The County Medical Examiners

Burping up this second disc (their first for Relapse), the County Medical Examiners have proven themselves the kings of modern-day Carcass worship. Yes, Exhumed and Impaled have some new competition. With this hilariously good release, the Examiners, who just happen to be three real-life doctors, take their influences primarily from Carcass’s primitive gurgle-grind of Symphonies of Sickness and the more musical mature Necroticism: Descanting the Insalubrious. And despite the fact that one of these dudes is a jazz player in his mid-60s (I’m not making any of this up), this is an utterly perfect homage to all that is sloppy and fun, yet talented and serious as can be; it’s everything great about gore-grind. And despite the occasional moment of uniqueness, such as the bizarre pseudo-bass solo at the end of opening track "Casper’s Dictum,” this is strictly by the book blasting, and it’s never sounded better. Also, check out what is destined to be the most hilarious moment in extreme metal, at the 0:46 mark in "Expeditious Evisceratory Mishap,” when the extreme low-register vocalist (I like to imagine it’s the senior citizen, but who knows) gurgles out the line, "I seek medical care.” Too funny.