by Mark Gromen

"Metal" Tim favorites, CANNIBAL CORPSE, plus VITAL REMAINS and DEVOURMENT, should have been an after-Thanksgiving event! Regardless, all stopped by Philly's Chinatown, along with DYING FETUS (who don't fit the Turkey Day motif), dishing out serious helpings of American death metal. The place was packed! Which begs the question, where were all the death heads for the multi-day Hostile City Deathfest just a few months ago? You would have thought it was a 21-plus show, and undoubtedly a few fans were siphoned off by the OVERKILL touring package about an hour away.

Almost the entire Vital Remains set was performed under red lights. 'Hammer Down The Nails' was dedicated to Cannibal and a thunderstorm sound effect greeted 'Let The Killings Begin'. The Dying Fetus, dual vocal trio were definitely in demand, judging by the enthusiastic crowd response, versus the previous two acts. 'Your Treachery Will Die with You' was up second, heads bobbing and bodies thrashing. The first disc's slow grinding 'Eviscerated Offspring' featured some uncharacteristic clean guitar runs. Overall, the music includes tapping and hammer-ons (both bass and guitar) that most don't associate with aired titles like 'Homicidal Retribution', 'Killing On Adrenaline' or the set ending dittie, 'Kill Your Mother.'

To start the set, the Cannibal faces were nearly obscured with flying hair, perhaps just an early gig defense mechanisms against the photogs, as both vocalist Fischer and bassist Alex Webster interfaced with the audience thereafter. Ever wonder how George "Corpsegrinder" Fisher developed that neck? Watch his relentless pin wheeling hair spins, wow! Not actually touring in support of a new album (Evisceration Plague already a year old, yet titular cut played), this was a career spanning, greatest hits set that included the recent (opening 'Scalding Hail'), 'Sentenced To Burn' and fan favorites (albeit the bane of conservative politicians) like 'I Cum Blood', 'Make Them Suffer', 'Devoured By Vermin', the debut's 'Skull Full Of Maggots' and the obligatory 'Hammer Smashed Face'.

Have a pleasant holiday...eat up!

A BraveWords.com Photo Gallery of the carnage can be found here.