Originally written by Patrick Dawson
Silent since 2002’s Misanthropic Carnage the Netherlands number one exporters of sadistic misogyny have returned with a live album to placate their fans in the absence of a new full-length. For the uninformed non-super fans among you, Severe Torture plays a brand of Brutal Death Metal with riff work that reminds me of None So Vile era Cryptopsy. Aside from that one similarity, the general formula isn’t very Unique (Leader) but when dealing with the Ultra Brutal side of things landmark albums are few and far between. My own taste for this style should not detract fans in the least, exceptional songs like “Butchery of the Soul” come across in a most impressive format live and the band prove they can do everything on stage just as well as they do it in the studio.
The term “live album” must be applied a bit loosely here because while Bloodletting is comprised of nine live tracks recorded in 2004 at the Voxhall venue in Aarhus, Denmark, it also contains the band’s 98 Baptized in Virginal Liquid demo and a cover of “Lost Souls” by the mighty Pestilence. On the live tracks the production is astounding for a P.A. recording out of some Danish club. Tue Madsen’s job on the recording is almost too good; the only time audience noise become audible is during brief stretches of frontman banter between songs. Although it sounds suspiciously like the room only has a handful of people standing up front, they seem to be enjoying themselves during the enthusiastic performance. The inclusion of a cover song demonstrates the band is actually capable of slowing things down, and as this type of thing goes it is well executed. I’m not very excited about the demo recordings but my interest in the band is passing at best; if anything their inclusion serves to illustrate how far their skill as musicians has progressed. Their aged performance is an interesting albeit grating listen due to the boxed-in and brittle sound of the drums.
Depending on how you look at it this is either a nice departure gift from Karmageddon (formerly Hammerheart Records) for huge fans of the band or just a cash grab at contract’s end. Either way the product is solid and provides an exact representation of what Severe Torture sound like live. If you are a fan of the Dutch approach to blast n’ burp Brutal Death Metal then Bloodletting may be the perfect snack to hold you over until the new album drops sometime later this year.
