Review by Ryan Harding

DYING FETUS: KILLING ON ADRENALINE Morbid Records

One of death metal's most technically advanced acts is Washington D.C.'s DYING FETUS. Their albums INFATUATION WITH MALEVOLENCE and PURIFICATION THROUGH VIOLENCE exhibited intricate musical prowess with tracks such as "Your Blood is My Wine," "Blunt Force Trauma," and "Nothing Left to Pray For." They return with KILLING ON ADRENALINE in fine form, the title track leading off (for once this decision doesn't signify the rest of the album will probably be capable of sucking off John Holmes, even in the grave). PURIFICATION established DF as the most profanity-prevalent death metal band, and KILLING is no fucking exception. If you need evidence, you need look no further than "Fornication Terrorists"

"Dead, he's dead, that motherfucker's dead /
Don't let me see the fucker's face again /
Mad as fuck, these fuckers gotta die /
It's time to send them back to where they came /
Fuck, and fuck, spreading all their shit /
Without a fucking thought inside their head /
Kill and kill, give it to them hard, see how much they're fucking when they're dead".

DYING FETUS differs from most technical acts in that while you notice the abundance of riffs, they seem to play out logically enough. There's also a bit of a groove to some of them, in between riffs decorated by sheer heaviness and others by sheer insanity. "Procreate the Malformed" serves as their most ambitious song yet, clocking in past seven minutes, and filled with brutal dexterity. New drummer Kevin Talley fits in well with DF, blasting at strategic moments and displaying great rolling technique.

What DF is infamous for besides the technical musicianship and scornful lyrics is the vocal delivery. Guitarist John Gallagher provides lows that don't always seem possible without a harmonizer; the opening of "Fornication Terrorists" could clear out a bomb shelter during nuclear holocaust. DF must be seen live, as Gallagher does his not-inconsiderable vocal duties while playing some extremely unorthodox riffs as though it's of no challenge to him.

The higher vocals are contributed by Jason Netherton, bassist and lyricist, which keeps the band's delivery all the more interesting. Some other noteworthy tracks include "Kill Your Mother/Rape Your Dog," a one minute fifteen second assault which takes amusing shots at popular music.

"These bastards flood the market with their fabricated shit /
And laugh as this pathetic fucking music gets them rich",

and "Absolute Defiance," its catchy slow opening riff allowed to carry the music probably longer than any other DF riff before. The only slight mis-step is an INTEGRITY cover which doesn't survive the DF rearrangement as well as their NAPALM DEATH cover of "Scum" on PURIFICATION. Other than that, DF delivers half an hour of well-constructed insanity. Pick it up, kill your mother and rape your dog.

Five Perplex Skulls.

This review copyright 1998 E.C.McMullen Jr.

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