Leprosy – Conceived Of Flesh, Forged In Gore – Album Review

Gore, gore and more glorious gore! Is there anything more scandalously beautiful than an old-school, gore-obsessed, American death metal album? Of course there isn’t! And, that’s where Pittsburgh’s Leprosy and their new(ish) album Conceived Of Flesh, Forged In Gore come in, with their distasteful song titles, sickening artwork and Cannibal Corpse-esque bludgeoning.

Considering these pestilent beasts have been on the scene since 1988, it should come as no surprise that Leprosy know their death metal shit. And, as expected, Leprosy ceaselessly pummel you senseless with a barrage of unrelenting heaviness, ultimate gore and enough interesting hooks, changes in pace and testicle-tearing riffs to keep monotony well at bay!

Thriving on the shock value of all-out gore is one thing, but you have to have the songs to back up the imagery. And Leprosy certainly do. Taking their cues from Cannibal Corpse’s supreme sense of groove, Leprosy can be technical, they can be brutal but they also understand the gut-wrenching power of a bowel-loosening riff.

“Splatter House On The Prairie” chugs with relentless precision, while “Formaldehyde and Seek” (Christ, do we love that title!) chops and stabs in a wild frenzy of bloodlust.

However, the best is saved for last.

As protracted dying breath’s go, Conceived Of Flesh, Forged In Gore‘s 7 min title track is a closing salvo of Death-esque proportions; recalling the work found on Spiritual Healing and channeling that same level of skull-pounding ferocity and virtuosity. If you think brutal death metal/gore metal bands are neanderthals with no artistic merit, this song will change your mind!

We called Conceived Of Flesh, Forged In Gore “new(ish)” at the beginning of this review and that’s because it was actually released at the tail end of 2017. Regardless of our delay in hearing it, this is one brutal death metal album that should not be ignored. Abrasive yet entertaining (and did we mention gory?!), Leprosy’s Conceived Of Flesh, Forged In Gore amounts to a delicious (s)platter of old-school death morsels…..served up with a side order of flayed human flesh, of course! 7/10

Head over to bandcamp and have a listen for yourselves!