Artist: Hideous Mangleus
Country: USA
Label: Hells Headbangers Records
Formats: LP / CD
Year: 2025
Even if Hideous Mangleus released a 7” EP through the French Thrash (Records) back in 1990, I have always felt that the band’s popularity was mainly limited to their home country, the United States. We can leave it open as to whether that was actually the case, but what is certain is that the band had a rather distinctive sound that fitted well into the American Death Metal/Grindcore tradition of the early- to mid-90s. That made them clearly a love-’em or hate-‘em kind of band. Even now, some three decades later, that is still very much the situation.
These three decades refer to the release of the band’s debut album, and only one for that matter, ‘All Your Friends Are Dead’ that was originally published in 1996 through Ecocentric Records. It is kind of surprising that this is actually the very first time gets a reissue, at least, if we really have to measure popularity by the number of fans who claim that this is an absolute cult album. I must admit that I have always had my doubts. Just because some American musicians still refer to it as influential does not necessarily mean that it will be in high demand if it is reissued. But now it is, thanks to Hells Headbangers Records, one of the parties that has often expressed their appreciation for Hideous Mangleus.
Let’s set the record straight, ‘All Your Friends Are Dead’ is not a bad album by any means. Not at all. I just find it a bit difficult to reconcile this with other records that also qualify as “classics”. Hideous Mangleus is often mentioned in the same breath with bands like Macabre and Impetigo, which is not too strange because of their blending of Death Metal and Grindcore a certain sense of “humour” and their unorthodox way of writing songs. But it is also abundantly clear that Hideous Mangleus is by far not on the same level as those two bands. Not even close. That doesn’t mean the album is not a fun listen, because that certainly is the case. ‘All Your Friends Are Dead’, which by the way is a re-used title from their early 1990 demo tape with the classic Nosferatu cover art, is an eclectic collection of riffs that might appeal to fans of the aforementioned two bands as well as stuff like S.O.D. or more punk-oriented Grindcore, topped off with a frantic vocal delivery.
The thing is, it is not even the rather simplistic riffs and song structures, very reminiscent of Hardcore/Punk, that makes this album a bit of a borderline case. Neither is the playing time of almost an hour (here divided over two records), which is way too long. It is the sound that prevents the album from having a real musical impact. Frankly speaking, it is a total mess. The individual parts and instruments are pretty well recorded, but the mix of Darren Lazzari (of spandex Glam/Hardrock/Heavy Metal band Axtion) is downright terrible. There’s hardly any guitar, the drums sounds as flat as it gets and the vocals are very loud. It is impossible to crank the volume up without damaging your ears. Truth be told, a lot of this sort of records have rather bad productions, mainly because of a zero dollar budget, but it keeping in mind that this was released in 1996 it is impossible to compare to the many records that were published around that period with a (more than) decent sound.
Fucked up sound or not, I am glad Hells Headbangers Records went for the original mix with this re-release. Some imperfect history should be left untouched and be looked upon and listened to the way it was when it originally appeared. Just imagine yourself to take an old Rembrandt painting to be “improved” by someone before putting it in exposition. You can usually leave it up to Hells Headbangers Records to release quality stuff, and this one is no exception. And I honestly think that if this album needed reissuing, this is the only right place to do it, this is the label that can bring it to those who always wanted this album on vinyl and perhaps convince a few new fans as well.
