Swedish Death Metal – Page 13

Interview with Gutter Instinct

Age of the Fanatics is Gutter Instinct’s début album, and what an album it is. Their ability to merge Swedish death metal with evil blackened auras has proven to be a stroke of twisted genius, and Age of the Fanatics is definitely one to keep returning to again and again.

Curious to find out more about a band with one of the most diabolical sounds around, Hannes, (rhythm guitars), and Oscar, (lead guitars), were kind enough to give me a tour of the Hellish landscapes that they have created… Continue reading “Interview with Gutter Instinct”

Gutter Instinct – Age of the Fanatics (Review)

This is the début album from this Swedish death metal band.

Their début EP The Insurrection was a brief blast of authentic Swedish death metal, complete with chainsaw guitars, bestial vocals and brutal delivery. As I asked at the time; what’s not to like here?

So, onto their full-length release, Age of the Fanatics. Well, the band have progressed on from what they started on their EP; now they have actually Continue reading “Gutter Instinct – Age of the Fanatics (Review)”

Primitiv – Immortal & Vile (Review)

Primitiv are an Indian Death Metal band. This is their début album.

As the name might suggest, Primitiv play old-school Death Metal that’s on the, (ahem), primitive side.

It’s also on the riffy side, and who doesn’t love a good riff? Actually, the word primitive is misleading, because although it’s true in a way, this is also not your typical old-school Death Metal release either, sounding fresher and more modern than a lot of similar bands. Modern old-school Death Metal? Now there’s a thing…

So what’s different about Primitiv? Well, for one thing, the songs have an energy to them as they stomp all over the place. There’s also a fair amount of variety on these tracks, with different sub-styles and types of riff being showcased.

Some of the riffs have a Sludge/Stoner Metal feel in places, which is quite unexpected, although it should be noted this is not a huge part of their sound. At other times we get a more Bolt Thrower-type delivery, cementing the old-school feel even more. Sometimes a hint of the Swedish style appears…it’s a compelling mix across these 31 minutes and Primitiv show that they can turn their hands to many an influence with the aim of creating their crushing Death Metal out of the most effective weapons available.

Melodies, leads and solos all appear where they’re needed and the songs pound along at a decent pace. It’s all added to by a strong, clear and clean production that allows them to sound absolutely immense. As the focus is very much on the guitar riffs, these have a heavy, precise tone that devastates all around them. It must be noted that the drums and bass sound equally impressive though.

The singer has a formidable roar that still manages to sound legible on occasion and carries character deep within its depths.

The combination of the older style with a newer production and a Sludge/Stoner tinge to some of the riffs allows Immortal & Vile to avoid the accusations of staleness and rehashing of past glories that inevitably accompany most old-school Death Metal releases. This album sounds fresh and infectious, even if the core style is as old as it gets.

Unless your tastes run strictly to the ultra-technical, fast or modern, Immortal & Vile is a must listen.

Razoreater – Vacuum of Nihil (Review)

This is the latest release from UK Grinders Razoreater.

Razoreater combine elements of Old-School Hardcore and, unexpectedly, Swedish Death Metal into their furious blend of Grindcore.

Ugly vocals with a fierce Old-School Hardcore snarl to them rage out from the tracks, angry enough to cause violent feelings just by their very presence.

The music has a dirty Swedish Death Metal feel to it that’s quite delicious, especially as it’s filthed-up Grind that’s being played. Due to this, some of the riffs also have that Swedish feel, especially when the band slow the pace and concentrate on mood and evil melodies; all of which is a great addition to the standard Grinding mayhem.

These songs are full of good riffs and decent songwriting. This is a band who play at full speed very well, but know when it’s a good idea to slow things down and try a different method of attack. 13 minutes later – faces are broken and skin has been bruised.

Interesting, very interesting. Cross Extreme Noise Terror, Entombed and Rotten Sound together and you’ll have an idea of where Razoreater are coming from.

Razoreater make an impressive din. Check them out.

Spinebreaker – Ice Grave (Review)

This is the début album from Spinebreaker, a Death Metal band from the US.

This is ugly Old-School Death Metal born bloody and ragged from the Hardcore scene. This means that the band combine the purity of their Death Metal heritage with the fire and energy of their Hardcore bloodline.

My, what a sound they have! Boasting a Swedish Death Metal guitar tone that their spiritual forefathers would be proud of, this is presented in a filthed-up package that fuses the feel of the era and style with a Hardcore edge and a touch of At the Gates and Carcass in the vocal department.

The end result is a savage demonstration of the fact that A) you don’t need to be Swedish to wield a chainsaw and B) there’s life in Old-School Swedish Death Metal yet; it’s not necessary for a band to simply rehash past glories.

Spinebreaker manage to successfully inject vitality and vibrancy into a rather stale, (but still very enjoyable), sub-genre. The inclusion of a Hardcore edge to some of the riffs adds a blood-pumping energy and the harsh screaming growls are a thing of gory beauty.

Whether ripping out giant grooves or pounding heaviness, Spinebreaker make everything sound dark, nightmarish and nasty, just as it should be. The spectre of At the Gates looms over the faster sections, (prompted for me by the vocals, but bleeding into the guitars too), and it’s a joy to hear this encapsulated by such a dirty Swedish delivery.

A very enjoyable 38 minutes.

Confrontation – Aggregat 4 (Review)

Confrontation are a Death Metal band from the Netherlands. This is their début album.

On their first EP, Fieseler Fi 103, I stated – “This is Old-School Death Metal with a malignant Doom influence. Think Swedish Death Metal meets Incantation”. That description stands so I thought I’d go the lazy route and just reproduce it here.

Here we have 42 minutes of Doom-filled Death Metal that hits the mark for both styles in many ways. The thick, heavy riffs are flattening and the deep growled vocals sound hungry enough to cause anyone to question whether getting closer is a good idea or not. It’s a great combination that leads to the songs having a very satisfying quality to them.

The pounding rhythms are as methodical and relentless as a bombardment, while the pummelling drums hit like explosions, causing aftershocks to reverberate through the ground.

The songs seem to trample the war-torn battlefields like a prowling menace, eager for the kill. The Swedish and Doom influences merge together naturally and Aggregat 4 is a fulfilling and entertaining release, all crushing guitars and eerie melodies.

I really quite enjoyed their short EP, and this full-length more than meets the expectations that I had because of it. I’m a bit of a sucker for Death Metal that has both Swedish and Doom influences, so it’s no wonder that I enjoy Confrontation so much really. However, it would all be for nothing if the quality of the songs wasn’t up to scratch, but thankfully that’s not an issue as the quality control levels on Aggregat 4 are set quite high.

Recommended for fans of slow, heavy Death Metal.

Bloodstrike – In Death We Rot (Review)

This is the début album from US Death Metallers Bloodstrike.

Their first EP Necrobirth showcased massive potential and, as I said at the time, indicated that their first full-length would probably be very good indeed.

So, have these claims been vindicated?

In a word; yes.

Bloodstrike play Death Metal that takes the Old-School style, adds a bit of a Swedish flavour and then drags it through a cemetery to get that authentic graveyard feeling. They even cover Soulless by Grave, a Death Metal classic if ever there was one.

The songs are of the aforementioned style, resolutely from the 90s era. The production on In Death We Rot follows suit and the entire album has an Old-School feeling that uses the Swedish style well but doesn’t completely confine itself to it.

Riffs, riffs and more riffs, alongside creepy leads and gloom-filled atmospheres. There are lots of good riffs on here that hit the spot nicely, with both faster sections and slower ones working out well together. The leads contribute to atmosphere-building, especially when combined with a more Doom-ier section, although the band are no slackers when it comes to speed either.

The singer has a beastly voice that sounds completely monstrous. Her vocals were damn good on their earlier release and on In Death We Rot she simply sounds inhuman. Kudos.

This is a really solid album that caters easily to fans of morbid Death Metal. Be sure to check it out.

Just Before Dawn – The Dead and Those About to Die (Review)

Just Before Dawn are an International Death Metal band featuring band members prolific in any number of other groups. This is their latest EP.

Their last album The Aftermath was a good romp through war-torn climes and The Dead and Those About to Die is no different.

As you have probably worked out, this is war-themed Old-School Death Metal à la Bolt Thrower, with a bit of the Swedish Death Metal style thrown in for overkill.

There are five songs on this release, adding up to a hefty 28 minutes of music. The music is solid Death Metal and brings to mind a huge armoured vehicle, relentlessly crawling over a cratered battlefield to bring rolling death to all of its enemies.

Battle-scarred survivors, these five songs detail the horror and destruction of war via the medium of crushing Death Metal that’s well-written and performed by veterans of great experience who know exactly what they’re doing. The battle-scarred survivors have seen it all and lived to tell the tale. This tale.

The Dead and Those About to Die is an enjoyable trip down a memory lane that’s been bombed to rubble.

Have a listen.

Favourite Track: Into the Iron Mist. High energy with some vocal variety and atmospheric leads.

Never Again – Death Metal Tsunami (Review)

Never Again are a Death Metal band from Italy. This is their début EP.

This may be from Italy but here we have Swedish Death Metal, although not quite as we’ve come to expect it. It’s eleven and a half minutes of face-melting fire and revving chainsaws though, regardless.

Usually there’s not a lot to say about this style. Most of the time people either love it or they hate it. I’m always a sucker for the pure version of this type of music, but it’s nice to hear it shaken up a bit on this release, as Never Again have a more modern interpretation of this classic sub-genre than most.

Superficially we have Swedish Death Metal here, although once you look a bit closer there are a few things that mark Never Again as different from a lot of the Swedish clones.

The vocals are a bit raspier and wetter than is the norm, which does provide them with a bit of differentiation, and though the sound does have that chainsaw quality to it, it’s not quite as overtly done as the pure Swedish production style.

The main difference is the guitars; the riffs and melodies have a modern, New-School sheen to them. There’s definitely still a good amount of Old-School, of course, how could there not be? This is mixed with a fresher, newer take on things though, resulting in songs that sound vibrant and reinvigorated. It’s kind of Swedish Death Metal by-way-of Melodic Modern Metal. Don’t let that put you off though, as this means business.

Very promising. I wonder how their sound will develop in the future?

Haemophagus/Subjugation – Split (Review)

Haemophagus are from Italy and Subjugation are from Turkey. They’ve teamed up for this short and brutal split.

I was very impressed with Haemophagus’ début album Atrocious, and on this split they continue to impress with two tracks of quality Grindcore-infused Death Metal.

Hibernated World is an Old-School Death Metal revenant that stumbles and crawls its way out of the crypt. Savagely jagged riffs and evil, underground melodies combine with a cocky swagger to create a song that is confident and assured.

The vocals are dark growls that seem like they’re spewing acid and vile warnings. This feeling continues on into the second song Monsters in the Park, where the vocals are a little deeper but no less caustic.

This second track is faster with the rotting horror of the first replaced by a two minute grinder that still can’t resist a good groove in the last part of the song. Both are very good tracks but I favour this latter one very slightly.

Subjugation are a new band for me. They offer us three tracks in total and their Deathgrind has a Swedish Death Metal edge to the guitars, mixed with the taste of an older, less-polished Rotten Sound.

The vocals are ultra-deep and rough around the edges; they’re both uncompromising and satisfying.

Monuments to Greed is their first song and it’s a decent calling card for the band. Fast but not overly so; there’s some Swedish groove here too and it hits the spot.

Trembling on Broken Glass continues the theme only with a faster approach. The Swedish feel is still here in the sound of the guitars and it lends the band an immediacy to their already in-your-face style.

The final song Under the Whip is the longest at just under 3 minutes in length and is probably the most brutal of the three. The blasting eventually changes to a mid-paced chugging assault to see out the song, and, like Haemophagus, Subjugation’s final track is probably my favourite.

This short hit of Death Metal/Grindcore is just what the mad doctor ordered and is definitely worth a few spins.

Recommended.