HELLS HEADBANGERS is proud to present a long-overdue reissue of GOREAPHOBIA’s debut demo,
Morbidious Pathology, on 12” picture disc format.
One of the cultest names among cult names, GOREAPHOBIA have fashioned a dark, disgusting discography during their on/off career. The band originally formed in 1988 and were active until 1994, featuring the power-trio lineup of vocalist / bassist Chris Gamble (who’d later form the cult Blood Storm), guitarist Alex Bouks (who’d later play in Incantation and currently Immolation), and drummer Craig Smilowski (who’d play on Immolation’s classic first two albums, among many others). And while they’d re-form a couple more times, with both Bouks and Gamble returning in their most-recent incarnation, it was GOREAPHOBIA’s first period where they committed their vilest crimes to wax.
Of them, the
Morbidious Pathology demo arguably stands tallest. Released in 1990, first on tape by the band and then on 7” vinyl by the legendary / infamous Seraphic Decay Records,
Morbidious Pathology quickly put the name GOREAPHOBIA on the death metal map. The death metal scene, at that time, was fully in its prime and had yet to reach oversaturation point; bands were still plentiful, but nearly of all them were bringing quality to the table. While it’s not inaccurate to say that
Morbidious Pathology perfectly captures that time period, from a songwriting and aesthetic standpoint, the trio’s first recording holds up exceptionally well now; in fact, its almost-bestial brutality sounds strikingly modern. GOREAPHOBIA literally waste no time chainsawing into the three-song demo: utterly gutsfucking tone that’s somehow slightly atmospheric if not Satanic, sewer-level vocals that follow same, drumming that’s simultaneously slick AND caveman, and songwriting that pummels the listener into a dizzying abyss. Everything about
Morbidious Pathology inflames the senses, and creates an ever-heightening dread that lingers long after the nine-minute recording is over. And while their successive
Omen of Masochism EP for a very young Relapse the next year is arguably its equal, there’s no disputing the pride of place GOREAPHOBIA’s first demo holds.
Never before released on 12” vinyl,
Morbidious Pathology is now joined by a five-song live set from Buffalo in late 1991 – each recording comprising its own side, on high-quality picture disc courtesy of longtime fans HELLS HEADBANGERS – making for 28 minutes of timeless GOREAPHOBIA filth. Don’t be a canoe and miss this alltime classic!
