Band: Viral Load & Putrid Vile
Title: Viral Load & Putrid Vile
Label: Relapse Records
Distribution: Rough Trade
Release date: 29/10/2010
Review: split-MCD

This is a split (a mini-split with a total running time of nineteen minutes) by two ‘old’ one-man projects within the American Brutal Death Metal scene.

The nameless split opens with three tracks by Houston, Texas-residing Shawn Whitaker’s Viral Load. Shawn is also known from his solo-project Insidious Decrepancy, he used to be member of, for example, Grotesque Formation and Braced For Nails, and he’s active with Uncleansed as well. He started this project in 1996 and in mean time he did release a handful of demos, some EP’s / mini’s and a few full lengths (the first in ’97), among which 2008’s Decade Of Deepwoods Debauchery.
On this split, he worked together with Uncleansed-colleague Darrel White (d) and Cerebral Rot’s John the Butcher (b). The material is comparable to the latest efforts, yet less inspired and, forgive me, even boring from time to time. Damn, what’s the use of such an uninspired collection of songs? This is Dying Fetus-material, but played and performed without any sense of grotesquery. I’ve heard worse, that’s for sure, but nowadays this won’t do anymore. Even the sound is dull and too obvious. No, these Grind / Death / Blast pieces won’t do (anymore)…
And what about those pathetic, cheap titles (Dog Food Lube, Methlab Machete Massacre and Cod Piece Face)???
[note: still I was pleased with the opening riff on Cod Piece Face, but isn’t t a cover by Dead Horse?]

Putrid Pile were formed in 1995 in Racine, Wisconsin, by Shaun Lacanne, formerly known from Num Skull. When playing live, he usually works with members from Swamp, Gorgasm and Lividity - and Shaun himself performs live on stage as session member for Fucksaw, by the way.
After the 2001-demo, Putrid Pile started working on the debut full length, which was released in 2003 (title: Collection Of Butchery). 2005 saw the release of a split (with another Wisconsin-based Death Metal act, Dyscrasia) and a second full length (The Pleasure In Suffering), and in 2008 the next studio album, House Of Dementia, became a fact.
The three tracks on this split continue that way, yet, unfortunately, not in such a satisfying way anymore. It isn’t but some repetitive collection from past efforts. Putrid Pile have always been influenced by, for example, Gorgasm and Lividity (see sessions) or Deeds Of Flesh, but this time it is oh so easily-done… …almost insulting…

A shame, because it could be a killer release; dearest pretty boys, why not doing what you used to do in the past? Indeed, recording strong and overpowering, skull-crushing, sadistic and bloody Blast / Death / Grind?

60/100

Ivan Tibos.