“After whetting listener’s appetites with recent 7” Obscene Humanity, a palate cleaner of reconfigured and re-recorded material that was both tantalizing and ultimately unfulfilling, South California’s abrasive hardcore hatemongers have finally released Abandon All Life. An able follow-up to their breakthrough record, Unsilent Death, Abandon All Life displays depth, maturity and sophistication while losing none of the blistering rage and ferocious energy that first captured their audience’s attention.” Natalie Zed takes a gander at the crusty, bruising noise being churning out by these Entombed-influenced death rockers.
Entombed
Megascavenger – Descent of Yuggoth Review
More Swedish death?? When Rogga Johansson, Dan Swano and Paul Speckman are involved, you’re damn right its time for more Swedish death! A veritable Who’s Who of death metal rallied to turn out the debut by Megascavenger, and it shows.
Daemonicus – Deadwork Review
Swedish retro death is as common these days as reality shows about fat, uneducated hoarders. Steel Druhm appreciates both trends, so he’s happy as a pig in shite over the Dismember-worship demonstrated by Daemonicus on their second album, Deadwork.
Evocation – Illusions of Grandeur Review
Evocation once walked amongst the likes of Dismember and Entombed. Now, they travel the road to common melo-death and some (Steel Druhm) are not pleased by this switcheroo. Send him beer and beef jerky so he can get through these difficult times.
Bombs of Hades – The Serpent’s Redemption Review
Bombs of Hades delivers an album of punky Swedish retro death loaded with crust and scabs. Our intrepid Steel Druhm is here to pick ’em all and find out what lies beneath. It ain’t pretty.
Grave – Endless Procession of Souls Review
Retro-thrash, retro-death, will the present ever stop being the past?? Well, at least it’s Grave doing what Grave does, so I shant complain. Nasty, slimy death from Sweden can always crash on my couch (after I put down some plastic).
Necrovation – Necrovation Review
Not your dad’s Swedish death! This has enough odd ideas and influences to make you sit up and spit out your beer (or a nice white zinfandel if you prefer).
Martyrdöd – Paranoia Review
Happy Metal Guy really loved Black Breath. You’d think such love would help Martyrdöd out, but HMG is a fickle mistress indeed.
Blood Mortized – The Key to a Black Heart Review
Just in time to wash away the bitter taste of Six Feet Under, comes this ridiculously sick death metal masterstroke by Blood Mortized. Taking the vicious old school Swedish death sound from their Bestial EP and improving on it in every way, The Key to a Black Heart is exactly what you want from the style and death metal in general.
Malfeitor – Dum Morior Orior Review
It’s been said by some (others) that we don’t review enough death metal here at AMG. This is because you’re all a bunch of wackadoodle metal divas and Steel Druhm is tired of your whining, bitching and crying!