By: Jenny Holland
Gorphanage is a comedic death metal band based out of Lake County, Il. May Cause Birth Defects, their first and latest album, was released at the beginning of 2016. This sinister and profoundly silly creation consists of old school elements like hilarious samples, vintage death metal riffs and even the upside down cross on the band’s logo. Their mid paced, head banging worthy music is thanks to the four band members, Tyler Edens [vocals & guitar], Eric Gregg [vocals & bass], David Holland [lead guitar] and Steve Holland [drums]. Granted, there were four members when the band formed in 2013, Dave relocated to California immediately following the recording of May Cause Birth Defects, leaving Gorphanage to a three piece.
"Journey’s End" is definitely my favorite song off this album. This track is comprised of awesome vocals with satisfying guitar and drum riffs. Simply the layout of this masterpiece is pure perfection. I love the band Journey, but I can’t deny the lyrics for this number are undeniably hilarious, describing the killing and sacrificing of said band. I’ve listened to this album countless times already and everytime this track plays, I always feel it. I love music, I enjoy all types of music, but there are some songs that you can just feel in your bones and this is one of them. The musical progressions and arrangements are impeccable.
"We’re Going to Hell For This" definitely holds a faster paced, malevolent sound. The band had the idea to not actually write lyrics for this song. Instead, Eric and Tyler make gibberish sounds. Gorphange got this idea from John Tardy’s vocal performance on Obituary’s Slowly We Rot album. Eric and Tyler’s vocals on this track are villainous and makes a splendidly vicious metal song.
You can find "Gorphans of the Storm" on track 3 and it does not disappoint. A particular element this song consists of that appeals to me, would be the parts where it slows down a bit, giving the sounds such a wicked feel. I tend to gravitate toward music such as this, when you can feel the evil coming out of the riffs.
A few hilarious lyrics in particular stand out for me,
“Orge stomping, ogre chomping, ogre romping, ogre smurfing, ogre crunching, ogre munching, blood is gushing smurfs are smurfing”.
You can find these lines in the song, "Ogre Stomping Smurf Villages."
Approximately twenty five minutes after the last song on the album, you can find a hidden track. Now, depending on one’s sense of humor, one might find this a waste of time or completely juvenile. Personally, I laughed out loud, as the band would intend for their listeners.
Although, Gorphanage’s musical inspiration is Autopsy, Obituary and Six Feet Under, they also comprise influence by the humorous extreme metal acts such as those also Illinois based, Macabre and Maggot Twat.
May Cause Birth Defects, an independently released album, was recorded by Scott Creekmore [Lupara, Broken Hope] and mixed by John Griffin [Tutu and the Pirates].