Review: Sanguisugabogg’s Homicidal Ecstasy is Disgustingly Satisfying

To say that Sanguisugabogg have had a big impact on death metal since their formation in 2019 is an understatement. Thousands of name jokes aside, the band’s blend of beat down hardcore, old-school death metal, technical riffing, and grind influence absolutely defines the a huge part of the genre’s modern sound.

With that weight resting on their shoulders, the band have a lot to live up to when it comes to their sophomore studio release, Homicidal Ecstasy, out February 3 via Century Media Records. Luckily, the follow up to 2021’s Tortured Whole lives up to the hype and then some.

The record, which in the band’s words is “more legit” than anything they have put out in the past, features lyrics that delve more into body horror than gore jokes, and the musicianship (especially the riffs) take a front seat.

Like their previous output, Homicidal Ecstasy was produced by drummer Cody Davidson, and for this record, mixing was done by Kurt Ballou of Converge and God City Studios. In both instances, their work pays off, creating a killer sounding record that only helps to bolster each song for the listener.

But even beyond the obvious—who produced it, the label backing, the artwork — the music also holds up. It’s easy to tell when a band gets elevated to a certain level of support and then phones it in, and Sanguisuggabog do the opposite. They clearly decided to dial it up a notch when it comes to all elements of this new record.

For me, standout tracks are “Narcissistic Incisions” for the frantic but controlled riffing and “Face Ripped Off” for the sheer brutality of it, but there really isn’t a bad track on the album. The whole thing flows in a way that death metal records should. While each song on its own is a banger, the album takes you on a journey of sonic extremity that you may or may not survive.

Homicidal Ecstasy will be released on February 3 via Century Media Records, though you can preorder your copy today.