Undergang - Døden Læger Alle Sår

"No One Hears Your Screams"


The kings of the Danish death metal scene, Undergang, has returned from the sewers with a new studio album for the first time since 2012's Til Døden Os Skiller. It marks the end to the "Døden"-trilogy, so in the future the Kill-Town threepiece will dive into other territories on future records, promising it won't get less macabre.

Undergang always managed to phase their albums really good, and this time around it is no different. You're not thrown into a random selection of tracks, but a record that's well structured which definitely is a plus and adds to the experience. It starts off with the title-track and is the shortest burst the band has recorded so far. What struck me on this particular track is the 8 seconds where you get an intro-piece. Thank fuck. There's too many bands these days who shoves an 2-3 minute long instrumental track in your face, which sounds just like hundreds of others. Instead of that you get a swift kick in the face.
The title-track, meaning Death Heals All Wounds, is about escaping life through drugs, alcohol and suicide. It's written in a special period of frontman D. Torturdøds life, where he was in a dark state of mind. This shines through in the music throughout the whole album, as this is the most sinister album the trio has put forth. And that is part of what makes this record fucking great.

"Døden Læger Alle Sår" is the best sounding Undergang record to date. The production is simply spot on and precedes previous efforts thanks to the mastering from Dan Lowndes. Gone is the unfortunate production from "Til Døden Os Skiller" where the band, after some unlucky circumstances were left with only the rough mix. This time we're presented a sound, a production that equally fits the quality of the songs. Undergang is grittier and more extremely rotten than ever, and don't worry, there's still plenty of feedback to go around. If you close your eyes, you could probably imagine being present at their rehearsal, being blown away while listening to this record. It's not overproduced, it's not sterile, it is just old school. And it is without a doubt the heaviest sounding outing so far, with all instruments and the vocals sounding just right for this kind of rotten death metal. Nothing outshines the other.

The album develops with great variation just like on the first album, but there's been added more delicious stuff to the recipe this time around. Doom elements find their way more often into this album, just take a short sniff to "Lemlæstelsens Kunst" and try not moving your head. And then you got a track like "Gravrust" that incorporates slow guitar work with some offbeat drumming which gets me every single time. As mentioned, the production and the songwriting simply make each other shine as they're pulled through the roof. The album knows when to pull you around the room and beat you up, when to let you catch your breath and then continue pulverizing you.
This album marks the very first time you'll hear a guitar solo on a Undergang record. Instead of filling each track to the brim with solos you'll forget anyway, beforehand you would be run over by the riff train. On the closing track, "Det Gør Kun Ondt Til Du Dør", that changes. The man himself, Eric Cutler from the legendary Autopsy puts this record to rest with a well played, and well produced solo, making it the best album closer Undergang has used so far. The intro guitar from the opening track is weaved well into this track as well, as it is used to built up tension.

You won't experience any modern death metal, when listening to any Undergang album and you never will. Depending on your current mood for music, the record might need a spin or two to get a grip on you, but once it does. It will not let go. Overall not all songs are not quite on-par with the ones from "Indhentet af Døden" which outweighs this album in the song department, but the production, there's no contest on that one.
I hope they will try to incorporate new influences in the future and not end up outing the exact same material, album after album. More doom perhaps? Maybe a Left Hand Path approach with haunting synthesizers? More guest solos wouldn't be a bad idea either, because they nailed it perfectly this time. "Døden Læger Alle Sår" definitely surpasses the previous album "Til Døden Os Skiller". I'm quite confident saying that this album is one of the best death metal albums you will hear this year. Despite being the longest album by the band so far, it does not outstay its welcome in any way. If you're new to this trio, you can't go wrong with this record and if you already know them, then I can't see why you should not pick this up.

Rating

8.8

Paimonia - Disease Named Humanity

"Black, Bleak & Blistering"


I like my black metal the way I like my coffee: unblended, dense, and preferably with no sugary additives.

And dark as pitch, of course. Pitch-fucking-dark.

“Disease Named Humanity” is the debut full-length release of the Serbian duo Paimonia, who have since issued a split vinyl and a live recording on VHS, effectively staying busy and active. In a time and day when black metal is a teeming, worldwide phenomenon (and where having suckled mountain trolls at the icy-cold bottom of a faraway fjord someplace where Norway becomes Niflheim is no longer a mandatory credential for delivering properly grim and frostbitten svartmetal), it takes much more than just a few croaks atop the regular potpourri of buzz ‘n’ fuzz guitars, zero bass, and minimalist tick-tock drumming to raise eyebrows.

Paimonia deliver a lot more than that, fortunately.

Although slightly unremarkable and forgettable in places, “Disease Named Humanity” is a vigorous, ably executed slab of dynamic modern-day black metal – and, considering it’s a debut full-length release, very promising indeed. Intelligent, stimulating riffwork is prevalent throughout all 41 minutes of album length, and the duo of Bojan (vocals, guitars, bass) and Nikola (drums) keep things interesting with a few tricks & turns in the songwriting formula, notably by contrasting animated blastbeat-driven passages with slower, occasionally acoustic, interludes. What they basically lack in outstanding character, Paimonia make up for with quality riffs, topnotch musicianship, clever variation and sheer intensity.

“Disease Named Humanity” consists of just seven tracks, fittingly ending on a high note with the standout atmosphere-laden dirge “Funeral of Decaying World” and its instrumental addendum “Opus VII”, together spanning almost 13 minutes. Other highlights include album opener “As Plague Scourge This World Apart” (please don’t mind the English!) with its zany, dissonant riffing – not unlike a cleaner, less grimy version of Watain – as well as the epic, rather polymorphous “Depth Within Nothingness Called Life”, which features Gothenburg-esque melodic riffing and an eerie, haunting midsection that would make for a killer recurring theme in a classic horror movie.

All in all, Paimonia is an outfit worth a mental bookmark for black metal fans with a particularly tender spot for the atmospheric and melodic, yet still hard-hitting and savage. First-tier bands like the aforementioned Watain and 1349 are not many hyperborean leagues away from the core of “Disease Named Humanity”, but there is plenty of individuality on display here to make for a praiseworthy stand-alone offering, as well as one which sets the tone for a decidedly gobsmacking follow-up.

Rating

7.0

Nangilima - The Dark Matter

"The Matter of Monotomy"


Nangilima. A death/doom band with members from Sweden, Bulgaria and Spain finally released their debut album. I discovered these guys when they released their first single called Thanatos, I loved it and hoped the band would build upon that for their full album. Now it's time to see if they did just that.

There is a short answer for this. Do you want it? Of course you do. The short answer is no, and now we take a look into why that is. Let's begin with the line-up because there's been some changes on that front. On the Thanatos single, Nangilima consisted of Emilio on vocals and C.L. was handling all instruments. That's changed in the likes of C.L. being replaced by Nikolay Velev on guitar, bass and keys. And then Khalvst who's doing programming and keys as well.
The Dark Matter is a concept album about a man who finds out that his life is coming to an end. The album then takes you through four seasons ultimately leading to the characters death in the outro. However there was supposed to be another track on the album but it was omitted as the guitar/bassist, Amarok left the band. That track is Fractions of a Shattered Soul and was released as a single only and in my opinion it was not a good decision to omit that track from The Dark Matter. Together with Thanatos, those two tracks reign among their best so far because of the variation they feature both when it comes to the music and vocals.

Negativity aside there's definitely good things to take from this debut album. The drums sounds better than ever and I have to address a special kudos to Khalvst for the amazing keyboard work. Overall the production is without a doubt better than before and that does help the band a lot and move them away from the demo sound. Throughout the album I do however feel there's too much emphasis on the doom element and not enough on the death element that's been tagged into their genre. When I think death/doom bands like Asphyx comes to my mind. Combine that with Nangilima's two first singles and I must admit I did have some expectations for this record and they were not met. It feels like they confined themselves into this little doom metal box and don't want to break out of it - or maybe that's what they wanted to put forth the atmosphere they feel they needed for this concept album. My problem with that is that throughout 42 minutes of listening it's just slow paced all the way and they never rise from the second track, Stains of a Broken Life, which is the best track on the album. The rest of the tracks follows the same path, same recipe, same gear and it doesn't really makes me want to listen to the record again, it simply lacks the really memorable songs.

The album lacks what their two first singles had. The variation in music and vocals. Changing into a higher tempo and changing into more black metal-focused vocals but that's never really present in the same way. After Stains of a Broken Life I think the keyboard is out-doing the other instruments as they simply don't bring the same performance. In spite of all this, I'm going to look forward to their next record anyway. I don't believe they will write the same album twice and I really want to hear more of that fantastic keyboard work. I'd recommend this to the real doom metal doomoholics. If you're missing a doom emphasized album with great atmosphere and hard hits then this is definitely for you. I'd simply wish I was one of them.

Rating

7.0

Six String Slaughter - Born Unspoiled

"Do You Practice What You Preach?"


I would like to introduce you to Six String Slaughter. This three-piece death metal band features two members of former Corpus Mortale fame, and they recently released their debuting album. Before this they released two EP's and have been around since 2007, so it's certain to say it took some time to get this one out. So let's have a look at Born Unspoiled.

The first thing I would like to get out of the way is actually the lyrics, and it's itching! Not because they're bad, oh no... So here's the scope. The lyrics are actually pretty simplistic, they're straight on and right there in your face. It fits really well with the general topics of religion, society and politics. Nothing new under the sun? No, not really, but the jabs taken at the topics feels fresh, they're well placed in the guts. Allow me to demonstrate. Virulent Narcissism targets the social media of the internet, and its horrible narcissism. Holy Lies strikes at Islam, which is something I've been longing for. The title track together with the artwork makes you think how children are born unspoiled until religion ruins it. It's almost like you can feel the anger behind the lyrics. I could go on about the rest of the songs, but we got some more ground to cover, and I don't want to spoil everything for you!

Now to the rest. You'll be treated with a good and powerful growl with the vocals from Daniel Wilkens, and they are from time to time also varied with some more raspy-styled vocals, but the growling is the main weapon. The music is of course death metal, but the album has various variations and influences throughout the 35 minutes of mayhem. First off, you get some melodic elements on Gathering Dust and Nothing But Death in the End. My favourite track on the album, Everywhere (There Are Prophets) brings you a simple slab of death and groove with lyrics that fits fucking perfect.This variation helps making the album more intriguing and less dull, so you're not stuck with the same thing throughout the entire listen. At last you'll also be treated with an old classic in the likes of a cover of Brutal Truth's Birth of Ignorance which sums up the album. While not mindblowing, the production fits the album quite well and overall it sounds good. You're not missing out on any instruments, though I must admit I like my bass a little more audible, but fear not, it still packs a kick! And even though it's a petite thing, I really like the sound of the snare but besides that the drums does not stand out that much.

Born Unspoiled is a really interesting debut and it has been worth waiting for. The album strikes with some relative points in its lyrics compared to some other bands who still haven't got anything else to write about than corrupt governments... sigh. The simple lyrics and interesting themes is the biggest strength of this album, and it's delivered with more than competent music. Everywhere (There Are Prophets) is probably my favourite death metal track of 2014. This album definitely puts Six String Slaughter on the map of death metal, maybe not as a world class act but in their home region of Scandinavia and surrounding areas without a doubt!

Support Six String Slaughter on Facebook, and you can get a hold of Born Unspoiled through their label's Bandcamp!

Rating

8.0

Narthraal - Blood Citadel

"Suffering..."


Narthraal is a brand new death metal band from Iceland, and Blood Citadel is their first EP which is a concept release based upon the fictional universe of Narthraal. A quite intriguing idea, at least to me, but how well is it executed?

From the get-go, Blood Citadel is a pretty ambitious. With the description of their music and that it's largely based on biblical hell with a few minor alterations. It builds up a kind of hype and with two tracks with quite some duration and an amazing introduction track, you would like everything to come together in one big picture. The opening track, Blood Citadel is an instrumental with a orchestra. It is actually well composed and it sounds really good, but it leads into Narthraal Tore Shuul, a track lasting almost 9 minutes. The problem with that is that the track never quite takes off, and it never becomes really interesting, which is quite essential for long tracks. However that's the story for most of the tracks, they never really take off, but Carnage and Suffering is kind of set apart from the rest. Those two songs are quite good, and Suffering got some elements to it that I wish was present throughout the entire EP. That element is the orchestra from the introduction track returns. It starts off halfway through the track with just a piano playing in the background of the band, but it sounds total out of place. Of course that's not the element I would like to be present throughout Blood Citadel. Just a bit longer into the track the guitars fade out and the orchestra returns. It's well composed and sounds outstanding, plus the band kicks in an accompanies the orchestra for some time, and the two fit perfect. It builds up an epic atmosphere, and that is the element I would have loved to be present throughout the entire EP.

The production does not quite add anything to the release or help it to stand out. It's quite obvious that the band got a little thing for Swedish death metal and the buzzsaw sound. And it never really comes beyond that point but being a worship of the buzzsaw sound. It sounds good, but it fails to set them apart from all the other bands and make them really intriguing. If I feel like listening to buzzsaw death metal, I'll put on some of the old bands. I would like to point out the bass. It really fails to deliver the punch needed in death metal and comes out as a girly bass. It's really noticeable on Narthraal Tore Shuul, halfway through the track there is a section with only the bass that could have sounded way better with a better sound and production. At the end of Buhrozul - An Ancient Prophecy there is a slow and chugging section that's really headbanging material and it's one of those moments where the bass should kick you in the face and give it that extra punch. That extra punch is missing often and then the bass ends up being almost redundant.

So the execution was not that successful. But does not mean that there's nothing to gain from this release. I definitely do smell potential and I would love to see the band collaborating more with an orchestra like they did on Blood Citadel and Suffering. That could turn out to be an epic full-length album, if that's what is next on the program. If you're a buzzsaw maniac, then you'll love this, and even if you're not, you should still give Narthraal a try. Something on Iceland reeks of potential.

Be sure to check Narthraal out on Facebook and listen to the entire EP on Bandcamp!

Rating

6.8

Forgotten Ones: Dominus - View to the Dim

"View to the Dark Past"



Dominus... For those of you who doesn't know, this band would later evolve into Volbeat, but before doing that they started out as a death metal band from Ringsted. Speaking from experience, I lived in Ringsted for 13 years and I am surprised that a band like Dominus, or even any kind of metal band would spawn in that city. It is the asshole of Zealand since nothing fucking happens, and the metalhead population is 0 since I moved the hell away. But back to the matter at hand! Dominus changed their style for each album and personally I would only recommend the first two albums.
View to the Dim is death metal with a capital D. The successor The First 9 is also death metal but it got more hints of what Dominus would become later on, but it still contained death metal vocals.
And yes, it is Michael Poulsen who is the vocalist, and I am, like many others, truly amazed that he can deliver the vocals that you'll hear on this album.

"Upon the years of the seventh century, we followed the blaze to Valhalla. To see the mighty kingdom of Odin... To be among the bravest men of history."

The cover for this album looks really good, but I never understood why their logo was kept in the background of the white font instead of just using their proper logo... Anyway. Dominus are from Denmark (like yours truly) and we are many that take pride in our heritage as Vikings. For once you can see it on the cover, and you can hear it in the lyrics. Vikings and Nordic mythology is an ongoing theme on this album with well written lyrics which is well performed, and Mjölnir (Thor's hammer) is also portrayed on the back of the album. Aside from all that, the albums strongest force is its production, because it still blows me away even though I've listened to Dominus since 2010. The word "perfect" is not something I would ever use in a review, but the production on this album is pretty close! Drums, bass, guitar, vocals. Everything. It all sounds amazing, everything is audible, and nothing being drowned out. The vocals and the bass is probably what keeps blowing me out of my chair. It just sounds amazing, and is something that must be heard. 

The highlights of the album are"Tears of Black", "Bring Down the Roars", "Spiritual Mountain" and "The Ravens Eye" but I would strongly recommend you just listen through the whole thing. As those songs are the ones that shines the most, this whole album is put together extremely well and it is a pure joy going from start till finish. There is only one track that I could live without and that is the outro "Weiv Ot Eht Mid" which is stripped of all instruments and only feature vocals. I can't hear what's being said on the track but I definitely think it is redundant.

This album always struck me as something special because of its unique sound. Some songs has grown more on me over time than others, and for some everything is just instant hit. We are all different in that way but I can assure you that if you like quality old school death metal with a production that will melt your mind, then you should try check out "Volbeat" before they went soft. View to the Dim is a lost and forgotten gem and it is one of my favourite death metal records... and a little side tip.
If you like me enjoy View to the Dim, I would recommend that you check out the bands two demos Ambrosias Locus and Astaroth which was released respectively in '92 and '93. The bands single Sidereal Path of Colours from '93 also adds some good material for your Dominus death metal collection!

"Now as we ride in iron and steel, we know that this is the land of eternity."

Rating

8.9

Haiduk - Spellbook

"The Novice's Guidance"


Haiduk originates from Canada and is a one man project by Luka Milojica and this album is his debut album after releasing a demo in 2010. And Haiduk is definitely something you need to be acquainted with as it stands out from what usually pops up here and there when it comes to new bands and releases. 

Spellbook is really a unique album in my opinion, not because it in some way is a concept album but because of the material. It features ten songs, and each song is about a spell (hence the title of the album). These spells are portrayed on the album cover and I actually find it really interesting, compared to your standard metal release I think it is a breath of fresh air. You won't find any choruses on this album, each spell is described in some way with just a couple of lines and performed with the pretty fitting deep, angry death metal vocals of Luka Milojica. Haiduk is usually described as "Melodic Death/Black Metal". Sorry to bring the genre frenzy into the review, but that doesn't quite fit, at least not to me. Specially the black metal part and also the melodic to a certain degree. I would say there is some technical and thrashy elements here and there and for the black metal thing, it could be defended with there is a bit of atmosphere on some of the tracks. In short; You can't put Haiduk into a genre box. Basically I just wanted to clear that out, I normally don't really do that, but there you have it!

The production on the album is good, I like the sound of the guitar and the bass, specially since the bass is audible. And the guitar got a really heavy sound to it that kind of leans on a death metal sound but on a track like Stormcall it sounds a bit thrashy, mainly because of the riffing. While at the riffing it is worth mentioning that Luka is a pretty skilled guitarist and there is some really good, technical heavy riffs on this record. But since this is a one man band, with no session drummer there has of course been used programmed drums, and that is what ultimately drags this album down. This does not mean that I am an "anti programmed drums" guy, because the kicks and snare sounds pretty good. But the hi-hat and cymbals does not sound good at all, the hi-hat in particular when the tempo is on the double. Just try a track like Black Wind which got some really strange breaks on the drums as well, but it goes pretty fast and the hi-hat follows up and it just sounds so mechanical and it ruins the song completely for me. Another song that's a good example for that is Tremor. I would love to hear this album with a human drummer, it would pull the rating up a lot, because Haiduk definitely got potential!

This album is pretty unique sounding to me, so having recommending this album becomes a little tricky for me. If you're a fan of death, thrash or even black metal I would actually suggest you check out Haiduk. My two favourite tracks are Lich and Stormcall but tracks like Fire Wield and Lightning can definitely be spun as well! And even though the album contains 10 tracks it only lasts for 32 minutes, so it won't take you long to check out the entire album instead of just a couple of tracks. But one thing's for sure, Haiduk is something to keep an eye on in the future, especially if a drummer finds his way onto the next recording!

Be sure to check out Haiduk on Facebook.

Rating

7.6

Vaalt - Demo MMXIII

"Metal harder than Granite"

Vaalt is a band hailing from Calgary, Canada. They formed in 2012 and released this demo in 2013.

The production is very raw and adds a very distinct Incantation feel to it. The guitars have an ominous sound to them and is perfectly placed in the production, and does not drown out the other instrument. Which to my personal experience, happens to a lot of death metal bands. As for the music itself, it is like old Incantation's production mixed with Thorr's Hammer music layout and sound (minus the clean vocals). And because I fuckin' love those two bands that gives a big plus in my book. The bass plays simple riffs to the drumbeat and maintain a very deep sound. The drums, while hard hitting, they are kind of buried and very messy, the bassdrum is almost inaudible. Is it too bad, because the drummer actually plays some great beats, especially on track 2.

The vocal parts are done by a woman named Alayna Gretton, and by Odin's beard does she have one of the most awe-inspiring and deep vocals I have heard in my life. These vocals would bellow so deep in the mines of Moria that the Balrog would cower in fear. There are also some haunting screams on 'Predation Granite', which adds a variation to her vocals, and very much to the atmosphere of this demo. On 'Soliloquy of the Smoldering', her vocals match the droning beats in utterly fashion. Maybe I praise Alayna's vocals a bit too much, but I was just surprised to find vocals of this quality and voracity on a demo.

The production is maybe a little too raw, but the music is absolutely fantastic. I especially love the atmosphere this gem has produced, which many modern old school bands just don't do for me. This is a great demo, and I will surely follow these guys in the following years to see what else they can produce.

Rating

8.5

Nekrodeus - Putrid Scent of Grave Perversion

"Clean Scent of Disappointment"


Death metal from Austria, how about that? I must admit I don't know anything regarding metal from Austria, but with Nekrodeus throwing out a debut EP, that as now changed! Almost all the members has been members of the previous band Zodiac which changed into Blasphemist. That band apparently broke up due to some differences with the bassist. So maybe now the Austrian lads can catch their breath and stop forming new bands all the time. As a little note Nekrodeus was formed in 2013 and they've already put out their first release.

Musically this album strikes you down, it sure as hell pleases my ears from start till finish. But there is a major problem that pulls the experience down. This band has two vocalists. Stefan Rindler got deep death metal vocals and he actually reminds me of Glenn Benton from Deicide. Moritz Pollinger's vocals is not near anything related to death metal, but deathcore. A lot of deathcore screaming occurs, and just to be clear: I do not like any kind of core. Throughout the EP it varies whether they sing simultaneously or not, but they both appear on every single song, obviously.

The cover for the release is pretty descent, it's better than a lot of the photoshopped covers that many bands choose. Stylish it reminds me a lot of The Cleansing's Feeding the Inevitable. Regarding highlights of the album, it's tough for me to choose anything as the songs are usually ruined by the vocals. "Lenore" and "Witchhammer" got some really good riffs, but so does all the songs. Again... the vocals. So you'll have to listen for yourself! The guitars and drums is well produced and doesn't sound shit for a modern release. I almost forgot the bass! It's does its job well, gives the album a heavy feeling and doesn't drown out the guitar. Production wise, this EP is a lovely piece of work!

The music on this album is really, really good. But the dual vocals ruins the whole album for me, and that is a real shame. I doubt the band will focus on one vocalist as the whole band (minus the bassist) has been together for years as I mentioned in the beginning of the review. If the band only had the one vocalist this album would have gotten a way higher rating. But rating this album is quite difficult as there is a lot of good sides to the EP, and it sounds splendid. A little note on that is that they recorded in their own studio, nicely done! But back to the matter at hand. What splits me, and pulls this album down is the core vocals. So if you're into those kind of vocals and can endure them, knock yourself out. If not, find something else, preferably a band with one vocalist. 

Rating

6

Carcass - Necroticism: Descanting the Insalubrious

"A Jigsaw Perfectly Assembled"


The album in the middle, out of Carcass' five releases where they genre-wise kind of change from each album, this is what I would call the definitive Carcass album. As the band is widely known for their melodic death metal and grindcore this album takes part in death metal, and it does it fucking right. Most of the tracks on the album got a little introduction with some people talking, on some it is for example pathologists. I don't know whether these sound clips are from a movie or something the band had specially recorded for the album. Either way it is something I find crucial in some way for the record. Instead of recognizing the starting riff of a song you might recognize a conversation between some pathologists talking about assembling decomposed bodies, or something else...

Since this is the first album to feature Michael Amott, it can easily be heard that he has joined since his solos are more melodic than Dr. Steers. Maybe it was the arrival of Amott that became the reason why the band got "softer" and maybe not, but if Carcass had just released grindcore albums I think they would just have been a flash in the pan, and not seen as the legends they are today, whether you like melodic death metal or not. Unlikely for Carcass, the album also feature the longest songs the band ever released, going all the way up to 7 minutes. When you listen to some bands and their longer songs you can hear it right away because you get bored, but it is not like that on Nercroticism. There is two tracks that lasts over seven minutes and they don't seem that long, the first time I looked and saw it lasted that long, I was like "huh... doesn't feel like that", so the tracks are not boring. Far from, and that goes for the whole album!

"Death is no escape..."

For the album cover the band thankfully chose another direction compared to their two first efforts. I never really liked the gore covers to be honest, I can't see the cool thing in them... They are just ugly and meaningless. As seen, this cover features a pathologists having some hammer smashing fun with a photo of the band. It's not really a spectacular photo, the bands name is not even eye popping. A pretty 'meh' cover, and I really think this album deserves a better cover. But to face the fact, Carcass just never were good at covers.

There is not really any songs I would like to pick out from the album, even though there are songs that stand higher than others. If I recommended two-three songs you would be wanting more, so go through the whole record. It is something you won't regret, since this death metal album is a jigsaw that has been perfectly aligned and assembled.

Rating

9.8

Dawn of Disease - Crypts of the Unrotten

"Enter the Crypts"


Germany and death metal are usually not two things you would combine, instead you might think of power and thrash metal. Maybe it's time to think again because this release by Dawn of Disease is a real ass kicker and contain one of the best death metal songs I have heard in a while. 'Alone With the Dead' is the first track I heard from the album and it is also the best. The structure of the song is perfect and the manage to put some groove inspired music in there as well. If I read that groove was implemented in this, like you are now, I would already closed down the review. But it only really comes to life in this one song, which I'm pretty sure a lot of death metal enthusiasts would appreciate. The album does however also contain one of the stupidest song titles as well. I am talking about the song 'Knife Vs Flesh', it is basically a good song but if only they had chosen another title. This band does not have a German on vocals though. Surprising, huh? Tomasz Wisniewski is from Poland and his vocals fits perfectly into the band and the music they wish to create. When we talk Polish vocalists I guess Nergal and Piotr Paweł comes to mind. I wouldn't say the are alike but the vocals are pretty angry on this album.

If you a good stereo or some kick ass headphones then you are going to enjoy the album to the fullest. The production lifts the album to a little higher level, where if it hadn't been in possession of the sound it does the mediocreness would probably had shined through some more. Rhino. Yeah I said it, rhino is the word I would use to describe the sound of the album. It runs you down and sounds great.
I only stumbled upon this band because of the artwork for this album. Some time ago I did a review on a band called The Cleansing and Remy Cuveillier who did the cover for their release also delivered this rotten piece of artwork for Crypts of the Unrotten. A splendid job and the bands logo fits in very well, so the cover is approved indeed.

I'm starting to kind of implement some songs that deserves to be mentioned for all you lazy boys out there who doesn't feel like listening to the whole album. Songs I would recommend is Alone With the Dead, The Unrotten, Enter the Gates, Calcium Bones and Catacombs.
If you want to add something fresh for your collection I would definitely recommend this album. It is not ground breaking, but it is a really solid album by a newer band. It has some good moments and if you like death metal you won't regret giving this album a listen.

Rating

8.1

Necrony - Pathological Performances

''An Auditory Annihilation...''

The terms of 'goregrind' and 'melodic death metal' would not normally go hand in hand for my musical taste, since I pretty much demise 90% of melodic death metal. But to my surprise this combination of Swedish melodic death metal and Carcass-inspired goregrind works really well and compliments each other at certain points of the album. Now, I must say that I heard their demos (Severe Malignant Pustule and Mucu-Purulent Miscarriage) before this, and I was very impressed with the jobs on those two. Pure, raw goregrind at its finest but those two lacked character. So, I was really anticipating something special when I popped my copy of their debut album in my stereo.

Pathological Performances is not only an escalation compared to their early demos but comes out on top as a mammoth-like masterpiece of disgusting grind. The demos were very brutal and devastating because of the raw production, but I really like this more filtered and edgy sound. Musically, they have also advanced quite a bit, the songs don't feel like rushed or fluky.

This album is built up as a creepy intro, ten well composed and executed songs, and a neat instrumental outro. There are memorable, catchy riffs, furious and various blastbeats and skankbeats, melodious solos and even an eerie-sounding flute intro on 'Acute Pyencephalus And Cerebral Decomposure' and 'Accumulation of Exudate'. These things are certainly positive improvements and ideas further executed from the demos (mostly Severe Malignant Pustule), the songs are more diverse, for example frenzied blastbeat and fast-picking tremolo riffs will passage into mid-paced riffs with simple doublepedal beats with a lot of cymbal-smacking. The intermediate pieces (sometimes with solos) between verses is a great way to enhance the song length, complexity and depth, for example in the song 'Submassive Necrosis Disgorgement', the entire section from 1.25 to 2.49 and begins again briefly at 3.03 as a break. This beautifully placed mid-piece is one of the moments where this album truly shines through and stands out, well this and their melodic and out of place solos, this gives the album character and ups the song writing to make you enjoy their unique sound a little more.

The vocals are as good as ever, with clear production so you can understand the grotesque gore lyrics they usually spew out. There are also some incredible guest performances in the vocal department by mighty Dan Swanö and Johan Axelsson. The production on this album is amazing. It sounds like the producer went carefully through recording track and edited and adjusted to make the most raw and simple production and make every instrument fully able to be heard, even the bass sticks out every now and then (for example the intro on 'Gynopathological Excav-Eater'). The whole sound picture just blends into one another, the collaboration between the guttural noises and the medicinal vocabulary telling stories of pathology and parasitic sicknesses.

All in all, this is one of my favourite records of all time. Every time I put this on, I get surprised again and again. The feel, the music and overall sound just makes this album a must-have for any deathgrind fan out there. If you can find it somewhere for a decent price, I got mine for around 30 euro which is considered pretty cheap since I have heard people buying this album for the outrageous price of 100 euro.

Memorable Songs:
Dexterous Embryectomy, Gynopathological Excav-Eater, Ocular Obliteration, The Squirming Worms, Acute Pyencephalus and Cerebral Decomposure

Rating

9.0

Carcass - Heartwork

"Enslaved to the Grind"


Compared to the predecessor which were much more dark and creepy, Heartwork punches you in the face in a much more straight forward style.
When you think melodic death metal, names like Children of Bodom and Arch Enemy will probably pop into your mind. And the idea of death metal blended with clean vocals and keyboards. Wipe out those thoughts, because Heartwork is the album that shows how melodic death metal should be done. With hair on the chest and a firm grip around the balls and of course the snarling vocals of Jeff Walker. Many Carcass fans hates this album and the following album Swansong that got released in '96, and that is a damn shame because this album is the bands best effort next to Necroticism: Descanting the Insalubrious. I have heard this album being called "a blueprint for selling out". It's more like a blueprint and a showcase of how melodic death metal should be played. Packed with aggression from the guitars, and the melodic solos of Amott fits well into the songs and so does Dr. Steers more aggressive solos. Ken Owen steps up yet again and after listening to the album a couple of times and learning the tracks so you know when he hits the crashes, it is just a fucking awesome feeling to smack the air at the same time! Or... your drums, if you're a drummer.

Lyrically the album is not as much about carving up stuff as it used to be. The album still got some really good song writing and a song that really struck me was Arbeit Macht Fleisch. First of all I was wondering why Carcass was doing a song with a German title, but after talking about it with my friend we remembered that the Nazis used the term Arbeit Macht Frei, that term is also mentioned in the song. Speculations is that the lyrics of the songs are comparing modern society to a death camp. I don't know what to think myself, which leaves a great mystery about the song, and you can form your very own opinion. Besides Arbeit Macht Fleisch this album is just filled with tracks you can listen to again and again. I would suggest Blind Bleeding the Blind, Embodiment and Doctrinal Expletives. But if you're not too lazy, it would be a better idea to listen to the whole album!

Some may think it is just filling for a review... But I always enjoy a good cover, and I like to talk about it, also when it is bad. I must admit that Carcass is not the band that I would mention first when I think about a band that got a line of awesome covers on the shelf. Heartwork is not really an exception. Even though it is not as horrible as the grindcore covers and Swansong. It still just strikes me as an odd cover to choose. The cover, or at least the sculpture on the cover was created by Hans Rudolf Giger, more commonly known as H. R. Giger. He also created works for bands like Celtic Frost, Danzig, Edge of Sanity and Triptykon.

Heartwork is a truly unique album. Even if you got the opinion that this album led to a sell out for Carcass this album clarified the bands legacy as legends. Pioneering grindcore and melodic death metal, now that is an achievement. With the rumours of a new Carcass record I really hope it will contain some elements from Heartwork. Now that Michael Amott and Daniel Erlandsson is not in the band any more, Carcass could return to their harder roots and mix it up with a bit of Necroticism.
But if you enjoy snarling vocals, and a fast assault with melodic elements you should definitely try out the album, and even if you don't know this band, give it a shot anyway! Maybe you have stayed away from Heartwork because of the negative feelings there is regarding melodic death metal, maybe you should think again and give it a chance...

Rating

9.3

The Cleansing - Feeding the Inevitable

"Contaminated Yet Cleansed"


It wasn't until August 2012 I really explored The Cleansing when they warmed up for Gorguts in Copenhagen. Prior to that I only knew the band by name and I was only present to see Gorguts perform for the first time in 16 years or so on Danish soil. But I got bored of waiting and forced my ass inside where The Cleansing had just begun their set, and I was positively surprised. I decided to explore the band further and learned that they had another singer when they started out, and their first album is not really in the reach of my likings to be honest. So after acquiring the new lead singer Toke Eld, The Cleansing set out to record the follow up to the bands debut, Poisoned Legacy. Previously Toke used to be the front man of Usipian which he formed back in the day, but taking part in The Cleansing has been a wise choice and with the new vocals I think the band sound better than ever!

The more I listen to this record the better it gets. People often describes the band, and their albums as mediocre, and maybe they are. To be honest I am not a death metal fanatic but I enjoy some of the old stuff from the nineties. As I said, the record gets better for every listen. At first it didn't strike me as anything special, but after some time and really listening it through it has received a lot of air play on my stereo lately.
With smashing highlights in the likes of Third Eye Starring, Hour of Decadence, Two Days and Crossroads and down to the slower but yet still awesome song Processed to Contamination a song that just got a special feel to it. If you like me enjoy to work out and need a little refreshment for your playlists of fierce power, it would be a good idea to include some songs from this album. The feel of the album really comes to life if you own a good pair of speakers. Everything blends in the way it should and sound wise there is not really anything that I would put a finger on, production wise. Every album has its fillers and doll moments and so does this Feeding the Inevitable.

If you like Behemoth then there is a chance this is something for you as they got a few similarities. I noticed this as when I suddenly had the urge to listen to some Behemoth, so after hearing some tracks from Evangelion and Thelema.6, I was pulling towards another cleansing listen of Feeding the Inevitable. If you however don't like Behemoth then don't be scared off! I said a few similarities.  

Remy Cuveillier is the artist who brought forth the artwork for this album, he has also made artwork for bands like Thy Art Is Murder, Terrordome, Dawn of Disease and Whitechapel. There's not really anything mind blowing about the cover, but it sure isn't an ugly cover. For a follow up to this album I hope maybe the band would employ Dan Seagrave no matter how cliché it might be. Actually Toke's former band Usipian had Seagrave create the artwork for their album Dead Corner of the Eye, so maybe there's hope?

Feeding the Inevitable is a good and solid death metal album with a scent of brutal style over it. Mediocre or not, this album entertained me from start till finish and I believe that the bands finest work is yet to come.

Rating

7.8