THE COUNTY MEDICAL EXAMINERS

Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, right? Well THE COUNTY MEDICAL EXAMINERS have been flattering the hell out of CARCASS and continue to do just that on their Relapse debut, "Olidous Operettas". Hey, at least they admit to it. Besides, they do a fine job of mimicking that classic goregrind sound, a style that many a RAZORBACK-type band have glommed onto and ridden for all its worth. Who would have thought that the good doctors would have been capable of generating such intestinally stimulating noises? I mean have you seen these guys? I can only wonder with glee at the reaction of County Commission members to the news that one of their own worships at the altar of all that is metal, bloated, and reeking of putrefaction.

The eight tracks here demonstrate an improved tightness (though the sloppy undertones remain, and most appropriately so) from the trio, as well as a delectably crunchy and gooey sound mix. That out of control feel of a locomotive careening off the tracks is melded masterfully with a pointed approached that leads one to believe a group more confident in its abilities has written "Olidous Operettas". Lyrically, come on now, you now what this one is all about: surgical atrocities, medical malevolence and putrid procedural insanity, "Expeditious Evisceratory Mishap" being one such example.

The band is equally adept at carnivorous speed romps and gurgling mid-tempo churn. "Necrotic Apologues" is one case of the seamless pace changing from furious pummel to saner tempos and lighter riffing with a fairly melodic lead. Sticking largely to speeding fury on tracks like "Blunt Force Flight", the good doctors also demonstrate a firm grasp of the now tried-and-true dual vocal approach (mid-range phlegm-soaked and gurgling death growl). Along with songs such as "The Virchow Postmortem Procedure", it is another example of how an otherwise grotesque display of eardrum batter can be freshened up with a smartly placed and relatively tuneful leads, no matter how briefly played.

You've heard it all before, but THE CME is not the least bit concerned with introducing impressionable young minds to a new and improved goregrind style. They do what they do and they do it well. CARCASS fans unite.