While the kids play with their toys, Cutterred Flesh rip and tear through riffs like a rusty bone saw through tissue paper. This is quintessential brutal death metal, made by brutal fans, for brutal fans. However, much like the wonderfully rendered artwork, the Czech quintet throw a substantial twist into the mix: melodies. I’m not talking about a little solo here or a quick lick there, either. Cutterred Flesh have taken it upon themselves to build at least half of their latest batch of carnalities upon the backs of undeniably melodic, and sometimes even downright mournful, lines. From there, the band deepens my curiosity as thoughtful instrumental passages contrast with the typical grotesquery I expect from brutal death metal lyrics. In effect, Sharing is Caring represents a core sound—one of demolishing riffs layered back-to-back in a relentless attack (see standout riff-factories “Knife is Not the Enemy” and “My Favorite Bodybag”), supported by any number of vicious blasts and pummeling double bass runs, garnished with thick roars and shredded shrieks—cleverly elevated from the standard with subtle touches of musicality.
These unexpected touches don’t come into play right away. Cutterred Flesh’s melodic flourishes instead slip stealthily into the soundscape with second selection “Black Aurora,” a ripping number replete with an unreal roster of ravenous riffs. Said riffs span the gamut, touching on brutal death, a bit of slam, and even a pinch of tech-death. But the real showstopper is the first smoldering threat, which evokes the world’s deadliest funeral procession. It’s properly sorrowful in mood yet retains all of the ferocity I expect from metal like this. “Where Only Old Flesh Stinks” digs ever deeper, conjuring a lonely, ravaged wasteland through weeping leads. Cutterred Flesh complemented these melodies with smartly arranged assaults that pound skull into dust within an instant. “Knife is Not the Enemy” and “Good Boy – Romantic Relationship with Necrotic Tissue” both deftly slip deceivingly musical guitar leads in between massive beatings, effectively solidifying the practice as a crucial part of Cutterred Flesh’s current aesthetic. In fact, these surreptitious melodies break out in such a deliberate, reliable manner that I’ve no doubt they’re the linchpin of their corresponding songs.
Unfortunately, Sharing is Caring lacks that level of depth and creativity in a few key areas, the primary area being lyrics. I can’t fully understand every lyric without a sheet, of course, but those that I’ve so far deciphered are bog-standard brutal death gruesomeness. If the music supporting them were out-of-the-box too, I wouldn’t have noticed. But it isn’t, so I noticed, and it strikes me as a missed opportunity to flip the script once again and make a real impact that lasts longer than a lunchtime. Additionally, two songs (“The Mystery of the Black Hen” and “Amused by the Tenacity of a Dying Whore”) fail to reach the lofty quality level of other songs, each lacking the special melodic sauce that brought bold flavor to the rest. Seeing as the pair situate themselves smack dab in the dead center of the record, too, such relatively lackluster material saps a lot of momentum from an already tight thirty-five minutes. I also take issue with closer “Progressive Body Adjustment” being labeled a bonus track. It fits the tracklist perfectly in both theme and placement, so what the fuck is it “bonus” for?
With all that said, I’m delighted with Sharing is Caring. Underwhelmed though I am at the obvious missed opportunities to make this album great, Cutterred Flesh caught my eye with thoughtful songwriting and immense grooves, fronted by a delightful swatch of artwork. If these Czechs can check all the boxes more consistently across the album, and do so in every element of their output, brutal death metal might gain a new frontrunner. For now, I’d say it’s safe to share Sharing is Caring freely and happily to all who may care.
Rating: 3.0/5.0
DR: 5 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Transcending Obscurity Records
Website: facebook.com/CutterredFlesh | cutterredfleshband.bandcamp.com
Releases Worldwide: December 3rd, 2021
