In the mid-1990s, Deaden had collected a dedicated underground fan base. The band's debut album 'Hymns of the Sick' was released in 1996, but in 2000 the band needed to hit the docks. 'Displaying the Art of Carnage' was composed in 2000, but not recorded until 2005-2006. The guys are also in such bands as Lividity, Human Artifacts etc.

I think you've guessed, that Deaden's trade is brutal death metal, North American style. The lyrics are sick, telling about sex with dead people, wearing skin of sex partner (obviously dead), perversion for faeces (faecal matter swapping from mouth-to-mouth and other smelly things) and sodomy. The music is delicately written. It twists and turns, blasts and grooves. But it does it all with style. It feels like a well considered murder, rather than random slaughter. However, it is not catchy as such, and definitely needs to be followed with thought. Vocals are bad-ass, varying from very low growling to pig-yelping and throat-lacerating screeching, plus something between them all, and at times, two voices simultaneously. Well implemented samples lift atmosphere quite a lot. In all, this is totally intense.

And when the production is something like perfect, being ultra-heavy yet every instrument is well heard and masterly played (especially that Steve DiGiorgio-esque bass playing and great small tricks in drumming, but also the guitars are pretty wild and even unique), I cannot but pant for breath before this monstrosity. The sound is still fucking raw, no compromise.

My only criticism is for lame artwork (gory picture grabbed from the net and modified a bit and voilà, and some band pictures added). But otherwise, 'Displaying the Art of Carnage' is total aphrodisiac for any brutal death metaller!

Rating: 6½ (out of 10) ratings explained

Reviewed by Lane
07/16/2008 21:00