ITP REVIEW: CEPHALECTOMY: AN EPITAPH TO TRANQUILITY

*BAND: CEPHALECTOMY (NOVA SCOTIA, CANADA) **GENRE- TECH, DEATH/ PROGRESSIVE,GRIND METAL ***LABEL-DISORPERATE MUSIC RELEASE DATE(S): 7/16/09

**** PREVIOUS RELEASES (CATALOG):AN EPITAPH TO TRANQUILITY (2009-Discorporate Music), THE DREAM CYCLE MYTHOS (2008-Discorporate Music),Cephalectomy/Bound In Human Flesh Split CD -(2005-Baphomet Records / Discorporate Music), ECLIPSING THE DAWN - (2004-Discorporate Music), SIGN OF CHAOS -(2000- Discorporate Music), DARK WATERS RISE -(1998-DEMO), GATEWAY TO THE GODS-(1997-DEMO)


***** BEST RELEASE: AN EPITAPH TO TRANQUILITY (2009)

****** CEPHALECTOMY: AN EPITAPH TO TRANQUILITY
TRACKLISTING:
01. The Obliterating Swarm. [01:08]
02. The Splintered Pupil. [02:30]
03. A Submergence of Will. [02:17]
04. The Accumulated Conscious. [02:25]
05. Feast of the Saints. [02:59]
06. Tide of Substance. [02:49]
07. For our Fetid Fathers. [02:32]
08. Freedom of the Enlightened. [03:08]
09. The Urchin Peel. [03:48]
10. Architect of Abomination. [02:29]
11. The Sons of Tellervo. [02:28]
12. A Loathsome Ceremony. [02:14]


ITP RATING: ****
PRODUCTION: ****
SONGWRITING: ****
PERFORMANCE: ****

Canadian Extreme metal and fans have always been interesting and groundbreaking to say the least. CANADA has quite the original metal scene including progressive thrash masters VOIVOD, to older CRYPTOPSY, the very original GORGUTS, NUERAXIS, KATAKYLSYM and many Canadian black metal bands on the rise as well.
Nova Scotia CANADA's CEPHALECTOMY may surpass CRYPTOPSY's throne in the tech/death mastery department. Northern Mystigrinders, CEPHALECTOMY, influenced by Sylvian Houde era KATAKYLSM, invoke a tech death/grind brutality whilst experimenting with cheekiness, classical, progressive and black metal. Perhaps CEPHALECTOMY, (originally a two man project) is Canada's answer to the USA's CEPHALIC CARNAGE as CEPHALECTOMY is the more tech and progressive of the two.
Here at ITP we have CEPHALECTOMY's latest release "AN EPITAPH TO TRANQUILITY" as this release is quite insightful indeed.
CEPHALECTOMY's "AN EPITAPH TO TRANQUILITY" opens with the track "The Obliterating Swarm", a 1:08 classical piano piece, perfect for a ballet satire.
"A Splintered Pupil" blasts in fast, thrashy, and brutal. CEPHALECTOMY's three vocal
assault of burping growls, and screams flow well between Peter Mestre, Jason Nichols and Cory Andrews (guitars) as there is enough hyper grind brutality in this tune to get any pit moving.
"A Submergence of Will" is awesome beginning with a cool almost Latin riff thrown in there, at 38 seconds another cool cheeky riff comes in and another one at 1:16, and with all of the brutality, and blast beat mayhem, you'll want to listen to this tune twice.
"The Accumulated Conscious" flows in a mid pace, expanding to death grind brutality with enough breakdowns to make the moshers happy.
"Feasts of Saints" exhumes a spooky sample, and blasts it's way into a technical hyper grind hell. "Feasts of Saints" features some TECHNICAL, almost classically inspired riffs, and solos before slowing down for a break down at at 1:20, and speeding up the brutality again.
That is a drum machine backing CEPHALECTOMY on "AN EPITAPH TO TRANQUILITY" and Peter Mestre joins the band after doing guest vocals on the bands previous release "Dream Cycle Mythos".
"Tide Of Substance" kicks off with good bass and guitar interplay and 1:00 let the tech riffage begin, all that and then some with a quality guitar solo at 1:41 with some quality screamed and grunted vocals.
"For Our Fetid Fathers" is a majestic and beautiful acoustic piece, a sort of breather in between the brutal tech/grind chaos ending in ambiance.
"Freedom Of Enlightened" segues into a melodic essence, before breaking down into some death grind brutality and ending in slow melodic bliss.
"The Urchin Peel", perhaps my favorite track on "AN EPITAPH TO TRANQUILITY", brutalizes everything with this cool little tech guitar synth riff starting at 24 seconds with a breakdown, some melodic thrash, slowing down at 2:27 for a piano outro.
"Architect of Abomination" kicks off down tuned, technical and brutal before flowing into mid paced grind, and picking up the pace again, with good death and clean vocal interplay. At 1:48, "Architect of Abomination" provokes a unique break down to break shit to, with a synth guitar riff that states: Beware, metal heads breaking shit, get out the way, and by then, everything including YOU are in pieces.
"The Sons Of Tellervo" is a hyper grind or "Northern Misti-Grind" anthem with melodic parts, breakdowns, speed, brutality and the drum machine going nuts.
CEPHALECTOMY's "AN EPITAPH TO TRANQUILITY" closes with utter death grind brutality, uber guttural vocals and an ending sample. By now, the listener should have broken and destroyed everything in their path, as CEPHALECTOMY certainly crushes destroys on their latest release.
CEPHALECTOMY's "AN EPITAPH TO TRANQUILITY" is a good quality tech death/grind release with insightful riffs, brutality, good vocal interplay, good variety with quality production and balance between technical and brutal.
My only minor complaint concerning CEPHALECTOMY's "AN EPITAPH TO TRANQUILITY" is the drum machine, while programmed well, I prefer an organic drummer as opposed to the triggered, mechanical sound.
Also, I would love to hear CEPHALECTOMY expand their brutal tunes past the three some odd minute mark, I think these guys have some good ideas, and the talent to pull off alot more, than again, short and brutal tunes is what grind core is about.
I hope to see CEPHALECTOMY play live some day, as I'm sure this band will expand it's fan base and hopefully be able to tour.

ITP RATING: ****
PRODUCTION: ****
SONGWRITING: ****
PERFORMANCE: ****

Thanks-Stay Metal, Stay Brutal-\m/ -l-