As Death Metal evolved since the second half of the 80's and through the early years of the 90's, many new genres appeared into it. But when people tried to make things more extreme than the extreme, things became truly weird, because some bands really created great works (as SUFFOCATION), but many were those who lose the track and did (and still do) things that are pretty strange, like they were lost inside their own musical work. And this is the case of the North American quartet SANGUISUGABOGG, as "Tortured Whole" shows.

They're a band that has a classic North American Death Metal insight on the instrumental parts, but using extreme low grunts. The great problem is: what the band is trying to do? Yes, because such nasty form of music reminds a lot what MORTICIAN, SUFFOCATION and CARCASS did on their early releases (but without the same talent), but such extreme way that even Death Metal maniacs will have problems to deal with their music, especially because the band uses slow tempos in the greater part of time, so things lacks of those energetic hooks so natural for the genre. Of course, they're just beginning their career, but they need to make changes and take some evolution as soon as they can, at the risk of become seeing as a bad joke.

The production worked on a way to make things brutal. But Cody Davidson (engineering, mixing and mastering) did what he could, because such set of instrumental tunes (extremely low, and the drums are sounding terrible) were a bad choice. They need to work with a producer to make things gain sense next time. Technically, the quartet does a good work, but it's not enough to save "Torture Whole" from the imminent demise. Good ideas can be heard on "Menstrual Envy", "Dragged By a Truck", "Pornographic", "Tortured Whole", "Dick Filet" and "Posthumous Compersion", but the band loses chances to make things better. They seem attached to a model and try to be as extreme as they can on it, but they only become boring. Being honest: the band got out of the rehearsals on the garage too early.

Best look to the next time, but some tips: try to use better tunes on vocals, adjust the instrumental tunes (especially the irritating snare drum sonority), and use a more ample set of rhythms (slow in such way and for such long time is to force anyone's patience) will make SANGUISUGABOGG a good band. For now, "Tortured Whole" is just a torture for the ears.