‘Karloff is a “metal punk” band, a phrase that doesn’t mean much to me. Military Shadow is “metal punk” too, but they sound nothing like Karloff. What does The Appearing sound like, then? To me, this is firmly in the Swedish realm of metal, specifically what post-Wolverine Blues Entombed was doing, including and especially Entombed A.D..” Coffin punk.
“What would you do if you came into possession of a functioning time travel device? Some would undoubtedly set out to right great historical wrongs. Noble stuff that. Unlike these do-gooders, the three low-life bastards in Expunged would blast back to 1990 and make Left Hand Path way more raw, ugly and unpolished. Also a noble endeavor if you ask me.” Violent revision.
“Galvanizer play some olden death metal, specifically “grinding death metal.” If you’re having AMG-themed déjà vu, you probably remember Cadaveric Incubator’s Nightmare Necropolis from earlier this year. Both bands are similar in sound, having much in common with Entombed and Carcass but neatly avoiding typical Swe-death production values. While not entirely lacking in obvious melodiousness, Galvanizer really counts on the listener enjoying Symphonies of Sickness which, if you like death metal, is a safe bet.” Prying old coffins open.
“The classic Swedeath sound, as pioneered by Entombed and Dismember, has drawn way more flies than honey with its buzzing, hacksaw style over the last 30-plus years. In that time the genre has been well and fully beaten into the very core of the Earth, with countless bands trying their hand at the greasy till. For all the oversaturation this niche has endured, it still remains a highly engaging style when done well, as recent releases by LIK and Helslave can attest. Venezuela’s Nocturnal Hollow have been in this game since 2011 and Triumphantly Evil is their sixth full-length of unabashed Swedeath worship, though I concede I’d never heard of them until we got this promo.” Evil and proud.
“In The Beyond, Italian director Lucio Fulci’s second film in what’s commonly referred to as the “Gates of Hell Trilogy,” an entombed carcass is exhumed and, before an autopsy is conducted, is hooked up to a brainwave machine thanks to a lab tech with a sense of humor. Thankfully the room had a “Do Not Entry” sign so the fellow had some privacy. In Nightmare Necropolis, the second record from Finnish death metal band Cadaveric Incubator, the band takes influence from Entombed, Carcass, Exhumed, and Autopsy. A tree with breasts, a puking skeleton, and what looks like a very sad frog atop a tombstone adorn the cover thanks to an illustrator with a sense of humor. Let’s ignore the sign(s) and entry into the necropolis.” Make way for the Incuba-TOR!
“I’m not exactly sure why, but I’ve been spinning Black Breath‘s Sentenced to Life a lot recently. Maybe it was the epic face-kicking that I received from the recent Enforced release, but something made me seek out even more crossover bludgeonry by which to flagellate myself. Sentenced to Life saw the Seattle band blending crossover thrash with the rumbling HM-2 Swedish death metal of Entombed and Dismember, and the results were pretty glorious, earning the coveted 5.0 from my predecessor in unbridled optimism, Happy Metal Guy himself. Well, between this preparation and my recent Entombed kick following the passing of L.G. Petrov, I was primed to reach for the next buzzsaw promo I found. It sounds distasteful to say at a time like this, but bring on The Plague!” Get down with it.
“When life is kicking you in the arse, death is a comforting antidote. Death metal of course, I’m not that fucking morbid. My prior experience with Italy’s Helslave is minimal, however, I’ve caught up on the Italian worshippers of Swedish death in whetting my appetite for their latest platter of old school splatter. After compiling an impressive slab of ’90s inspired melodic death on debut LP, An Endless Path, Helslave channeled some old timey Stockholm goodness on 2017’s Divination EP. Returning after an extended recording gap, Helslave continue channeling the classic, buzzsawing Swedeath brand on From the Sulphur Depths.” Tastes like burning.
“When I pluck a festering slab of death metal from the fetid pit that is our promo sump – a rare enough occurrence for me – the last thing I expect to be presented with is a political message. No doubt those more learned in the ways of death, will point me in the direction of many a OSDM band that deals in heavy politics but my brain does not connect the genre with current affairs. Hamburg, Germany’s Endseeker, however, do just that on their third record, Mount Carcass.” Death in the news.
“Sad news today in the metalverse. After being diagnosed with cancer of the bile duct in 2020, Lars-Göran Petrov (better known as L.G.) passed away last night at the all too young age of 49.”
“The Generals are a Swedish quartet from Åmål, releasing two full-lengths and a split since their 2002 formation. 2009 debut Stand Up Straight and 2013’s Blood for Blood were both solid slabs of Wolverine Blues mimicry that, despite their simplicity, had no need to fix what wasn’t broken. To Hell, the first effort since 2013, continues and capitalizes upon its “death metal-cigarette with a rock ‘n’ roll filter” aesthetic with chunky riffs, blazing solos, pissed-off barks, and a Swedeath buzzsaw tone that commands respect.” Hell ain’t a bad place.
