At St. Petersen’s University Hospital, nightmares become coursework, and the new album by this American Death Metal and Grindcore beast is the perfect soundtrack to those horrors.

At St. Petersen’s University Hospital, nightmares become coursework, and Operating Altar, the new album by San Francisco, California-based Death Metal/Grindcore beast Cartilage (and the follow-up to their 2022 sophomore offering The Deader the Better), is the soundtrack to those horrors. Recorded by Mike Flory at Casa Carti (vocals, guitars, dialogues, bass) and by Scott Evans at Antisleep Audio (drums), mixed by Scott Evans at Antisleep Audio, mastered by Leon Del Muerte at Beastman Audio, and with a gory, visceral artwork by David Romero of CinemaMind, the new album by Mark Wallace on cankerous larynx invocations (aka vocals), Mike Flory on oscillating vein necromancy (aka guitars), Ria Flory on strung fascial divinations and tracheal exertions (aka bass), and Adam Houmam on tremoring transmutations on taut epidermises (aka drums) is a grand‑guignolesque blood ritual disguised as an album, ready to carve its way through the living, the dead, and anyone foolish enough to listen without anesthesia, being perfect for admirers of the putrid sounds blasted by Exhumed, Impetigo, Carcass, and Pharmacist.

There’s no hope in sight right from the beginning in Metal, Bone And Sinew, with Adam taking the lead with his demented beats and fills while Mark vociferates like a troll from hell; and Mike’s riffs ignite the quartet’s Death Metal extravaganza in S.C.D. (Sudden Cardiac Death), also presenting hints of Thrash and Black Metal to make things even more infuriated and violent. Then we see Adam hammer his drums like a lunatic in The Autopsy: A Surgical Sonata, inviting us all to slam into the band’s cesspool of blood and gore, followed by The Sanguine Fiend, presenting another blast of slamming sounds where Mike and Ria make an incredible stringed duo, pounding their axes nonstop until the very end.

It’s impressive how those four metallers can sound so demented and visceral while keeping a good dosage of harmony flowing form their instruments, like what they have to offer in A Lymphatic Labyrinth Of Roiling Rot, whereas they keep penetrating deep inside our minds with their striking riffs and blast beats in Among The Offal, which gets a bit confusing halfway through it (but nothing to worry about). Adam once again crushes his drums (and consequently our hopes and dreams) in Anatomical Incantations, demolishing our frail bodies with their insane fusion of Grindcore with Death and Thrash Metal; and The Operating Altar is by far one of the most complex and dynamic of all songs, with the goblin-like vocals by Mark (which also sound inspired by Overkill’s one and only Bobby Blitz) bringing even more insanity to their music. Finally, they conclude their onrush of blood and gore with Stitch By Stitch, where their Grindcore is infused with melody and groove.

“With this album, we sought to compose one large piece instead of simply a collection of songs. We’ve combined more influences from the likes of both brutal death metal and classic heavy metal, yet we pushed ourselves to faster tempos that we’ve never done before. Operating Altar is uniquely formulated to leave your ears bleeding with pleasure, our Maggot O-Pus if you will!” Those beautiful words by guitarist Mike Flory perfectly summarize Operating Altar, the logical next step for the Bay Area’s blood-brokers, with their horizons expanding without losing the red-eyed fury that has become their signature, and you can join them in their gory journey by following them on Facebook and on Instagram, by streaming their putrescent music on Spotify, and of course by purchasing their new album via BandCamp or mailorder. In the end, Operating Altar is the sound of a cauterizing wound. All at once scorching, hardening and sealing their sound into a new and grander whole.

Best moments of the album: S.C.D. (Sudden Cardiac Death), The Autopsy: A Surgical Sonata and The Operating Altar.

Worst moments of the album: Among The Offal.

Released in 2026 Everlasting Spew Records

Track listing
1. Metal, Bone And Sinew 4:31
2. S.C.D. (Sudden Cardiac Death) 4:05
3. The Autopsy: A Surgical Sonata 3:20
4. The Sanguine Fiend 2:53
5. A Lymphatic Labyrinth Of Roiling Rot 3:30
6. Among The Offal 3:36
7. Anatomical Incantations 3:16
8. The Operating Altar 4:08
9. Stitch By Stitch 4:03

Band members
Mark Wallace – vocals
Mike Flory – gutiars
Ria Flory – bass
Adam Houmam – drums