Dead Pharisees

Item: Mummified Priest
Author: D_Lister

Mummified Priest

(1998)

Reviewed by D_Lister

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Label independentDead Zine1998

death metal grindcore hardcore punk

What do you like in vocal styles? True hardcore style influenced by the likes of Six Feet Deep? That's here. How about low end guttural death growls? Those are here too. Punk influences here and there? Yea this CD has that too. What? You actually LIKE upbeat ska vocals? Ok it's got that. Even you emo fans out there will appreciate the passionate vocals this CD expresses at times, and you simply can not forget the hip-hop rap bridge in the middle of Mummified Priest, just to round out the album completely. No matter what your tastes, Luke Burcell has the vocal style for you on this album.

Now what do you like in guitar styles? True hardcore? speedy death riffs? atmospheric doom parts?....ok ok you get where this is going, as diverse as the vocals are Mark Burcell's guitar playing is just as varied.

The thing is it's not just the vocals and guitars that vary. The bass playing on this CD is amazing. From speed freakish death style playing to funky punk sounding parts that get your feet moving. Sean Kovacs is certainly not a bass player that is content in just creating a bottom end. He wants you to hear him playing and wants you take notice and that certainly happens throughout the course of these 12 tracks.

Taking nothing away from Sean's brother David, who displays one of the most incredible drumming efforts I've heard in a long time. Again not settling for playing the part of the simple time keeper this guy just plain blazes. From blistering double bass blast beats, to thundering rolls that seem to never stop, to the use of the cow bell on one song. There is no way for me to find any fault with the drumming here.

Overall I'd say this music is best categorized as hardcore with death/thrash influences. It's fast and frenzied and it's without a doubt intense. A much improved band over the track included on the Massive Frequency Overload CD. Although Ripped To Shreds is on this CD as well it has been completely re-recorded and you can tell this band has done nothing but grown since they originally recorded that song.

The production of the CD is a real treat as well. I've been able to talk to the band (for a upcoming interview) and found that they spent a lot of time and money on the mixing of the album. It shows here and is well appreciated. Even in the midst of their speedy death metal parts the bass guitar is very audible. The vocals are not drowned out nor are they buried under the guitars. The drums do not overpower, but still are a driving force.

Lyrically this band has got some things to say. They hold no punches and attack a lot of issues. The title track calls for a realization that man can not make the judgements of God:

The Catholic Church is an ancient machine
The priesthood corrupted throughout history
Rusted gears and broken pistons
Hidden under a surface that glistens
Grinding slowly to a halt
Who is to blame for it's faults?
Power given not to individuals
But to priest to save their souls
For centuries this vehicle kept the church alive
But now it is time for the priesthood to die
The controls must be handed over quick
To the High Priest in the order of Melchizedek
Heed these words you who may be mummified
Tradition can not keep you alive.

Then in Knock Me On My Face, they show their disgust in the direction churches in general have been heading as of late:

Do what it takes to put the church in it's place
Knock it on it's face
This is what I pray
Bring the church to it's knees
So that is can see
It's not where it should be
And bow to the King

Then they go on to full out glorify God in all His glory. I love songs like these, that are gifts for us to praise His name with. Songs like Lord Of The Dance, which was originally a old hymnal song, and is converted with power and emotion here on this CD. Then the song God Of Power will uplift you to heights that you just can't imagine:

Our God is a God of power
Our God is a God of might
Our God is a God of strength
We must not be afraid to fight!

They also offer a source of strength to us Christians who struggle the Christian walk each day in the song Scream. This song deals with the battle that goes on between the spirit and flesh. The desire to serve God on a daily basis and the incessant desires of the flesh to disobey His will. This song RIPS the CD open with a powerful opening line:

My soul cries out, trapped in this cage
Scream and shout until the ending of this age
Twisting and thrashing, this mortal shell confines
Try to keep from crashing as mind and flesh combine

Not afraid to lock horns with anyone Dead Pharisees also jumps into a couple of issue songs as well. If you have heard Massive Frequency Overload you know their song Ripped To Shreds is a Pro-Life song that quite vividly depicts the horror of what an abortion really is.

Suicide is a down right scary song. The vocals are doubled on this song with the normal hardcore type vocals laid underneath these slow demonic sounding vocals. The music of this song is slower and almost black metalish but with a little too much crunch to be doom.

As if musical and lyrical content were not enough to make this album a complete joy, you get the best simply the best cover art and layout design I have ever seen from a Christian band. Yes I do believe this even surpasses that of Living Sacrifice's Nonexistent album. The cover contains within it the actual Mummified Priest display done by M.C. Escher, which is down right creepy. For band pictures they superimposed their own heads on the tops of those mummified corpses inside. The lyrics are printed on a decaying scroll topped with a skull. After being told it was there I even saw that the brown ink used on the CD itself depicts an image but I will not give that away just yet. (Look carefully and at a distance. If you get really stuck and can not see it E-Mail Me and I'll tell you how to see it.)

To wrap this up, I've not awarded a 10 rating in a long time. I took 3 weeks of listening nearly solely to this CD trying to find any faults in it, but simply have been unable to do so. There is NO reason at all for anyone into hardcore, metalcore or whatever to not buy this album. This is simply the ultimate hardcore/death/thrash album, and a must have CD.

10/10

Other Staff Member Ratings
Grindboy: 7/10