Artist: PeelingFlesh
Album: PeelingFlesh
This time about five years ago, shortly after the dissolution of deathcore act Strangled, PeelingFlesh—a byproduct of the aforementioned’s break-up—were fresh off the release of Slamaholics, and I think I can speak for just about everyone when I say that I don’t think anyone expected the band to grow into the juggernaut they are today. An immense debut LP, a corollary nearly sold out nationwide headlining tour, support for the likes of Whitechapel, Lorna Shore, Devourement—and now gearing up for the release of their eponymous sophomore LP. Somewhere through the last five years, PeelingFlesh have coined a style that is wholly theirs (not for want of imitation, however), and Slamming Gangster Groove is alive and better than ever evidenced by the nearly-half-an-hour of non-stop ludicrous, lurid and languishing violence throughout PeelingFlesh. Mach speed drums collide with ten-ton chugs and guttural vocals that sound akin to using heavyweight chains to drag cinderblocks across a concrete parking lot; in short, PeelingFlesh live up to everything they’ve ever promised out of their sound and then some on an incredibly fun and fiendishly heavy sophomore LP.
At this point, whether its strict adherence to a gimmick or painstakingly careful cultivation of a trademark sound, the listener knows what they’re going to get when they hit play on a PeelingFlesh record—and the band’s self-titled release is, largely, no exception. Instrumentally, the band continue to infuse elements of hardcore, deathcore and hip-hop into a sturdy backbone of slamming brutal death metal, with percussionist Joe Pelletier’s hyperspeed blast beats and ruthless footwork serving as the band’s great firmament. From the first sample-led salvos of “Crash Out Intro” to “Wig Split,” “Crackology” and “No Alibi” and beyond, Pelletier’s drumming remains an immaculate blend of speed-driven technicality and punchy, explosive and groovy slams. The latter especially sees guitarists Mychal Soto and Jason Parrish do exactly what it is they do best—let loose with laughably heavy and grotesquely groovy slams that are, in a word, gargantuan. “Crackology” and “T.D.C.U.” are two excellent examples of this, though, realistically, no song across the album’s 11 cuts is really lacking in the heaviness department. “It’s Goin’ Down Pt. 2” sees bassist Chip Smith work alongside Soto and Parrish in bringing grisly and groovy heaviness directly—and violently—into the listener’s neocortex, whereas “Bottom Text” is perhaps the only song that utilizes any sense of atmosphere or foreboding no matter how brief—with Major Payne’s soliloquy ending in “and blood and guts and ass was everywhere” segueing the track into pure unabashed brutality. In fact, that might just be the simplest summary of PeelingFlesh’s instrumental approach to their second full-length album. Between misanthropic grooves, homicidal slams and ass-bouncing hip-hop influence, blood, guts and ass are indeed everywhere.
Much like the band’s well-established ability to deliver weapons-grade beef instrumentally, frontman Damonteal Harris really needs no introduction at this point. Harris continues his reign among the top-tier of contemporary gristly, guttural vocalists on PeelingFlesh, using his voice as an instrument at least as much as he uses it to deliver actual, intelligible lyrics. Throughout PeelingFlesh, Harris is joined by several stand-out voices from contemporary hardcore, slamming death metal and everything in between—be it Bayway’s Jayway on “Lethal Interjection,” Sanguisugabogg’s Devin Swank on “Wig Split” or STABBING’s Bridget Lynch, listeners will not be left wanting when it comes to outstanding variety sprinkled throughout PeelingFlesh’s latest venture. Harris’ vocals are, of course (and as referenced above), joined by a smorgasbord of samples ranging from niche hip-hop cuts to Scary Movie 3, viral videos, smoke detector beeps and others—more than meeting the expected quota for irreverent and impeccably timed moments of both comedy and intensity (but mostly comedy) to accompany Harris’ otherwise immense and otherworldly vocal efforts.
On one hand, it can be argued PeelingFlesh didn’t do anything all that new on PeelingFlesh, which is a fair criticism. With that said, when a band has carved out as robust a niche for themselves as PeelingFlesh have, there exists less a need for new innovation and more a need for consistent, quality delivery over time—and in that respect, PeelingFlesh have wholly succeeded. The band’s sophomore full length record is packed-to-bursting with egregious heaviness, catchy grooves, leviathan slams, grotesque vocals and stellar samples—if the gimmick (or niche) isn’t for you, PeelingFlesh isn’t the LP that will change your mind, but for anyone even remotely on board with what the OKC overlords are going, you will find no shortage of outstanding material to blast on repeat here.
9/10
For Fans Of: Devourment, Snuffed on Sight, Boltcutter, Epicardiectomy
By: Connor Welsh