'Hurt by Human Race' is the debut album from French death metallers Recueil Morbide, who have been around since 2000. After two demos, Deadsun Records grabbed their countrymen and here's the result.

Mostly 'Hurt by Human Race' is very fast blasting, let me tell you, and well performed. The fastest stuff is balancing on a brink, ready to fall into a vortex of chaos. But there are slower parts to give a breather or two for a listener, but they do not save the whole from being a tad too chaotic and somewhat unorganized take on brutal technical death metal.

The two guitar interplay is Recueil Morbide's thing and majority of the riffing is on the trebly side, and open riffing is also used quite a lot. It is not an easy task following when tempo changes are on continuous use and the guitars spit out something different almost after every turn. It is the heavily utilized double kick drum beats which provide the heaviness. They are mixed to the very front.

The songs have their own distinctive features, but not always easily heard, and the catchiness is so-so. The slower parts like the fantastic solo part on 'Embrace', while being melodic, very melodic in this context, stick up like a palm tree in Sahara. 'Earthwounds' is the catchiest song, and not surprisingly, as it is the "title" track (the album's title is growled on its chorus). While listening to this, it's always on the tip of my tongue to drop a band name this reminds me of, but I can't, so points for individuality.

The vocals are ugly throughout, with some variety from low growl to bark to inhuman shrieky growling and clean vocals on 'Petrify (Frozen Expectations)' sounding a lot like new Demigod. Vomit sounds remind of Lord Worm of Cryptopsy. The lyrics are varying from ancient Egyptians to sick mind, from abuse of nature to sublime pleasure (remember Loudblast?! French, they must love this stuff!). This is more chaotic than the first demo, 'Mental Torture' (2000) and needs more time.

A lot of remarks on the production was made on the previous chapter. The bass drums are mixed too high and snare drums sounds shit on fastest beats. Like a broken car is what that clanging reminds me of, definitely too machiney. The guitars aren't really heavy, not even on heavy riffs, but they sound a bit muffled (as mentioned, I like more heavy riffing). Same goes with the bass; it's not heavy! So the drums, while are greatly performed, make the whole sound a bit crap. The Deather cover art is great! Hands up, guys, who like to watch Giger-esque naked girls. Oh, I knew it, you pervs!

While this is quite technical and well performed, more catchiness (not in "pop" way, but...) wouldn't go amiss, neither would more low-end production. In many ways this reminds of Cryptopsy's insane debut album 'Blasphemy Made Flesh' (1994). At first five listens after the album ended, the over only thing I can remembered was the last song's last riff, 'Embrace' and 'Earthwounds'. Like a slow-impact poison, Recueil Morbide affected unconsciously.

The chaotic mutations are now starting to have a vague form and who knows if I'm enlightened one day and know every song by heart. Keeping in mind that this is only Recueil Morbide's debut, the future looks (or rather sounds) promising.

Update on December 4th, 2023: I got three more albums by Recueil Morbide in my morbid collection now. I've listened both them and this one again. This makes more sense now, after the main review which was done almost two decades ago. I still do not think this is a classic, but it slays! Definitely worth for those who seek for fast and technical brutality, this band. The Score was 6½ and now it is a bit higher. -Lane

Rating: 7+ (out of 10) ratings explained

Reviewed by Lane
04/21/2004 20:39