Lividity. One of the longest standing bands from Illinois, thanks to Dave Kibler, a mainstay in our shithole of an area.
There are bands that deny being from central Illinois, and then there are bands that capture the feeling of central Illinois despite not being from central Illinois. Both types of bands aren’t my particular cup of blood, but…
If you come to Illinois and follow the muddy trail to the porta-potty, take a hard right through the woods to the half-destroyed, roof-less, torn-up shack – you’re probably going to find that this shack is now acting as a top-o’-the-line Illinois whorehouse… and hanging around that shack, you’re going to find bands that are proudly from central fucking Illinois.
Lividity is a band that is PROUD to be from a little shithole called Decatur, Illinois. Now most people don’t know much about Decatur, and half the wannabe musicians from Decatur tell people they’re from fucking Chicago – an even bigger shithole – but the fact is: Decatur sums up Illinois better than any other god damn place in the entire fucking STATE.
I grew up in an extremely small town, and I gotta tell ya: Decatur was our Merle Haggard “Big City” shit. You could get anything there. Booze! Drugs! Whores! Guns! You name it, Decatur had it.
But you know what else Decatur had? Fuckin’ heavy metal, man. And I found that heavy metal at the local record store, G-B’s.
It came in the form of “Show Us Your Tits!” by Lividity, which wasn’t the first time I had heard OF Lividity – it was just the first time I picked up a CD.
I was late to the party. You didn’t buy local shit back in the mid to late 90s. I was afraid to buy any music from Decatur. I was under the impression it would suck.
You see… all the bands I ever saw live from the city were rockers and rappers doing the same rap and rock n roller stage moves… doing the same wookie wickety wack fucking wiffy white boy garbage – and if they weren’t doing that shit, they were trying to be Nirvana or Nine Inch Nails or some other dorky poser punk rock hardcore wannabe shit I didn’t care about.
I looked up to Impetigo. They weren’t from Decatur but they were close enough! I was playing heavy music in a band already, but we weren’t fucking getting anywhere. Everyone was strung out, or retarded, but I still had a dream. That dangling “Horror of the Zombies” carrot. The dream that told me I could get signed if I just kept doing what I did.
Lividity’s legend was already growing by then, and they offered us local Death Metal instead of garbage-ass rap-core which is what still permeates the entire local scene like a pile of smelly fuck-turds.
Enough. On to the music…
Kill Then Fuck – “No means yes, and yes means anal.” That’s how the album starts off and BANG! You’re getting shot right in the face by a barrage.
I imagine this song is about killing and then fucking – and I’m pretty sure that’s 40% of Lividity’s lyrical output over the past 25 years. I haven’t read the lyrics. I never read the lyrics to anything. I think the last time I really got into lyrics was with “Under A Funeral Moon” and that would pre-date the entire career of Lividity, so if you’re looking for someone to marvel at all the stuff being said in this review – it ain’t gonna happen. I don’t know what the fuck Dave or Von are saying in this shit. Who cares? This is all about the music. I am going to call it: this is the most crushing, monstrous, terrorizing, destructive death metal album of 2019. It came out in November of 2018, so technically it’s a 2018 album, but fuck you I don’t care.
Other death metal bands please take note, and I’m talking to all of you out there: I know you think you’re “brutal.” I know you think you got the best death metal music chops of any players out there. I know, man. I know, you are totally out for blood. You’re so sadistic. Listen to me, kid. These guys are veterans. They’re older than you. And their opening song, on their (I think) FIFTH fucking album after (probably a little more than) 25 years is better than anything you will ever do in your entire careers. You are challenged to top this as an opener. I’ve been listening to alot of new death metal groups. They’re really good, but they aren’t this good.
You read that right. A song called “Kill Then Fuck” by a Decatur, Illinois, based band is better than any song any of you people are going to ever put out (or hear) in your entire lifetimes.
However, that’s not really the point here… the point is that another sample reiterating “No means yes and yes means anal” leads directly into…
The Pussy Horde – The CD doesn’t stop. It just goes directly into this, and rightfully so. You see, you’re being violently violated by a large death penis and it isn’t going to stop any time soon. I don’t know what a “pussy horde” is, though. I can’t remember if the lyrics are in the cd booklet. The jewelcase is in the other room. I’m writing a review. I’m not going to get up and get it! I ain’t moving from this spot. I’m being fucked by a large death penis.
This guy Garrett Scanlan (ex-Corpsevomit!) on the drums… he’s an absolute master. You know back in the day, we called Lividity “Decatur’s version of Cannibal Corpse” but their musicianship, especially in the drumming department, passes Cannibal up. This is an Illinois super-group: You got Dave – the main Superman – of course. Then you got Von Young (ex-DEADEN!!) on vocals and guitar, an Illinois veteran known by every one of us ’round here. Rounding out this legendary grouping of complete pure metal pervs, you have Jake Lahniers (Dead Shore, Vile Impurity) who is a beast of a bassist (and vocalist – and drummer-in other bands) himself.
This song is one minute and thirty-three seconds of assault to your senses. It’s over before you can think “What the hell is a pussy horde?” I am probably completely wrong in thinking that it’s a big group of nu-metal rap-rockers wearing JNCO jeans and NIKES and shit, all gathered together, listening to ICP while doing low grade PCP from some junkie’s garage on Johnson Street. That’s a real “pussy horde” to me. One of the grossest, scariest things in existence. White trash!
Knowing the musical history of Lividity, though, I’m almost positive that the word “pussy” here refers to the vagina. Maybe I’m wrong, though. Maybe Dave wrote a song about all the pussy ass guys and their reject ass girlfriends from Decatur who act tough while being the worst lamest weakest dumbest representations of humanity? This makes me want to get the fuck up and fetch the CD Booklet and see… but I don’t always get to do what I want to do. Therefore I’m not going to get up and look. I’m enjoying listening to the album anyway. Man this review is long. I listened to that fucking song repeatedly while typing this up and I still have no idea what Von’s saying. Is it Von doing all the vocals here? Which vocals are Dave’s? Perhaps that’s in the booklet. Nah. Gonna just sit here. I’m getting raped anyway. Gonna just sit and take it.
Speaking of the CD Booklet, the artwork (by Daemorph Art) is some of the best I’ve ever seen since I don’t know. Sinister’s “Diabolical Summoning” or Hypocrisy’s “Osculum…” Ah shut up. I like those album covers. I know I’m supposed to think guys in the woods with makeup on is like this ultra-cool art worthy of being on an album cover, but I just don’t. And I don’t like the 1987 Thrash Metal style of cartoony art with my brutal fuckin’ metal either. That’s thrash art, and it’s only for 80s thrash bands. I’m talkin motherfucking brutal art.
Meat for the Beast – “A beast is a sentient creature that represents the highest form of…” blah blah blah blah blah. Whatever the sample said, and we go right into fucking slow mosh groove territory but it picks up immediately. This blasting is more of a Satanic Florida style, and not a Gore Florida Style, if that makes any sense. It probably only does to me. There’s a riff in here that reminds me of old Hypocrisy and that’s a good thing. Melodic amidst a barrage of hatred and violence. Cool guitar solo too. This is one of the best songs on the album, and features a really cool bass breakdown. A bass breakdown in the proper sense, and not a shitty slow “let’s mosh bro” sense. “You are meat for the beast” indeed. I’m not, but you are. You reading this.
Cumming with Lateral Pulp – I am not going to ruin this stupid fucking sample for anyone by typing it. Is this a clip of that dumbass old lady that does the stupid talk show about sex? I always hated that bitch. This is again Peter Tagtren territory. Not the sex bullshit but the riff. This is like if he did cocaine. He probably does cocaine, but shitty coke from Sweden, you know? The kind of cocaine they have in Chicago. God, Chicago sucks. This guitar is Tagtren country. Peter territory. I guess it’s literally “peter territory” if you know what I mean. This song is too fucking short. The sample seems as long as the song. I hate that shit. Just play the song again and call it “another part of the song” so I can get into it without having to utilize my arm and hand to push a button so it plays again. Every fucking time it plays again, I hear that dumb lady’s fucking horrendous voice in the sample.
Whore Destroyer – Jesus Christ, where’s the #MeToo movement when you need ’em? I’m so offended by this song title, even more than I was with “Kill Then Fuck.” I mean it’s just offensive. It makes me feel unsafe in my own home! Wahhhhhhhhh! Wahhhhhhhh!
Seriously, though: That song title is pretty fucking funny. Reminds me of The Green River guy or some other prostitute murdering serial killer guy. I think that’s what the lyrics are about! Either that or they’re about something else!
Musically, I think the riff which opens this song is the highest point on the album (so far.) I like the little lead accent on it for the bridge point. This is really masterful stuff. It’s very, VERY melodic. Not unsettling in the least, so I wonder why this one’s called “Whore Destroyer” and not the absolute true whore destroyer that was “Pussy Horde.” I love the little bass slide, beeeeerrrrrennnnnnng.
Gene Simmons wants his gimmick back, Jake. I mean this in all seriousness: I saw Kiss before they had their makeup back on and I think Gene did that same bass slide 48 times before the mid-point of the concert. Drumming really shines here.
I forgot to mention the production on this album. Recorded at Iron Hand by Dan Klein, and it’s really, really good. This is one of the best sounding death albums that I have heard, sonically, since the glory days of Swedish death.
Bitch Cunt Fuck – Me too.
Violated In The Vatican – Holy shit! Good song here. This is firmly rooted in the old style… I mean the whole album is, but this song, this one’s pretty fucking special. I want to know the lyrics to this one. Pretty sure it has to do with how the Vatican and its ruling status in the world, not only morally but politically, is now being violated by the billionaire Muslim status quo of the Middle East. I am not usually one to take sides, but I’m with the band on this. I’ve gotta stand up and say “I’m with you, Pope.” Let’s fight these fuckers off. I mean at least the Vatican has a god damn multi-million dollar telescope. What’s the other side got? A Nintendo collection and a Lambourghini? Fuck the fuck off bitches.
Parasitic Infestation – I like the song. But the song is short. Which gets me thinking about something. Lividity has quite a few short songs. Para-sit-ic… I think if I were to show someone what Lividity sounds like, I’d give them this song. It kind of sums them up, in a perverted way, which is good because, you know, perversion.
Something’s Dead – Good Hoffman Brothers’ style riffs in this song. This song touches me because a long time ago we couldn’t figure out what this disgusting smell coming from under our house was. It got really pungent and then I knew. I just fucking knew. “Something’s dead” I said. And I was right. The mid-song sample throws me off because it absolutely ruins the fucking riff being played. I get it, I took science class! We dissected stuff and hey, you ever pluck a dead pigeon? Try it sometime. It ain’t like chicken. Different feel.
Tampered Flesh – Upon first glance, I thought this song was “Tampon Slash.” That’s what my eyes saw. I think this album is getting to me. I kept repeating the early songs and kept writing and I think it’s taken control of my faculties. I am seeing period blood and buttholes everywhere. Another short fast beating, this song. The drums. The drums are so fucking good.
Pussy-Lover Salivation – Me three! This fucking sample. Holy fuck, shut up, you taut wenches! Double-bass grinding bulldozer of FUCK right here, bud. This is the real diarrhea that you take after a night of heavy drinking. You know when you drank PBR all night and you shouldn’t have because PBR sucks. Most of this song is the sound your stomach makes while you’re on the toilet. I mean that in the most loving way possible. I really love this album.
The intertwining vocals here – I assume Dave and Von are trading off – are really fucking cool. I’m going to say now that I usually hate albums produced this well, but it works here. I can’t stand good production in metal. It goes against everything metal ever stood for. I turned to Black Metal in the 90s because everything was so god damn overproduced. That said, it REALLY WORKS HERE, in addition to being NEEDED in this day and age. We have a lot of bands recording on their cellphones (literally) and yeah, commit suicide please. Why do cool people kill themselves, but these kids recording music with phones are up here on the planet, jamming away? The production here is killer. It’s good and it fits. The band should be proud of this shit.
Perverseverance – Feedback swells as a lo-fi sounding riff plays… mid-tempo double bass begins to rise in the distance… This is the absolute best song on the album. This is what central Illinois sounds like. This song represents Decatur more than a million Nu-Core bands ever could. It feels, and sounds like, growing up in Hell.
https://lividity-map.bandcamp.com/
European fans, get it from: Metal Age Productions
