During their existence, English band Failed Humanity released one demo ('Terrorcore' in 1998) and this full-length album. The name of the demo gives a hint how the band sounded. However, that is only the other half of the truth. The other is death metal. Nothing new under the sun, eh? Well, not exactly, but 'The Sound of Razors through Flesh' is an apt illustration how to sound at least a bit deviant to the multitude of death/grind band.

These young cockneys were vexed as hell. Due to the grindcore influence, the lyrical content handles real topics, eg. destroying people (on personal and nation scale), hate and so on. So, the musical ingredient, then... Brutal death metal. Fast blasting, hellishly heavy, vicious guitars (blood-slinging riffage and insane soloing), mid-paced marching. North American leanings are more than evident: Morbid Angel-esque twisted demonic conjuration, which is a surprise when thinking about the lyrical side, and then the lethal groove of Dying Fetus ilk. But when the band intend to stay home, Bolt Thrower style double kick drum assault is the stuff. It's that "tank effect", you know? Thanks to the death metal side of the band, the musical grindcore one brings Napalm Death's more death metal style era to my mind (fuck, this is pretty much fuckin' death metal, you know?!), but there's some punk beats for every 'corist. The compositions are the divide; some work like good sex, some are mess (like good sex?!). However, there is no single boring moment on the album. And it's kind of characteristic.

If you want heavy shit performed with attitude, then here you get what you want. Some of the guys have links with Extreme Noise Terror and Gorerotted, so it's not surprising how they rip it up. Pleasingly organic production job is definitely a saving thing. Ear-melting heaviness? Check. Metallic bite? Check. What else can you ask for? Oh, and what about the vocals? Unvarying growling, that's what.

So, Failed Humanity managed to create their own kind of death/grind hybrid. The pieces were stolen, but what the heck?! If it works, it works. Inspect. Shit, my trouser bottoms are on fire and my neck... I don't feel my neck.

Rating: 7- (out of 10) ratings explained

Reviewed by Lane
09/18/2008 21:27