Rigor Mortis have announced the release of their fourth and final studio album, Slaves To The Grave, through Rigor Mortis Records on October 7th. This marks the band’s first studio album in 23 years, and the first with the classic original line up (Mike Scaccia – guitar, Casey Orr – Bass, Bruce Corbitt – Vocals, and Harden Harrison on drums), since their 1988 eponymous debut album.
Recorded less than a year before Mike’s passing, Slaves To The Grave was to going to herald the bands long overdue comeback. In February 2012, Rigor Mortis entered Ministry’s 13th Planet Studios in El Paso, and recorded the 10 tracks that would become Slaves To The Grave. Today the track listing and cover artwork have been revealed. The artwork was done Michael Broom.
When no labels were willing to release the record (after all there would be no touring to support it, or follow up record), they decided to release it themselves. With no money, they started a fundraising campaign on IndieGoGo. They called in favors from their friends to get the record mixed and mastered just right and get the cover art just the way they envisioned it. They decided to add a behind the scenes “making of” DVD to the initial pressing, and to release it on vinyl. They are all very proud of this record and the history that surrounds it. They have endeavored every step of the way to do justice to the Rigor Mortis legacy, and bring honor to Mike Scaccia?s last recorded testament. We think he’d be proud.
The subject matter hasn’t strayed much. Twisted tales of horror and woe, monsters and madmen, warfare and plague abound! The tracks are fast and heavy as one would expect, but there is also a maturity and growth that only comes with age and experience. Musically, Slaves To The Grave draws from a legacy of brutal influence. The speed and thrash metal that Rigor Mortis cut their teeth on is evident throughout the record in the intensity and velocity of tracks like “Flesh For Flies”, but also, one could argue, are influences such as Italian horror soundtracks by Goblin, as heard on the outro solo of “Poltergeist”. While Slaves To The Grave was very much a group effort, and all four came together like a fist to crush all doubt, It has to be said, of course, that the highlight of this record, and indeed Rigor Mortis as a whole musically, is Mike Scaccia’s incredible guitar playing. His freakish speed picking and beautiful sense of melody is mesmerizing. His solos are stupefying. Mikes style was much closer to Paganini, than to say, Mustaine or Dimebag. He was unique.
Without question, this record contains some of Mike’s finest work. In his zone and with no restraints, he delivered some absolutely stellar performances. His solo at the end of “Blood Bath”, for instance, is absolutely breathtaking, exposing more heart and soul than precious few of his contemporaries possess. Rigor Mortis dedicates this record to Mike Scaccia 1965-2012.
Slaves to the Grave Track Listing:
1. Poltergeist
2. Rain of Ruin
3. Flesh for Flies
4. The Infected
5. Blood Bath
6. Ancient Horro
7. Fragrance of Corpse
8. Curse of the Draugr
9. Sacramentum Gladiatorum
10. Lududs Magnus
Produced by Mike Scaccia and RIGOR MORTIS
