CADAVER, "Edder & Bile." Damn, just damn. That's it. Review done. Next.

Okay, apparently there's some wordcount requirement my editors insist on, so here's more: CADAVER is a Death Metal band out of Norway (of course). On November 27, 2020 they released their fourth full-length album, "Edder & Bile." Anders Odden started CADAVER in the way back of 1988. The band/project specializes in extreme metal and they don't give a f*ck . . . which is also the name of their debut EP ("D.G.A.F.") with Nuclear Blast, released in 2020. While they've been around in one iteration or another for over 30 years, their output isn't necessarily prolific - their last full-length album was released 16 years ago. "Edder & Bile," then, can be see as a comeback, or at least a necrotic rebirth.

In a testament to the power of will over life, Odden recently overcame cancer. In a world where reality is reflected in art, one can't help but to believe that some of that venom and vim overflowed into this album. "Edder & Bile" is ten tracks of unrelenting aggression, spanning a little more than 32 minutes. In addition to Dirk Verbeauren (MEGADETH) on drums for the full album, there are a number featured artists -specifically Jeff Becerra (POSSESSED) on "Circle Of Morbidity" and Kam Lee (MASSACRE) on "Feed The Pigs."

A couple of the songs have been around for some time, including the "Morgue Ritual" which Odden says is based on "Morgue Rifling" from their first demo, "Into The Outside." It is also supported by a video (see below). And then there's "Circle of Morbidity" which is a bit newer, having been released in 2019 as a single. This version is eight seconds longer, so I'm not sure if it's a rerecording or just a reissue. Both tracks, btw, are vicious.

I've read several reviews of this album and everyone seems to stumble away with different favorites. For the record (no pun intended), mine are "Morgue Ritual" for its sheer ferocity and Dirk's abusive performance on the skins; "Final Flight" for its Black Metal tremolo and Thrash banter; "The Pestilence" for its killer riffage; and "Let Me Burn" for its boots-of-lead tempo and incredible solo.

Is this the comeback album it was heralded to be? Well, I'm not sure if there was any actual heralding and not sure if this album was intended to be anything other than one more periodic offering from the dark heart and mind of Neddo. Regardless of intent, the result is clear: This album is extreme, its heavy, its fearsome. Great stuff that has been long overdue.