review: Pathology

Pathology

Reborn to Kill

Pavement Entertainment

9 August 2019

Pathology has established their tradition that they do not allow many years to go without releasing an album. From 2006 to 2019 they have ten albums; they released an album a year in 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014. Unfortunately, that great run has come to an end, and now they are releasing an album every two years, which is very sad because once you get used to an album every year, then nothing can ever take away the heartache of having to wait two years to smile again when you see another album of undead-zombie-themed artwork and the brutally illegible Pathology logo splattered on the album cover. The most depressing time was from 2014 to 2017 when it took three years between albums. The world might as well have ended, and no amount of Kleenex could comfort the zombie tears rolling down our skinless faces. It’s a cruel new world, but at least Pathology does not take as long as Boston, Def Leppard, Bolt Thrower (RIP) and Guns ‘n Roses to make a new album.

But enough of the sob stories. Pathology is back. Let’s dig up this grave and open this casket and discover what pleasurably aromatic treasures lie within. The album cover is zombies. Check. The drumming is blasting. Check. The riffs are sick. Check. The vocals are guttural and indecipherable. Check. Alright, then, that’s it. Done. That’s the tweet.

Right? Not quite! The band in the past has put a lot of zombies on the album covers. Pathology must continue to have brutal album covers because it’s how they roll, and they don’t want to give people a heart attack by changing up the tradition and have the fans going, “Oh, no! This is it! This is the big one, I’m having a heart attack, I’m coming to join you, Elizabeth!”

Yet, the polished production shows a band working in a good bit of variety into the 33 minutes of blasting guttural death metal. “The Druid’s Gavel” is not a blasting song, and the track is Pathology tipping the hat to the more traditional, classic-style death metal with some catchy riffs. “Stone Axe Dismemberment” (best song title of 2019?!) has blasting, midtempo and breakdown parts all in one. This is Pathology being Pathology, and it’s another catchy song, but the 16-second guitar solo is very melodic. “Empathy Ends” is a midtempo instrumental that is melodic. You’d be surprised at the small, interesting details that the band is doing to keep the brutality going after all these albums.

Unfortunately, the band seems to be consciously restraining the songs, as if they are afraid of having real guitar solos, as opposed to the licks and quick boosts of guitar that they currently use. The same is true for the vocals, which fit the description of brutal and guttural death metal, but the brutality therein lacks things like: serious commitment to the pig squeals, gut-wrenching screams, more guttural craziness, more wildness, and other vocals elements. Pathology continues to deliver some of the catchiest and most effective brutal death metal albums out there. This one is no different, but the album sounds like the band is standing, looking at an open door right in front of them, a door that allows the band to walk into some new, wilder territory of brutality, but they have not made up their minds if they will walk through the door. They are looking at each other, saying, “Should we do this? Are people going to accept Pathology if we add some new things?”

Another success for the band, but will they let the whole cat out of the bag? We see that the cat is showing its face, we hear its meow, we see the cat, we see the cat, bring out the whole animal! We are not afraid of the seeing the whole cat, and neither should Pathology, who are adding melody to slam-brutal-guttural death metal in fresh ways already. Could this be a sign of something bigger, braver coming down the pipeline from Pathology?!

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