BORBORYGMUS - Splatter Movie Madness (Review)

Another day, another Borborgymus release. I've spoken on the prolific nature of this Wisconsinite one-man  (increasingly avant-garde) goregrind outfit before, so we can skip the preliminaries and get straight into the good stuff. Splatter Movie Madness, Hellsmasher's latest, is an overt ode to classic horror and slasher films--in other words: an unexpectedly blood-spattered platter. Y'know, the usual. Medical malpractice, cannibalism,  murder by classic deranged slasher baddie, and gory submersion into assorted depravities? All in a day's work. While the majority of projects that deal exclusively in such content tend to feel a little one-note, Borborygmus consistently seems invested in recreating and honoring the cheesy horror tropes of yore. It feels genuine. It works.

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While the trademark Borborygmus elements are present and accounted for--abrasive riffage, toilet-gurgle vocals, gritty production, and general gory gestalt--this latest effort notably employs a punk-by-way-of-surf-rock swagger. Chaotic leads take a front seat as well--look to the fun-lovin' "Surf Nazis Must Die" for a prime example of unleashed fury on the ol' axe, and the previously reviewed "Make Them Die...Slowly" for that fast 'n' loose levity. Crashing programmed drums--which could definitely use a frenetic human touch, if I have any complaints with the project. And, of course, the omnipresent samples. Borborygmus has always had excellent (read: gruesome) taste in film samples, and here, he uses them with great frequency and intent. While any other project might suffer from such heavy use of samples, the whole B-film slasher aesthetic and conceptual backdrop benefits from these grisly clips--be it blood-curdling screeches or blood-chilling mad scientist monologues. They work quite well, and add a necessary element to the affair.

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In the process of consistently and rapidly firing off a spree of releases, Borborygmus is doing something very few artists have the luxury of experimenting with: namely, constant refinement. Indeed, this is the third (!) time this year that the excellent "Torso...Hacked Carnage" has made an appearance in some form or another. Re-releasing tracks in updated forms and new contexts creates an intriguing scenario wherein the artist is able to manipulate combinations of tracks, using older material to effectively create something new. I wish more artists did this, frankly. Splatter Movie Madness is quite possibly my favorite. Borborygmus release yet, and, increased technical prowess aside, I think that has something to do with a willingness to remix and collage. Eventually, will this process of refinement lead to peak Borborygmus? Maybe so. In the meantime, I'll be tagging along for the journey.

Bottom line: if you like fun goregrind, it's high time you check out Borborygmus. It's a genre destined in many ways to dwell in the recesses of the underground, but this guy certainly deserves more support for sheer jubilant inventiveness alone. 

Borborygmus - Splatter Movie Madness was released April 17th, 2020
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Borborygmus ​can be found:
Bandcamp
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