In 2019 I reviewed and raved about the Sanguisugabogg ep Pornographic Seizures. That was my favorite ep for that year and since then the band has seen quite a rise in their popularity.  An ep of a mere 11 minutes, saw the band go on a bunch of mini tours throughout the country with a variety of bands and I caught them on tour in DC.  I’m friends with the singer Devin Swank, also from Ohio’s Limbsplitter and the band is rounded out now by: Ced Davis, bass, Cody Davidson drums and Cameron “Boggasauros” Boggs on guitar.

Sanguisugabogg know how to write heavy music and while their music rarely has any blast beats the band is intent on bludgeoning you to death with their down-tuned drug death heaviness.  If you’re looking for similar sounding bands, I would just say the band draws influences from Autopsy (think Severed Survival era), Rottrevore and Impetigo.  The band sells merchandise faster than you can say Egg Sandwich and I am the proud owner of quite a lot of their swag.  Although one of their new longsleeves has their logo in many different colors on the front and on the back it says “I Eat My Own Cum”.  No, I did not buy it, but I know a few people who have…good lord!  Century Media Records knowing when to strike when the cum, I mean the cattle prod, is still hot signed the band and out plops the debut Tortured Whole.  I mean Century Media are killing it this year with new releases from Asphyx, as well as the Frozen Soul debut, now Sanguisugabogg – fugget about it!!

The band has shot several videos and even had legendary Troma Studios shoot them and add in all the special fx.  “Menstrual Envy” opens the album and rather than start with pretty intros, Devin lays out a disgusting opening growl.  It’s pure filth and the squealing pinch harmonics come in with the guitars and the mid-paced heaviness immediately needs to be their live set opener.  Nice homage to Mortician with the distorted isolated bass heaviness before a slower part comes in which has some cool vocals from Devin.  The band shows there is never a need for a bajillion riffs – just a few well-placed riffs which repeat several times throughout the song so they embed in the listener’s brain.  I mean this opening song is so heavy I went around the neighborhood and started doing Jake “The Snake” DDT’s on people right through the concrete and if they got up I did a Ronnie Garvin “The Man With the Hands of Stone” impersonation as I used the person’s head as a speed bag.  The song is pummeling.  The video is HILLLariouSSS.  Troma crafting monstrous prosthetic demonic phallus’ to each band member, there’s sleaze, and even Roger, of Mortician fame making a video appearance, and blood and guts, all while the band is performing.  Great video and even better song.

Then as a sequel to the video they shot another video, with Troma, for “Gored in the Chest”.  A great video sequel, continuing the story line and the song has awesome double bass in the beginning with Devin’s low vocals and the guitar riffing, undercurrent bass heaviness and snare pop really accentuates a super heavy rhythm section.  The song picks up some speed, really old school type of speed, no blasting and then right into a monstrous pit-inducing mid-paced part, then alternating back to the quicker part.  There’s some excellent drum rolls on this track and I love the cymbal sounds – makes me want to start swinging.  More distorted isolated bass guitar heaviness, as the song is just under 3 minutes.  The video clocked in over 14k YouTube views, in only a few days and at the time of this review was over 20k views – beyond impressive.  “Dragged by a Truck” is a bit speedier, then back to the mid-paced heaviness and a little start n stop action with the riffing.  The song slows down a little more a bit later with Devin laying down a nice growl and then a pinch harmonic comes in to slap you in da face and choke slam you further down to the floor, as the song gets a little slower and piledrives you some more with it’s heaviness. “Dead as Shit” is terrifically heavy with the isolated opening guitar riff and then the bass comes in and Devin’s vocals.  This song is HEAVY!!!!!!  Windmills, 2-steppin’, picking up change and punching holes in walls and through chest cavities is what is needed while listening to this song.

“Felching Filth” ends the album and has some blast beats to sandblast your skin right off that pathetic meat sack holding your fat in place.  The quick little blasts are perfectly timed, before the song hits you with those slower, groovier moments.  There’s more vintage 90’s pinch harmonics and excellent guttural vocals.  This is a great and intense ending song.  The other songs as well as the interludes all go perfectly together.

The songs off Pornographic Seizures are not re-recorded here – so this is awesome, as all the tracks on Tortured Whole are all new, thus making their debut ep, even more highly sought after.  But I imagine Century Media will secure the rights to that from Maggot Stomp Records at some point for a re-release.  Sanguisugabogg delivers big time with Tortured Whole.  The production is organic with true heaviness, it’s catchy, brutal and I’ve had the album for quite some time now and I have listened to it prolly 30-40x prior to reviewing it.  The album cover monstrosity goes perfectly with the logo and for a band that sings about semen, blood n guts and hacking off private parts you would wonder how the hell are they getting so many fans??  I’ll tell you: writing catchy and no frills heavy music.  That is the key – catchy.  Also, the band is in touch with the social media outlets, they print up very eye-catching merchandise, have gone on a bunch of mini tours pre-covid and are in tune with the scene and fans.  Believe the hype everyone – I mean it.

Yes, we know the covid albums released in 2020 all went nowhere and do all those bands no justice with no shows/tours.  Hell Testament released a new one in 2020, that came and went and no one gave a shit about. The key to Sanguisugabogg’s continued success will be for touring to once again resume because I certainly know they are ready to tour non-stop and I do not want to see another album released during Covid to go nowhere.  Regardless, I do believe Sanguisugabogg’s blow-up throughout the underground metal scene is really only just the beginning.  Tortured Whole destroys, will be in my year end best of list and is an easy Buy or Die – go on and get the beef mofos!!

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