RIGOR MORTIS - Slaves To The Grave

October 13, 2014, 9 years ago

(Rigor Mortis Records)

Kelley Simms

Rating: 8.5

review heavy metal rigor mortis

RIGOR MORTIS - Slaves To The Grave

Slaves To The Grave is Texas thrashers Rigor Mortis’s swan song. With the untimely passing of original guitarist Mike Scaccia (Ministry) on Dec. 23, 2012, Rigor Mortis immediately had to call it quits. Two and a half years later, the band’s last recording has finally seen the light of day. It was fully recorded before Scaccia’s death and is only the band’s third full-length release in its 31-year history. The highlight of this album, and of the band for that matter, has always been Scaccia’s diverse and prolific talent. He shines splendidly throughout Slaves to the Grave, serving up flawless guitar techniques. From the melodic, swirling, string-bending solos of “Blood Bath” and “Poltergeist” to the Flemenco-picking western vibe of “Sacramentum Gladiatorum,” everything he plays is full of spine-tingling emotion. Rigor Mortis are fanatic horror movie fans, even dedicating some songs after their favorite films such as Re-Animator and Texas Chainsaw Massacre. On Slaves to the Grave, they continue the horror themes of songs based on animated corpses, (“Curse Of The Draugr”), serial killers (“Blood Bath”), rotting corpses (Fragrance Of Corpse”), rotting flesh (“Flesh For Flies”), and gladiator warfare (“Ludus Magnus”). On its 10 tracks, the vicious vocals of Bruce Corbitt (Warbeast), the menacing riffing of Scaccia and the pounding rhythm section of bassist Casey Orr (Warbeast, ex-GWAR, ex-Ministry) and drummer Harden Harrison, packs a heavy punch. From the Ministry-like riffing of CD-opener “Poltergeist” to the battle-ready riffs and a nice little Roman Empire history lesson of CD-closer “Ludus Magnus,” Scaccia and Co. create some memorable moments. This is a classic farewell by one of the progenitors of the burgeoning early eighties thrash scene. R.I.P. Mike Scaccia and Rigor Mortis.



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