CARDIAC ARREST - Haven for the Insane CD Review

ARTIST: Cardiac Arrest
TITLE: Haven For The Insane
YEAR: 2010
LABEL: Ibex Moon Records
REVIEWED BY: Liz Anderson

First thing that came to mind when I first looked at the album cover art was that is seemed like the artwork could have been done by the same artist that designed the new cannibal corpse album and comic entitled – evisceration plague. Cardiac Arrest’s cover art was actually done by Putrid Gore while cannibal corpse’s art is all done by Vincent Locke.

Anyways, while listening to the bands previous material after listening through this new realize you just think that the band could have done a lot better in the production of this album. Not to say that it’s a bad record, I mean it’s still some serious ear candy for any hard core old school death metaler. The album is filled with that classic death metal sound. It's just everything you’d expect, loaded with blast beats, buzzsaw riffs, and deep Swede-like death vocals. Unfortunately, it’s just that the production value could have been a bit cleaner. Although this does give the album a bit of a classic 90’s sound, the recording could have been produced a bit cleaner and still have that classic sound. Unfortunately this makes it a bit difficult to really hear the guitar and base riffs, unless you really listen carefully enough. Their song writing ability and playing still remains above the average, and very consistent along the whole album.

Despite the slight lack in the production, there are some seriously good songs featured. I mean this whole album makes the perfect background music to listen to for literally almost anything. Tracks such as the opening song “Insanity’s Grip,” drags you in to a head banging rage with its intense hard hitting riffs. That just creates an intense death metal atmosphere pushing you to the peak in insanity. This is then followed by the insane blast of “Against Their Will,” with there lunatic but catchy riffs." Paralyzed with Fear,”, however has a really catchy beat to it. It's like one of those songs that will just get stuck in your head. The more I listen to this track the more I grow to like it. “Rage On… Fuck Off” Has a very Grind / Trashy sound of it as well as a bit of a punk influence to it. It actually really adds a twist to there whole death metal sound. Track 9 "Extinction Endured," is actually one of my favorites out of this whole album. It's raw, intense and has that heavy catchy tune that gets you wanting to bang you're head, along with some hard hiding riffs and deep brutal vocals. “The Blade That Reaps” is as well a really amazing track that also has a few impressive drum riffs and some really deep satanic howls. These tracks really stand out on the album the most, and should most definitely be checked out.

Overall, "Heaven for the Insane" is an amazing album and is sure to help bring the band to a broadened fan base, but I cant help but feel that they had the potential to have created something better, mainly if they had focused a bit more on the production. Regardless I'm still eager to listen to what the band has next in store for there listeners.

TRACKLISTING:

01. Insanity's Grip
02. Mind and Body Deteriorated
03. Against Their Will
04. Paralyzed With Fear
05. Haunted Remnants
06. Embrace the Aftermath
07. Twitching At the Noose
08. Rage On... Fuck Off
09. Extinction Endured
10. Affliction of the Beast
11. Unearthly Pleasures
12. The Blade That Reaps