A little less than five years have passed since the disappointment that ‘Walk Through Exits Only’ was. Since then Phil Anselmo has been in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons, showing that he’s at a personal and professional low point. ‘Choosing Mental Illness as A Virtue’ does nothing more than confirm this impression.
I’m trying (and failing) to understand who this will appeal to. Maybe someone will appreciate the ‘true’ mentality of such a big name releasing such a primitive album? That’s about it. I’m reading the review on blabbermouth and I’m scratching my head. The production is atrocious, straight from the gutter, and the same goes for Anselmo’s voice. Phil was a true singer, not one more macho frontman screaming his ass off. Don’t make the mistake of going back to listen to ‘Cemetary Gates’ after this, you will end up in tears.
Even if I judge this project not by the name on the cover, but as the mediocre attempt at grindcore/death that it really is, life is too short to listen to it again.
