Thymos Carcinoma

Thymos Carcinoma is the sixth album from American death metal band Encephalitic Punishment, and their first with original vocalist Rob Ravager since 1992's Kindred In Blood. The album was released on April 3th 1999 on Grinder Records, recorded shortly after Rob Ravager and original guitarist Ivan Witowski rejoined the band in 1998. Its title is derived from the words "thymos", meaning "spirit" and "carcinoma" referring to a type of tumor. Vocalist Rob Ravager has said the title refers to a diseased soul.

The album is the first of Encephalitic Punishment's albums to feature a disease/disorder themed title, which would become a trend for the band in their third incarnation with Rob Ravager. The album met with highly positive, and it was felt as a creative and anticipated return of the band, with many fans disliking the Ezpanso-era. The song "Adenocarcinoma" was released as a single on March 28th 1999, a few days before the album's release, and has become a common song at the band's live shows, along with the songs "Neoplasia Surgery" and "Cystadenoma".

Background
After releasing their second album with Omar Ezpanso on vocals, Kirk Newman on rhythm guitar, and Greg Marks on bass H.A.T.E, lead guitarist Jeff Wagner received a phone call from former vocalist Rob Ravager expressing a desire to re-join the band. Wagner was interested in the prospect, and after deliberation Ezpanso and Newman left the band to make room for Rob Ravager and original rhythm guitarist Ivan Witowski. Bassist Greg Marks was also expected to leave, as Ravager also played bass during his original tenure with Encephalitic Punishment, but it was decided that he would remain as the bassist.

The band entered the studio in the summer of 1998 shortly after their reunion, and began recording, an experience Rob Ravager likened to "recording Beyond The Grave back in '89, only its been ten years!". The band worked with producer Mike Styne, but as they began production their label American Brutal dropped them, disliking the new post-Omar Ezpanso line-up. American Brutal had expected another album with Ezpanso, only thinking Newman had been replaced by Witowski. The band were dropped swiftly by president Andrew Morgan, but producer Mike Styne followed the band to a new label. They searched for a new label to finish their album, and Styne found them a six album record deal with Deathgame Records. The band were signed and began recording their new album in January 1999.

Reception
The album met with highly positive reviews from both critics and fans alike.


 * "Encephalitic Punishment have well an truly returned with "Thymos Carcinoma". Their sub-par days with old vocalist Omar Ezpanso are over, with the triumphant return of Rob Ravager on vocals and Ivan Witowski on rhythm. This is old school Encephalitic Punishment, the perfect follow-up to 1992's "Kindred In Blood", the band's last album with their original line-up. "Thymos Carcinoma" is a thinking man's death metal album, brutal, dissonant, aggressive and boundary breaking!" - Metalix


 * "After the mediocre offering in "H.A.T.E", Encephalitic Punishment have parted ways with Omar Ezpanso and Kirk Newman and brought back Rob Ravager and Ivan Witowski. Now this is the only form that Encephalitic Punishment should take, the original and unabashed destroyers. "Thymos Carcinoma" is an intelligent and provoking album that sits up there with the band's magnum opuses. Fucking heavy, brutal and pure aggression!" - MetalMayhem


 * "''A blisteringly refreshing death metal record from veterans Encephalitic Punishment, offering pounding, grinding intelligent death metal from the masters of scientific death metal!" - Ravager