What Are the Symptoms of IMPETIGO?

What Are the Symptoms of IMPETIGO? is a short "diary entry" detailing my own discovery of one of undergrounds most influential horror bands! Originally to have been published in the fanzine Lesions of IMPETIGO (which hopefully may still happen...?)

We all remember the first time we heard IMPETIGO and we all have been influenced in some way by the chaotic genius of their audio terror! My first time hearing IMPETIGO was when my DEATH and CARCASS obsession was tapering off, and I was discovering more and more underground metal that I was enjoying just as much as these two classic bands. As a horror movie addict, I was always looking for bands with a horror image or lyrical content, so imagine my world shifting once my ears were wonderfully assaulted by Horror of the Zombies, and then later I discovered their first album Ultimo Mondo Cannibale (yeah, I worked backwards). As a songwriter and lyricist, I was taking on new influence and the more I listened, the more I wanted more about this band!

Upon actually listening to the albums in-full, of course the first thing I’m going to notice are the sound clips of serial killers speaking about their horrendous acts as well as audio samples from an array of my favorite horror films including Wizard of Gore, The Gates of Hell, and Zombie. As for the music, it was hard to figure out what I wanted to focus on most; the heavy as fuck riffs that we catchy and slaying my ears courtesy of Mark Sawickis and Scott Bross; the insane gurgle vocals from Stevo’s bowels and his thumping bass reverberating to my core; or the intense, AMAZING drum performance by Dan Malin which has an excellent mix of blasts and unique, varied timing – not to mention the dynamic SOUND of the drums; especially considering this was recorded in the early ‘90s when recording metal was still a work in progress!

Because it was hard for me to focus on just one aspect of the music, this meant that I was very pleased with all aspects of what I was hearing and the raw “fuck you” sound the albums had overall. It was like many other bands that I had experienced upon the first listen where it was an automatic prompt once the song was finished to start the wonderful debauchery all over again from the beginning. Needless to say, the more I listened, the more I was entranced by the heavy speed of the music and insane vomitus vocals which accompanied it all; easily making each member of the band legendary in my mind, and making Dan Malin one of my all-time favorite drummers EVER!

the band circa 1989

Is IMPETIGO contagious?

Through the years of only owning shitty downloads from KAZAA and Soulseek, it didn't stop me from spreading the disease of IMPETIGO’s genius. I subjected friends to the contagious chaos and proved that this band was an important factor in the death metal/grind underground. Eventually, years later as I sunk deeper into the underground, I could easily buy official releases of these albums, and this happened courtesy of the record label that I now co-own and operate – none other than Razorback Records.

Thanks to Billy Nocera, I was able to get my grubby hands on these albums in proper form on a professionally pressed CD, with a monstrous, remastered sound perfected by Patrick Bruss. The liner notes seemed endless, detailing each song and expanding on the process of making these classic underground albums. I was able to not only properly enjoy these albums, as well as the Faceless EP which is some of my favorite material, but I was able to experience them like never before and it only made the amazing more amazing, the chaotic more chaotic, and the contagious more contagious. With these re-issues, IMPETIGO was spreading and reaching a broader audience; possibly being discovered by younger metalheads who were somewhat new to the underground. These re-issues were also replenishing the seasoned fans’ collection as these are undeniably the ULTIMATE release of each. 

The contagion isn't summed up in just re-issues of the album, and the reunion show in 2007; it shows in the amount of bands that site IMPETIGO as a staple in underground death metal and the amount of cover songs you can find in many bands’ repertoire. The influence is evident and the fact that there is a tribute album (Wizards of Gore – Razorback Records, 2000) shows that IMPETIGO was more than just an underground death metal band vomiting lyrics about horror movies; they were a unique and extraordinary group who stood out from all the CARCASS clone bands and DEATH wannabes. IMPETIGO has always stood on its own to me and the band itself could almost label its own sub-genre. None before, and none after.

 

Pustular Eruption

So here we are, over 20 years later, still praising and hailing IMPETIGO as an important, influential band who is their own brand. Proof is in the (pus) pudding; there have been bands stay together longer and have a fuller body of work who do not receive this much recognition. Not that they don’t deserve it, but it just goes to show sometimes less is more. Since IMPETIGO, Stevo has been involved in other projects including CHURCH OF MISERY (US), CONVULSIONS, TOMBSTONES and currently in the bands TWIST ENDING and SURGIKILL - with yours truly.

The eruption still oozes as there is another release in the works for later 2015 on Razorback Records. Announced sometime ago, the CD will go into production soon. We will be working with Stevo and company yet again on a special 2-disc release titled 7 Doors of Death. To keep up with news on this unleashing, subscribe to our mailing list at the bottom of our homepage at www.razorbackrecords.com

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