Cartilage — Operating Altar

Concept albums are a dime a dozen in the prog world, and until the past few years, very sparse in the death metal morgues (save for Deceased's output, where concept is their stock in trade). Cartilage throws their hat into the thematic ring with Operating Altar, a work about a medical student uncovering the wicked and depraved experimentation of surgeon Dr. Warwick Locke. A dream job turned waking nightmare set to fun, fast-paced, and shredding death metal, Operating Altar spins its yarn while capturing the horror and, dare I say, whimsy of acts like Macabre and Exhumed.

Starting with "Metal, Bone and Sinew," Operating Altar splits open a riff-filled ribcage and lets the grooving guts splash all over the white linoleum floor. While thematically inspired by splatterhounds of old, Cartilage's guitars feel heavily influenced by classic Ripping Corpse riffs. In addition, the pacing, groove, and feel is as much Dreaming With the Dead as it is Gore Metal, which as a massive fan of Dreaming, is a huge bonus in my book. However, Cartilage and Operating Altar do their own thing, and it's a fun and refreshing take on unwanted medical mutilation. Much like the rotting raconteurs of Deceased, Cartilage add in some more melodic, traditional metal elements, breaking up the onslaught and helping to give their narrative a better foothold. Not that I understand the growls and screeches, but the different arrangements and compositional approaches allow the brain to put more pieces together. Operating Altar is not without its speed, though, and the band can up the intensity at the drop of a hat, changing tone and tempo to further their grisly goals. Cartilage tell their tale through a few different vocal approaches, be they high and horrifying, dark and doomy, or menacing and Macabre-esque. Along with the many changes of pace and mood throughout the album, the vocals are yet another blood-spattered tool in their arsenal to help bring about their vicious tale of murder, mayhem, and torture.

Gore is a pretty polarizing topic in metal, some using it with grave seriousness and others as a funhouse mirror. "You're just guts, too, so why so serious?" Cartilage is in the latter camp, and while this is some seriously excellent metal on display, it's fun and more about enjoying the music and vibe than being grim and cvlt. While that probably would have turned off thirteen-year-old me thirty-plus years ago, Operating Altar is here for the current, jaded me of today who is ready to bang to each slam of the drums. So, crank this album, have some fun, shred along with Cartilage, and remember that this is what life and art is all about.