The Somatic Defilement

{{Infobox album

| name = The Somatic Defilement

| type = studio

| artist = Whitechapel

| cover = Whitechapel - The Somatic Defilement.jpg

| alt =

| released = July 31, 2007
April 16, 2013 (reissue)

| recorded = 2007 at The Sound Lair in Knoxville, Tennessee

| venue =

| studio =

| genre = Deathcore{{cite web|url=https://www.metalreviews.com/reviews/album/6496|title=The Somatic Defilement Metal Reviews|date=9 August 2010|publisher=Metal Reviews}}

| length = 31:59

| label = Candlelight (US), Siege of Amida (EUR), Metal Blade (reissue)

| producer = Whitechapel, Miah Lajeunesse

| prev_title = Demo 2

| prev_year = 2006

| next_title = This Is Exile

| next_year = 2008

| misc = {{Extra album cover

| header = Reissue cover

| type = studio

| cover = Whitechapel The Somatic Defilement Remastered.jpg

| border =

| alt =

| caption = The cover for the 2013 re-release of The Somatic Defilement.

}}

{{Music ratings

| rev1 = About.com

| rev1Score = {{Rating|3.5|5}}{{cite web|title=About.com review|url=http://allmusic.com/artist/decoder-p224563/biography|publisher=About.com|accessdate=5 January 2011}}

| rev2 = AllMusic

| rev2Score = {{Rating|3.5|5}} {{cite web|title=Allmusic review|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-somatic-defilement-mw0000482090|publisher=Allmusic|accessdate=5 January 2011}}

| rev3 = Rock Hard

| rev3Score = 8/10{{Cite web|url=https://www.rockhard.de/reviews/whitechapel-the-somatic-defilement|title=The Somatic Defilement|website=www.rockhard.de}}

| noprose = yes

}}

The Somatic Defilement is the debut studio album by American deathcore band Whitechapel. The album was released on July 31, 2007, through Candlelight Records and is their only release through this label before their move to Metal Blade the following year. It is the only album to feature guitarist Brandon Cagle.

Overview

The Somatic Defilement is mostly a concept album based on Jack the Ripper, in which the majority of the songs are first-person narratives of the slaughter and rape of prostitutes. Only two songs are exceptions to this theme: vocalist Phil Bozeman specified that "Alone in the Morgue" is about "a coroner who is a demented necrophiliac" and "Festering Fiesta" is about Jeffrey Dahmer.{{cite web|url=https://killthemusic.net/blog/phil-bozeman-explains-the-meaning-of-every-whitechapel|title=Phil Bozeman explains the meaning of every Whitechapel track|website=killthemusic.net|date=Sep 6, 2011|accessdate=Jun 26, 2020}} The intro track, "Necrotizing" also contains excerpts from a Stone Phillips interview with Dahmer.[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ErB0R4wlB64 Jeffrey Dahmer Interview - Extended Footage] shown at YouTube.

The album is the only one by Whitechapel to include Brandon Cagle as guitarist. He later left the band, because the injuries he received from a motorcycle accident left him unable to play his instrument. He was replaced by Zach Householder.[http://www.metalunderground.com/news/details.cfm?newsid=31209 www.metalunderground.com] Whitechapel part ways with guitarist Brandon Cagle

Reissue

A remixed and remastered edition of the album was released on April 16, 2013 through Metal Blade Records.{{Cite web|url=https://www.metalblade.com/us/news/whitechapel-the-somatic-defilement-re-issue/|title=WHITECHAPEL "The Somatic Defilement" re-issue; music and pre-orders now on-line | Metal Blade Records}} Re-mixing and re-mastering duties were given to Mark Lewis, whom the band worked with since their self-titled release.{{Cite web|url=http://www.theprp.com/2012/11/13/news/more-details-revealed-for-whitechapels-reissue-of-the-somatic-defilement/|title=More Details Revealed for Whitechapel's Reissue of "The Somatic Defilement"|date=13 November 2012}}