J-Man
With a title that obviously references Dismember's seminal death metal classic Like an Everflowing Stream, this 2012 EP release from Swedish goregrind legends General Surgery shows that their tongue-in-cheek humor is as in-tact as ever - and after taking just one listen to Like an Ever Flying Limb, it's also clear that the band still prides themselves on crafting grindcore music about as subtle as a freight train barreling through a quiet neighborhood. In a monsoon of devastating riffs, whirlwind drum fills, and repulsive vocals that ends in just eleven minutes, Like an Ever Flying Limb shows that General Surgery has no intent of slowing down, even after more than twenty years in the business.
Like an Ever Flying Limb isn't anything new under the sun for General Surgery - the band still plays relentless goregrind in the vein of Carcass and Exhumed with a few ventures into death metal territory - but the band does a nice job at executing their craft with power and conviction. The precise musicianship and raw production gives the EP a powerful sound, and the compositions are surprisingly sophisticated considering the style of music we're dealing with. General Surgery doesn't fall into the trap of playing endless blast-beats to sound more intense, and their ability to change up the rhythmic patterns frequently keeps Like an Ever Flying Limb from ever settling into monotony.
As short of a listen as it may be, this is an enjoyable little EP from one of Sweden's most famous grindcore outfits. Although Like an Ever Flying Limb has a “been there, done that” feeling from start to finish, it contains more than enough great riffs (and even some cool spoken word sections) to make it a recommendable purchase for goregrind enthusiasts.