Fleshgore – May God Strike Me Dead

Fleshgore – May God Strike Me Dead / 2006 This Dark Reign / 9 Tracks / http://www.fleshgore.com / http://www.devildollrecords.com / Reviewed 05 July 2006

I expected Fleshgore to be a band that is brutal, and that they are, but there are bits of harmony stuck throughout their “May God Strike Me Dead” that will bring individuals dancing into the picture. In some sense, Fleshgore reminds me of Some Girls. The technical ability of the bands are similar, while Fleshgore and Some Girls both throw in these catchy and fun guitar riffs.

The bands may be brutal, but there is a harmony that even a boy band could not touch even if they tried during “May God Strike Me Dead”. Something that is different about Fleshgore when they are compared to the rest of the grindcore and thrash bands out on the market is that each of the songs on this disc maintain a normal track list. These are not the sub-minute track that one usually would expect from bands of that ilk, but full tracks that individuals can really sink their teeth into. “May God Strike Me Dead” is a tour de force that is only increased in impressiveness when the band gets into ‘Passion”, the Methuselah of the track at four and a half minutes.

The tracks unite to create a cohesive full-album sound instead of an amorphous blob. The production on “May God Strike Me Dead” is perfect, as it separates the different instruments just enough from each other to allow listeners to hear each drum hit as it interacts with the guitars and vocals. Fleshgore may just be the best thrash/grindcore act on the market right now, a market that is saturated with a number of nearly-legendary acts (Job For A Cowboy, the aforementioned Some Girls). Fleshgore is able to create the same havoc and intensity that acts like 9 Shocks Terror are able to provide with each live show. The only thing that is missing from “May God Strike Me Dead” is a string of firecrackers going off as individuals mosh around in the pit. There is little in the way of changes that could be done to make this disc any better than it is. The band may not ever get a video on mTV, but that’s not their concern. What Fleshgore is concerned about is creating the best album possible, and they do just that with “May God Strike Me Dead.” I’m sure we’ll hear more about the band in the near future, but this album should sate listeners over until then.

Top Tracks: Passion, Obtrusion

Rating: 7.4/10

[JMcQ]