Psycho Surgery

Infobox Album | Name = Psycho Surgery
Type = studio
Artist = Tourniquet

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Released = 1991
Recorded =
Genre = Christian metal, thrash metal
Length = 41:03 (1991)
63:43 (2001)
Label = Intense Records
Metal Blade
Producer = Bill Metoyer
Reviews =
Last album = "Stop the Bleeding"
(1990)
This album = "Psycho Surgery"
(1991)
Next album = "Pathogenic Ocular Dissonance"
(1992)
Misc = Extra album cover 2
Upper caption = 2001 cover
Type = studio


Lower caption =

"Psycho Surgery" was the second album by the Christian metal band Tourniquet, released in 1991. Out of all the band's first three albums—all considered as thrash metal classics, the critics consider "Psycho Surgery" as Tourniquet's most well-matched album. The album was independently rereleased in 2001 with digital remastering, bonus tracks and new cover art. The rerelease is now titled "Psychosurgery" as one word instead of two since Ted Kirkpatrick always felt that it should have been just one.

Recording

"Psycho Surgery" was recorded at Mixing Lab A & B studios, Garden Grove, California, and was produced by Bill Metoyer. For this album the band was joined by the guitarist Erik Mendez and the bassist Victor Macias, forming the quintet that is known as Tourniquet's classic line up. After "Stop the Bleeding", the band caught the attention of Metal Blade Records, which released this album to secular market. Intense Records released it to Christian market.

"Psycho Surgery" represents the band's more modern and experimental, technical thrash metal style. The vocalist Guy Ritter left his high-pitched falsetto vocals off, singing mostly in his melodic baritone voice, and the elements of 1980s speed metal are nonexistent on this album. "Psycho Surgery" is characterized by the incorporation of classical music into the guitar riffs: a reviewer described the album as "Slayer plays Beethoven in a slightly rearranged way." Citeweb | author = Ryhänen, Pekka | title = Tourniquet - Psychosurgery | url = http://imperiumi.net/alb_2.php?id=2715 | date = 2007-09-03 | work = Imperiumi.net | accessdate = 2007-06-22 | language = Finnish ] The title song begins with a sample of an orchestra warming up for its performance. "Psycho Surgery" contains technical playing techniques, plenty of different guitar riffs and tempo changes and virtuoisic solos. The album's production is clear, creating a somewhat cold and steril atmosphere that supports the album's medical concept. The drummer Ted Kirkpatrick has a background in pharmacy, and took advantage of this experience by infusing the lyrics with medical terminology as metaphors for social issues. The lyrics take a stance on topics such as discrimination of the developmentally delayed ("Broken Chromosomes"), heretical sects ("A Dog's Breakfast") and parental carelessness ("Dysfunctional Domicile"). The song "Stereotaxic Atrocities" is a sequel to the song on the previous album, "Ark of Suffering", as it also criticizes animal abuse, specifically animal laboratory testing. The same guitar riff appears on the song for a few seconds.

A special feature about "Psycho Surgery" is the song "Spineless": a hip hop group called P.I.D. performs at the beginning of the song for two minutes. The drummer Kirkpatrick had originally written the lyrics for the band, but eventually P.I.D.'s Lynch and Hogan made up their own lyrics on spot. The vocals were performed by Barry "G" and Fred "Doug Tray", and K-Mack did the sampling. [Liner notes of the Psycho Surgery booklet, 2001 re-issue.] Rap metal was a fresh style of music at the time, and that is why "Spineless" became a popular song at Tourniquet's concerts. The song "Viento Borrascoso (Devastating Wind)" is a fast instrumental which begins with a sample of a news presenter informing about a tornado, followed by a sound of its forthcoming. The instrumental represents Kirkpatrick's virtuoisic drumming skills. The final song, "Officium Defunctorum," is a doom metal piece written by the bass player Victor Macias, and tells about the Crucifixion of Christ.

Reception

As a result for Metal Blade Records' distribution, "Psycho Surgery" made the band more well-known and popular. Following the album's release, the songs "Psycho Surgery," "Spineless," and "Viento Borrascoso" all achieved number 1 positions on several charts. The album was voted as "Favorite Album of the Year" in 1991 by the readers of the "HM Magazine". In 1992, "Psycho Surgery" also achieved 2 GMA Dove Award nominations in the categories "Metal Album of the Year" and "Metal Recorded Song of the Year" for "Psycho Surgery." Many critics praised the album, although some criticized that the song "Dysfunctional Domicile" has a different atmosphere compared to the other songs and does not fit into the album's entity too well. Nevertheless, the album is considered a display of talented musicianship, intelligent lyrics, and originality—a thrash metal classic.

Track listing

# "Psycho Surgery" – 4:13
# "A Dog's Breakfast" – 4:28
# "Viento Borrascoso (Devastating Wind)" – 3:06
# "Vitals Fading" – 2:46
# "Spineless" – 5:11
# "Dysfunctional Domicile" – 5:03
# "Broken Chromosomes" – 5:21
# "Stereotaxic Atrocities" – 4:23
# "Officium Defunctorum" – 6:26

Bonus tracks on 2001 remaster

10. "A Dog's Breakfast" - (Live 2000) 5:34

11. "Broken Chromosomes" - (Live 2000) 6:56

12. "Stereotaxic Atrocities" - (Demo 1991) 4:27

13. "A Dog's Breakfast" - (Demo 1991) 4:38

14. "Concert Intro" (2000)

Credits

*Guy Ritter - Lead Vocals
*Ted Kirkpatrick - Drums
*Gary Lenaire - Lead Guitars, Rhythm Guitars, Lead Vocals
*Erik Mendez - Lead Guitars, Rhythm Guitars
*Victor Macias - Bass, Vocals

2000 Live Tracks

*Ted Kirkpatrick - Drums
*Luke Easter - Vocals
*Aaron Guerra - Guitars, Vocals
*Steve Andino - Bass

2000 Conceret Intro

*Aaron Guerra - Arrangement and Mix

References

External links

* [http://www.tourniquet.net/discography/index.php?id=2 Psycho Surgery (1991) at Tourniquet.net]
* [http://www.tourniquet.net/discography/index.php?id=12 Psychosurgery (2001) at Tourniquet.net]