Highly, HIGHLY, recommended for people who like brutal death metal without overdoing the brutality. A must have.

9 blood soaked well aged riffs out of 10.

From Burning Misery Webzine
www.burningmisery.com
Cardiac Arrest - Morgue Mutilations 2006

Alright motherfuckers check this out, this release from Cardiac Arrest is a sick, grinding puppy!!!! From the start of the gruesome opus Cardiac Arrest grind you with technical death metal in a gory, but old school kind of way. If you listen closely you can feel the swedish influence (bands like Entombed, Dismember, Carnage) in the music. You can also hear the american old school influence in the music as well on certain tracks. "forbidden Passage," "Beyond Trauma," and the last track, "Breathing in the Dirt." Throughout the whole cd it's a beautiful mix of talented death metal in new and old school way, that's the best way to describe "Morgue Mutilations!" So fans of entombed, Death, Dismember, and newer death metal bands should eat this shit up real good!!!!
Added: July 10th 2007
Reviewer: Alex
9/10

Well, Cadaverous Presence is finally done. We wrapped up recording yesterday. 14 songs, 14 studio sessions...not bad!!

Last Sunday, we were to finish vocals, but we were kind of short on time. Adam completed what was left of his parts. I did some of mine, but was not really happy with some of what I was doing. Amsterdamn had to leave early as well, so we firgure why rush through it and not be happy with the performance...

Amsterdamn got to the studio yesterday about an hour before me (yes, I am always late) and got started...he had some great last minute additions here and there which we added...we did a lot of the backing accents and the screams...Went much smoother that the week before...

So, what is next??? Well, we should have a near complete mix ready in about a week. We'll all listen to it and recommend what levels needs to be fixed (if any...Kai is pretty good)...Once we are happy, it will be off to Patrick Bruss for Mastering...For those that don't know, Patrick is the madman behind Crypticus...He is also responsible for the excellent remasters for the Impetigo re-issues from Razorback Records...So, I think it is safe to say, we are in good hands...

We will begin practicing again in the next week or so...We will have to basically shake the rust off...we have not practiced together since this studio thing happened...we should be fine though...we have been playing these songs know for quite a while, so it is just basically getting back in the groove...Basically, we will be putting together a set list which will incorporate the new material, which we want to focus on live...Of course, there will be a couple of the faves present as well...Once that is all settled and tight, I am sure we will be in writing mode again. We have a lot of strong riffs in the "riff storage bin" but we are not going to rush into anything...

More updates to come...I'll probably spill the beans soon about track listing and maybe post a sneak peek of the awesome artwork by Putrid...I also know there will be some press releases coming soon...

Also, we will be announcing some big shows for 2008 shortly...

Cheers all!!