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This is the defunct Finnish death metal band Carnifex and not the better-known American deathcore band that's still active today. Carnifex were active for only four years, from 1989 to 1993, and Pathological Rites is a compilation of demo and rehearsal tracks from 1991 to 1993.

The death metal presented here is of course "old school" because, well, all this material is from when death metal was just getting off the ground, so those who like it that way will be well served here. Overall, it's very unpolished, thrashy and chaotic death metal with some damn fine raucous growls that must have turned some heads back in the day (not so much today, but that was another time period). It's all pretty barebones stuff, largely devoid of any "gimmicks" with some rare exceptions. I don't know what their history is and why they split up but, even though this might sound like nothing remarkable these days, chances are that they may have made their mark if they had kept going as this is good and sometimes downright fun death metal that gets the head banging, the foot tapping, and every now and then gets a little creepy, especially when the vocalist goes a more of a beyond-the-grave approach to his delivery. I wouldn't call this essential, but it's quite enjoyable.