CARDIAC ARREST “Haven For The Insane” Album Review.

CARDIAC ARREST “HAVEN FOR THE INSANE” 2010 IBEX MOON RECORDS.

Review By: Mike Abominator
These days,  the words”death metal classic” are not spoken as much as they were in the glory years of the genre. It seemed that so many bands were hungry to put out that “death metal classic” that it was common to have an album be played from start to finish in total astonishment (a lot of these albums were also debuts!) Quite a few bands also had a classic 2nd album. But most fell by the wayside, changed musical direction, or broke up all together. Cardiac Arrest from Chicago, Illinois has done their classic album with their 3rd long player. “Haven For The Insane” is a prime example of what death metal SHOULD sound like. It rips and smashes everything in it’s path. Before you know it, the album is over, and you are left with that same feeling that you had with all of those classics I mentioned above.  It’s a total slaughter-fest that blasts away and tears your limbs off, yet it’s catchy and memorable. It has a “groove” to it, which I fucking HATE that term and want to kill anyone that uses it, it is needed with death noise like this that grabs you and makes you drink the blood and then sticks the knife in fast and clean, but then slows the blade up and twists it inside of you.

These fuckers means business and it all starts with “Insanity’s Grip”. The punches hit you like a mack truck. Then it takes off with the fast banging and blast beats as the riffs shred your skin off. Think of some sort of deranged hybrid of Autopsy, Impetigo and Terrorizer. The song then gets mid paced banger and the double bass kicks in. The middle part of the song, where the chorus kicks in with the double bass part makes you want to bang your head clean off, until those intro punches kick in again and it blasts way at the end. “Mind And Body Deteriorated” comes next with more killer punches that lead to a fast ripping part, then a mid paced head banging part, then it takes off fast/blasting and back and forth. These sickos are also VERY into the horror movies so the lyrics are pure tributes to all things horror and gore. Cardiac Arrest aren’t some cheesy gore grind band either! THIS IS DEATH FUCKING METAL! HORROR AND DEATH METAL GO ROTTING HAND AND ROTTING HAND! “Against Their Will” comes next with a CREEP-TASTIC evil yet melodic opening set of riffs/notes that lead to a fast part/blast part. The killer riffs come at an alarming rate. Where the fuck do these guys get all these killer riffs?

Vocalist Adam Scott has total control of your mind and warps it into submission with his bloody tales that he bellows from deep in his gut. His voice is not at all cheesy super deep. It has range and is effective in delivering the goods whether it’s deep or with the shrieking screams that he also does. There is also a common middle ground that I dig quite a bit. Not to deep, not too high.  This song is a total roller coaster of death metal with tons of time changes.  Tom Knizer spews forth the vocal attack on the next song “Paralyzed With Fear” with Adam and David Holland/Bass also chipping in some FUCK YOUS! An old classic that is re-animated here is next “The Haunted Remnants” and this is where the album starts to really fuck your corpse. Cardiac Arrest have tons of time changes and killer riffs all over the place. I wouldn’t call them “technical” though. They aren’t Cynic or Athiest for fuck’s sake. But these boys can play. Adam rips the fuck out of his guitar with his solos and Jim Deadbenderfer smashes his drums with a vengeance. The center piece of this grim fucker “Embrace The Aftermath” is the true high light of this classic album. It is slower and prods along into a mid paced banger. But it is the opening riff and then the next part where Adam comes in where you feel the true power of this band. They can slow it down and rage death metal war with the best of them! What a fucking riff! Pure classic death metal at it’s best. Now it’s time to go fucking nuts! And this song ain’t about no 2012 BULLSHIT!

“Twitching At The Noose” comes next with it’s eerie intro notes/riffs that lead into a manic fast part. The monstrous punches lead to a killer slower part with guitar solos then get all double bass mayhem. My personal favorite song is next with “Rage On, Fuck Off!” and it’s total punked out death metal mayhem. Simple and straight to the point. ONE TWO, ONE TWO FUCK YOU! This song rules! It sounds like Fear getting raped by Napalm Death. “Extinction Endured” goes for the throat with the fast banging again until the mid paced madness comes in, it gets a bit slower and then it all takes off again. “Affliction Of The Beast” is another slower banger at the start that has an intro riff that would fit on any of the older Bolt Thrower albums. It prods along with soul crushing effectiveness. The double bass kicks in and in stays at a mid paced banger the whole song. Killer stuff! “Unearthly Pleasures” is next and it starts off with a heavy as fuck riff that leads to an even heavier part and has a great one/two beat that you bang your head to. Then the fast part comes in and it takes off into the blasting fury again. The punches towards the end with the guitar riff interplay is fucking killer! The outro riff/notes also rule! “The Blade That Reaps” brings the album closer to an end and is yet another gem of the relentless death metal that these maniacs do. It is actually a song by Tom’s old band DOGOD. “Bloodbath” brings this classic to a close. It reminds me of something off “Scream Bloody Gore” that’s on speed. Then it slows down to a death churn that just tears your skin off. Fucking great song to bring all of the bloody madness to a close.

To those who have no idea, or are curious, THIS is true death metal. It fits PERFECTLY along side all of the classics of the golden age of this stuff! Cardiac Arrest are a great band, and a great band to start off with on your death metal journey. They are also a great band to throw in with your collection if you are already a seasoned listener of death metal. They will go great into your collection of classics! ALL HAIL THE MIGHTY CARDIAC FUCKING ARREST! I GIVE THIS 10/10! ALBUM OF THE YEAR SO FAR! Great job guys! Keep up the deadly work!!!!!!!!! They are bad ass motherfuckers in their own right! Get this sick motherfucker at:
www.ibexmoonrecords.com