I’ve been a Panzerchrist enthusiast for a long time. Back in 2003, I remember ordering Room Service directly from the band. After waiting three weeks for the CD to arrive (and spending a whopping $40 for it), I was hooked. The beefy vocals of Bo Summer and the inhuman drum work from Reno Kiilerich led me to explore this Danish black/death metal outfit. But since the departure of Summer and Kiilerich, each new album finds the band with a wholly rebuilt lineup around bassist/keyboardist Michael Enevoldsen. And, as one can predict, the outcome is not always the best. Especially because fans have to get used to a new death metal vocal approach and the inevitable debates if this new drummer is as good as Kiilerich. And, for Panzerchrist’s eighth record, Last of a Kind, everyone is out, and a new group of players is here to deliver.
If you haven’t heard this band, I implore you to check out 2003’s Room Service and their 2006 masterpiece, Battalion Beast. Those lineups were on full war charge, delivering some of the best Danish death metal. Known as being one of the fastest feet in the world, Kiilerich uses more than his double bass to provide a performance that is nothing short of machine gun fire. The guitars are tight as fook, keeping in step with the drums, as Summer barks out wartime lyrics like a mine going off. Panzerchrist has never been afraid of mixing black with death, introducing melody, and producing long, epic war themes. And you can experience all of it on three tracks from Battalion Beast: “The Lean Black Cruisers,” “Infants’ Graves,” and the nine-minute closer, “The Spirit of Soldiers.” While they’ve never been close to this again, the band is rolling off 2017’s solid “The 7th Offense.” But can this new lineup keep the panzer rolling?
Right away, new vocalist Sonja Rosenlund Ahl (ex-Arsenic Addict) is their closest thing to the good old days. Her range of barks, low growls, and shrieks are precisely why I miss Summer. Also, Danni Jelsgaard’s performance behind the kit is more than respectable compared to the band’s previous output. Once again, the band is fearless in taking their Danish Bolt Thrower style and pushing it into seven-to-eight-minute songs. The eight-minute title track, in particular, is pleasing to the ears. With blisteringly-fast drums and eerie key work, this is the first song on the album that does something interesting. The mood is brooding, and the direction changes from death to black are what the band does well. But “Sabbath of the Rat” takes it one step further, using melodies on the back end to add layers to the inevitable eruption in the final build.
The biggest complaint I have is the repetitious lyrics on this album. Though the band retains the same aggression they’ve always had, the verses and choruses on “Turn the Rack” and “My Name Is Lucifer” are on repeat. And the lyrics don’t do much to help here, as the song title is the only real source of lyrical content. Unfortunately, these are the first two tracks on the album, and it takes close to twelve minutes to find anything interesting. Also, all the more melodic pieces are at the end of the record. If you know Panzerchrist, this is a fundamental ingredient in their records’ flow. Also, some songs can be shorter than they are. “The Devils Whore”1 opens with a lengthy introduction of spooky voices and distant keys that doesn’t transition into the meat of the song.
While no one can mock the musicianship of Last of a Kind, the songwriting isn’t as tight as the old stuff or even The 7th Offensive. Not to mention, the lack of explosive riff changes hurts this new album. These Danes are known for disrupting a riff in favor of something utterly destructive, but there are only minor instances on this record. On the bright side, Sonja’s vocals are a good fit, the drums are monstrous, the master is quite dynamic, and the clever harmonizing guitar work is a nice addition. But, overall, the album doesn’t pack the bunch or flow of their best stuff. Here’s hoping Panzerchrist can hold down a lineup so they can mesh and put out a polished product.
Rating: 2.5/5.0
DR: 9 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3
Label: Emanzipation Productions | Bandcamp
Website: facebook.com/panzerchristofficial
Releases Worldwide: July 28th, 2023
