DYING FETUS — Killing on Adrenaline (review)

DYING FETUS — Killing on Adrenaline album cover Album · 1998 · Brutal Death Metal Buy this album from MMA partners
3/5 ·
J-Man
Two years after their flawed, but promising, debut full-length, Dying Fetus returned with Killing on Adrenaline. This album is often regarded as a large improvement over their debut, but I tend to hold both of them equal. This album suffers from many of the flaws that plagued Purification Through Violence, but it also has that level of "charm" that made their first CD worthwhile. I have a major issue with the production on Killing on Adrenaline and the overall lack of variation deteriorates my enjoyment further. Although this is far from the perfect death metal/grindcore hybrid, it's another solid effort from Dying Fetus that fans of the genre should take a look into if they haven't already.

The music on Killing on Adrenaline is almost identical to that of Dying Fetus' debut. That means you should expect a grindcore/death metal hybrid like Napalm Death or Terrorizer. This is a very raw album, and polish was certainly not high on the priority list of Dying Fetus. While I appreciate the stripped-down approach, the album is prone to getting a bit monotonous about halfway through. For an album that was originally under 35 minutes, that's certainly a bit of an issue. There are a handful of memorable riffs throughout, but a good deal of the album is fairly unremarkable. Fortunately, there are a few things that make Killing on Adrenaline somewhat worthwhile. The lyrics are slightly more serious this time around, but they're even more enjoyable than they were on Purification Through Violence. The musicianship also feels tighter and more precise, and although I have some gripes about the raw approach, the talent that Dying Fetus possesses is unquestionable.

My biggest issue with this album is ultimately the weak production. This has the same terrible sound that plagued the first album. The drums (especially the snare which sounds like a piece of plywood) sound really weak and detract from the overall quality of the music. A good production would've done this album wonders.

Killing on Adrenaline is another solid, but not outstanding album from Dying Fetus. If you liked their debut, this is in a similar vein and almost equal in quality (in my opinion). The superior way to purchase this album nowadays is in the 2011 Relapse Records reissue which has 2 bonus tracks (one live performance and one demo) as well as a great essay. Still, this extra material isn't enough to change my rating above a 3. There are certainly great things to be found on this CD, but they are often covered up by a weak production and a general lack of variation. Still, fans of Dying Fetus and death metal/grindcore should definitely get a kick out of this one.
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