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It’s Not What You Say, But How You Say It: A Review of the Self-Titled Album from Strangled by Strangulation

Strangled by Strangulation

Strangled by StrangulationHave you ever been in a situation where someone is speaking a foreign language and, even though you can’t understand the words, you get the basic gist of it from the manner in which it’s conveyed? Wait, strike that, reverse it. That’s what listening to Strangled by Strangulation is like. The manner is one thing, the context a complete other.

Art Bertik Marquez and Pascual Romero make up the completely brutal band Strangled by Strangulation. These guys are metal. So metal they’ve got their own square on the periodic table of elements. 666 Mtl. Their description of themselves from Facebook explains them as ” . . . so metal you can taste metal in your mouth like when you drink water from an old water fountain!” That’s f’in brutal. Their bio from Facebook continues as follows. “Pascual Romero (former Pathology, In This Moment, Nothing Less, Tinhorn) and Art Bertik-Marquez (Prainbork, Mangled By Mangulation) love being tongue-in-cheek as much as they love good death metal. They are both musicians. Strangled By Strangulation was an accidental love child. Custody is split.” Let’s give that love child a once over to check that the usual parts are all there. 10 fingers? Check. Ten toes? Check. One black heart and a tongue made from Satan’s tail? You betcha!

The self-titled album Strangled by Strangulation is a test of one’s own hardcoreness and brutalital tendencies. That’s right. I made up words to describe this album, and you know what? You gotta deal with that. Because I’m metal. Comprised of 5 tracks, the album’s (and band’s) concept reminds me of the track “Die Eier von Satan” by Tool. That song is dark and, like anything spoken in German, sounds threatening. Translated, the lyrics are a recipe for hash cookies. A real bait and switch. The first track lures you in, especially if you are unaware of what you’ll be listening to momentarily. The first 45 seconds lay down a mellow, relaxing bossa nova melody and is then trainwrecked into a wall of solid metal. The real ruse is the lyrics themselves, so guttural and difficult to understand without sincere concentration you’d be hard pressed to quote them with a million dollars on the line and a gun to your head. That’s the joke. As brash as the songs and lyrics are, you’d grin and giggle watching someone try to decipher them once you know what they are. With track titles such as “Killed to Death by Death” and “Cupcake Massacre,” you can understand the idea they convey that delivery isn’t the same as content. You could have a pick-me-up bouquet sent to your house by a friend after you got dumped, but delivered by someone in a ratty clown costume covered in blood, garbage, and bile, rainbow wig matted with what looks like tar and a white powdery substance stuck to the grease paint under a nostril might take you a bit aback. Still, it’s the thought that counts.

My only complaint with the album is its length. An argument presented countless times over thousands of years, length (or lack there of) can be a real issue. Like an unsatisfied lover, I was left wanting more. With only five tracks, I found myself hitting repeat multiple times while writing this article. Not just because I was digging the music, but because it was fun to listen to and gave me a chuckle once I caught a word or two I didn’t notice before. If you’re a fan of Dethklok, I strongly recommend checking this album out. You can find Strangled by Strangulation on Facebook and Myspace or possibly singing a child to sleep with the lyrics of lullabies and presentation by Satan in a blender. Check it out.

You can thank me later.


TRACK 5: BEATEN BLACK HEART is a special track with guest stars!

JOSH NEWELL – Bass
Current member of THE HALO METHOD (consists of former members of PAPA ROACH, EVANESCENCE, ROCK STAR SUPER NOVA).

Former Bassist of IN THIS MOMENT (yes, he AND Pascual Romero were both bassists for In This Moment at different times, lol)

JOE PAYNE – First 2 lead guitar solos
Current member of PAIN AFTER DEATH
Former member/bassist of DIVINE HERESY (which consists of members of FEAR FACTORY, ASESINO, MORBID ANGEL)
Former touring bassist of NILE

MICHELLE HORVATH – Harp (outro)
CalArts Graduate.
Current member of THE DEAD SUPERHEROES ORCHESTRA

 

 

J.C. Ciesielski, Fanbase Press Contributor

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