Review by Alex Grindor on November 22, 2021.

Cannibal Corpse, one of the most important and at the same time, controversial death metal bands in the world, given their explicit lyrics and album covers that probably caused some gag reflex to some people. What we have here is the masterpiece of Cannibal Corpse, an album filled with horror, necrophile and more shit. No album made by the band after this album has the horror and sick touch that Tomb Of The Mutilated had and still has to this day.

The most important thing in this album are the vocals, made with no effects or modified with a computer. I couldn't believe it when I started to hear this. Other good point in this album is the ambient of the songs. Clearly based in horror, cannibalism and mutilation. This album contains most of the classics: 'Hammer Smashed Face', 'I Cum Blood', 'Addicted To Vaginal Skin', and many more, all of them preferred by the death metal fans (myself included).

'Hammer Smashed Face' became immediately one of my favorites, mainly due to the riff made after the "My blood runs cold" part. 'Addicted To Vaginal Skin' is an amazing song, starting with a killer's confession and then the song starts slow until Barnes starts to sing. 'I Cum Blood' is... I don't know what to say of this, another of my preferred songs. 'Split Wide Open' starts to show some bass skills, just like 'I Cum Blood'. And then we have another masterpiece called 'Necropedophile' (man, what was Barnes thinking or smoking while making these titles?). Then we have 'The Cryptic Stench', another display of bass skills and terror riffs. Then comes 'Entrails Ripped From A Virgin's Cunt', and the bass doesn't seem to get tired of playing. After that we have 'Post Mortal Ejaculation' which starts very slow with both guitars (first one, then another) and keeps slow until Barnes starts the singing. And the album ends with 'Beyond The Cemetery', the last display of bass and guitars.

As stated before, the vocals are the best in this album, especially the little screams in 'Hammer Smashed Face' and 'I Cum Blood' that are mixed with those deep guttural vocals that everyone who hears wonder "is singing or what?". The guitars really tried to create an atmosphere of terror, and they did it. This was one of the first album I heard which showed the bass, examples are: 'I Cum Blood', 'Entrails Ripped From A Virgin's Cunt' and 'Necropedophile'. The drums are really amazing as well.

Special mention to the album front cover, showing a cunnilingus made by two undead. Well done Cannibal Corpse, well done indeed.

Tomb Of The Mutilated is a must-have for every brutal death metal fan, a choice you'll never regret to make. If you have money, buy it. If you don't, download it, but you must have this album, now!

Highlights: 'Hammer Smashed Face', 'I Cum Blood', 'Addicted To Vaginal Skin', 'Necropedophile'.

Rating: 9.5 out of 10

Review by JD on April 28, 2012.

Instrumental albums can be hard to digest for some, a necessity for others. I have loved some and found others to be overdone and made me fall asleep from boredom. Minnasota based instrumental Doom/Stoner act Zebulon Pike is one of those.

Going instrumental after a line up change, was a choice that the band never once seemed to regret. Mixing Doom, Stoner, Post Rock and some wicked speedier metal they are unafraid to use any style of metal to meld there sound, and to slam it right into your face. Musical broad and incredibly heavy, they deliver the doomier goods, yet it seems lost and that is where they lose me.

With most tracks clocking in at over ten minutes long, they give you a musical ride through a musical expression of all human emotions. They do this to a point, but I have to say that getting a vocalist and great lyrics would launch this amazingly musical band into the metallic elite. It is sad when people have such talent, but the vehicle is equivalent to a broken down Lada car - useless. I like the music to a point, but with what I think is missing, and I hope that this band will heed this suggestion, and fast.

I think they need a very unique and powerful vocalist, sort of like Paul Kuhr of Novembers Doom, but perhaps with a lower vocal style that would put Zebulon Pike into a higher plane. Even Yngwie Malmsteen, who had one of the best instrumental albums of all time ("Far Beyond The Sun") changed to having a vocalist and made it work... and he was amazing.

This is a nice musically sound instrumental album but limiting to both the members, and the metal public. I hope that they take my little critique and just think about it, a vocalist as individual as they are would make them unstoppable. They are their own worse enemy.

Categorical Rating Breakdown

Musicianship: 9.5
Atmosphere: 7
Production: 7
Originality:9
Overall: 7

Rating: 7.9 out of 10