After a few albums that veered into a more traditional death metal style and a long absence from the scene,
Abscess return to their cheerfully revolting roots with
Horrorhammer. One assumes that the title is an inversion of "Hammer horror," the campy British B-movies of the '60s and '70s that are a logical inspiration for the band's deliberately icky Grand Guignol lyrics. Those are here in full force throughout, as is the band's trademark mix of hardcore punk, death metal, and occasional flashes of glammy '70s-style hard rock in an
Alice Cooper style. Fans of early albums like
Urine Junkies and
Seminal Vampires and Maggot Men will find much to enjoy in songs like the surprisingly catchy "Drink the Filth" and the hardcore-brief "Another Private Hell."
Horrorhammer won't change the mind of anyone thus far unconvinced, however. ~ Stewart Mason