Gorerotted

Gorerotted is an English death metal and deathgrind group from London, active from 1997 to 2008. The band splits up in January 2008 and then reforms with new members as The Rotted. Its members include Ben McCrow and Gian Pyres.

Style and themes

The band works in death metal, deathgrind and grindcore, and its lyrics and song titles draw heavily on horror films. Common subjects include death, mutilation and necrophilia, with later material also dealing with alcohol and drug abuse. Its song titles often use puns and humorous rhymes, including examples such as “Cut, Gut, Beaten, Eaten”, “Masticated by the Spasticated”, and “Only Tools and Corpses”, which references the British sitcom Only Fools and Horses and uses a drum intro similar to that programme’s theme.

Musical approach

Gorerotted uses a distinctive multiple-vocal approach. Ben provides a deep death growl, while Mr. Gore supplies high-pitched shouting and screaming. When Wilson joins on bass for Only Tools and Corpses, he also contributes high-pitched growls and extra screams, giving the band three vocal styles at times. After Mr. Gore leaves in 2004, Wilson takes over his parts on older songs.

The band’s guitars are fast and technical, with the bass usually doubling the riffing. Both guitar and bass are tuned down a whole step, with the guitars tuned to D, to create a heavier sound. The drumming is very fast and often uses blast beats and double bass.

Later work

After Gorerotted ends, Ben McCrow and Tim Carley continue under the name The Rotted. That project is signed to Metal Blade Records and has previously released music on Relapse Records, IBD Records and Deepsend Records. Jason “Mr. Gore” Merle and Graham “Nutty Strangeways” Hodis, the band’s two original vocalists, later work as Gorebound and release the EP It’s Choppin’ Time.