AlbumsNovember 29, 201112,159 views

Skinless Trample the Weak, Hurdle the Dead


Trample the Weak, Hurdle the Dead
1. Overlord 2. A Unilateral Disgust 3. Deviation Will Not Be Tolerated MP3 4. Trample The Weak, Hurdle The Dead 5. Spoils Of The Syncophant 6. Endivisioned 7. Execution Of Reason 8. Wicked World
2006 Relapse Records
Our score 7

8/6/2006

Like a true battalion, Skinless have amply recovered from drastic member loss experienced over the past two years, delivering their latest show of force, Trample The Weak, Hurdle The Dead, with gusto. But like with any battalion, losing a founding member and strategic gunner will change the way battles are planned and fought. Ironically, Skinless' previous album titles have provided some amusing foresight as to their growth and potential fate as a band. Their 2001 Relapse debut, Foreshadowing Our Demise, could have proven prophetic twice: first, when drummer Bob Beaulac quit the band following the album's release; and second, when band whore and skin wizard John Longstreth quit Skinless following the touring cycle for their third album. The title of that album, From Sacrifice To Survival, actually succeeded in prophesizing what would happen next: both Longstreth and founding frontman Sherwood Webber sacrificed themselves from the ranks of Skinless, a pair of blows I was convinced would do the promising band in for good. But with the timely return of Beaulac (in revitalized form), and the coming of age of bassist Joe Keyser's brother Jason Keyser (formerly of Detriment), Skinless guaranteed their survival for at least another album, Trample The Weak, Hurdle The Dead. Pretend as though From Sacrifice To Survival was never created, and Webber just quit Skinless following the world tour for Foreshadowing Our Demise. Then, Detriment vocalist Jason Keyser would join Skinless and the band would release this effort. Can you picture that scenario I found it very difficult to at first. To follow up the cerebral, lightning-fast, and at times, melodious From Sacrifice To Survival with a decelerated and punishing album like Trample The Weak, Hurdle The Dead, was unexpected and even slightly confusing. Other than Beaulac picking up the pace on the drums and displaying his quickest footwork yet on tracks like "Overlord" and the title track, and guitarist Noah Carpenter retaining up-tempo thrash riffs on "Deviation Will Not Be Tolerated," "Spoils Of The Syncophant," and "Execution Of Reason," Skinless have for the most part pressed rewind to a time before Longstreth arrived. They have also rewound on speed. Carpenter's love for Black Sabbath is evident on not only their modest cover of "Wicked World," but also "A Unilateral Disgust," whose principal riff is a sludgy beast, closely resembling Odd Fellows Rest-era Crowbar. While Skinless' hard work ethic (and party ethic, if going by their entertaining 2004 Skinflick DVD) has never been in question, their former lyrical seriousness was, with amusing clips and song titles like "Tampon Lollipops," "Fetus Goulash," "Crispy Kids," "Tug Of War Intestines," and "Pool Of Stool," to name some, a fact that helped their fanbase grow while limiting it at the same time. In line with the band's improved musical prowess on From Sacrifice To Survival though, Webber followed suit, writing some dark, philosophical, and thought-provoking lyrics, which I feel went over the heads of most. His replacement Jason Keyser has wisely filled those lyrical shoes of Webber's, rather than his earlier ones, making for uniformly intelligent and challenging lyrics throughout this album. Bottom Line: With only seven new although admittedly rock-solid tracks plus the long-awaited, recorded version of their Black Sabbath cover for "Wicked World," Trample The Weak, Hurdle The Dead is a tribute to Skinless' survival instinct. The album's brief length notwithstanding, Skinless have returned to their musical roots on this album, focusing on succinct songwriting and slow, pulverizing heaviness; which for their roughneck fans (likely a majority) works just fine, and so should it for the rest of us, because this is a memorable and headbanging-worthy album. But one can't help but wonder where the Cephalic Carngage-like amalgamation of extremity, experimentation, and speed that the band created on From Sacrifice To Survival went.

18 comments

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carexinxslaughter_ 8/6/2006 9:29:14 PM

first post

octopus_ 8/6/2006 9:35:08 PM

WAR.....ITS FAAANTASTIC! good cd

mefuckyeah_ 8/6/2006 9:55:23 PM

great band, great cd

upperdeckered_ 8/6/2006 10:18:26 PM

I would have given this CD an 8, but nooo biggie I guess. You guys scare me, ha ha ha, signed-Satan

swellsucka_ 8/6/2006 11:49:56 PM

Good ass cd.

BenSY_ 8/7/2006 8:54:51 AM

Where did the cephalic sound go? Out the window when the new singer joined. And that's ok.

dutch_ 8/7/2006 11:37:05 AM

one of the worst bands ever.

chainsawd_ 8/7/2006 3:11:28 PM

I could tell this was a Gluck review by the first sentence

anonymous 8/7/2006 8:08:44 PM

Don't care about the review. Great cd though none the less. Got it for 6 bucks.

Audience_ 8/7/2006 8:29:33 PM

re: ^ we care alot

retch_ 8/7/2006 11:52:06 PM

cd is f*cking br00tal. cd cover rules too

dfasfds_ 8/8/2006 3:51:44 PM

Deviation Will Not Be Tolerated!!!!!!!!!!!! DUN DUN DUN DUN DUN DUN DUN DUN

CKK_ 8/8/2006 9:46:44 PM

nolthign cmoared dto new eighten visins

CuntSnot_ 8/9/2006 2:02:39 AM

Good CD... 7 works

insideyou_ 8/9/2006 10:23:48 AM

good band

fvckyouyoufvckingfvck_ 8/9/2006 8:59:39 PM

Love this cd. Another great album by one of my favorite bands. They never dissapoint. 9/10.

Gay_porn_time_ 8/10/2006 11:39:10 AM

Hey gayS!!! how about not stealing my basic training flight's moto!

sam_ 8/12/2006 5:05:48 AM

skinless is amazing as usual :]