Sometimes you just have to sit back and appreciate simplicity. The first lyric here is “Retrogore!” The first non-introductory track is “Retrogore.” The album itself is Retrogore. Hell, Aborted is retrogore. No other band is more deserving of the title. With a career spanning over 20 years, their songs remain filthy, dripping with the viscera of whichever woman they’ve just verbally brutalized. Their savage, no-fucks-given approach to death metal and grind spawned thousands of mindless brutal death bands—yet none can claim to be so retro or possess so much gore. You don’t need me to tell you what brand of music is trapped inside this record, but I can certainly direct you toward its quality.
It would be entirely inappropriate to pull apart and analyze the individual mechanics of Retrogore. It is relentlessly brutal, unashamedly straightforward, and unquestionably violent. Tracks like “Cadaverous Collection,” “Whoremageddon,” and “Forged for Decrepitude” will batter, pummel, and hammer you (feel free to insert any other aggressive verb here). Fat riffs, vigorous solos, and a range of filthy vocals flesh out their signature sound.
Yet, despite this bullish demeanor, their technical competence remains high without ever approaching neat perfection or precision. For instance, the lead on “Cadaverous Collection” is almost clever in its fretboard gymnastics, but the sludgy production tone and wafts of hostility prevent it from crossing over into anything that could be described as clean or progressive.
Given the album’s format of short, segregated tracks, comparing them yields some interesting standouts. These tracks are sure to appeal to existing fans, and they stand out because they offer something slightly different from the rest of the band’s catalog:
- “Termination Redux”: Leaps into the unknown by introducing a sinister piano that harmonizes perfectly with its accompanying riff. The subsequent transition into an overpowering wall of noise is one of the album’s absolute highlights.
- “Divine Impediment”: Delivers blackened blasting mixed with evil grooves and an atmospheric tone.
- “From Beyond (the Grave)”: Features a doomy opening and killer riffs that lend themselves perfectly to reckless headbanging.
On the other hand, several tracks feel entirely superfluous. “Whoremageddon,” “Bit by Bit,” and “Coven of Ignorance” largely chug along without note, save for a more interesting finale on the latter.
As a rule of thumb, faster music necessitates shorter albums. I prefer an immediate, high-impact listen over an experience where I actually notice the runtime. I wouldn’t miss these songs if they were cut entirely; removing them would leave a concise, punchy 33-minute album rather than this bloated 44-minute version.
Because of this filler, the overall quality is likely lesser than that of their previous records. While Retrogore is still an entirely reliable slice of goregrind that deviates very little from their established formula—sure to please core fans—I would still choose Goremageddon or even Global Flatline over it.
The Verdict: Just as Aborted is retrogore, Retrogore is quintessential Aborted. It hammers home their brutal credentials (given how frequently they do this, they must be digging somewhere close to the Earth’s core by now). The album offers an appealing array of brutal death and goregrind numbers, honed by slender slivers of technicality, doom, thrash, and black metal.
While it isn’t their absolute best work and a few tracks let the side down, it still comes recommended for long-time fans and newcomers alike. Come revel in the bloody mess.
