Swedish Metal

Mezzrow – Summon Thy Demons Review

By Dr. A.N. Grier on April 24, 2023 in Reviews, Thrash Metal, 30 comments

“Another rando and another band I should already know but don’t. Mezzrow has been around since the late ’80s, trying to bring America’s brand of thrash to the halls o’ Sweden. For various reasons—issues with their label and losing band member after band member—all that came out of their struggles was 1990’s Then Came the Killing. A ’91 demo later, and Mezzrow was no more. Fast forward sixteen years, and the band reforms for a live performance. Their small but passionate fanbase was excite. Would Mezzrow record a new album?” Not Merzbow.

Birdflesh – Sickness in the North Review

By Saunders on April 21, 2023 in Reviews, 28 comments

“Swedish goofballs Birdflesh return with another fun, uproarious and colorful explosion of old school grind on their sixth LP, Sickness in the North. The veteran trio smash out the follow-up to 2019’s thoroughly enjoyable, Extreme Graveyard Tornado, and all is good in the grind world.” Birds of a feather grind together.

Saint Deamon – League of the Serpent Review

By Steel Druhm on April 20, 2023 in Reviews, Heavy Metal, Power Metal, 83 comments

“Sweden’s Saint Deamon aren’t quite a household name in the Euro-power scene, at least partly due to their lagging career productivity. They started out well, making a good impression with their 2008 debut and rapid follow-up, 2009s very good Pandeamonium, but then they dropped off the face of the Earth. 10 years later they made an unexpected comeback with 2019s Ghost, and now in comparatively short order, they return with fourth album, League of the Serpent. Snakes on a shelf.

Rotpit – Let There Be Rot Review

By Steel Druhm on April 14, 2023 in Reviews, Death Metal, 47 comments

“The name “Rotpit” stood out in the promo sump like an elephant turd in a kid’s wading pool. Impossible to miss and difficult to ignore, it begged critical questions. Is rotpit just another name for a grave, or is it something way more…rotten? Could it be a compost heap? Is this some kind of Earth-first green death metal? Steel doesn’t have all the answers, but he did learn that Rotpit is a side-project by current and former members of Heads of the Dead, Wombbath, Just Before Dawn, and Revel in Flesh.” 40 Rot Sun O))).

Omnicidal – The Omnicidalist Review

By GardensTale on April 4, 2023 in Reviews, Death Metal, 53 comments

“If you were deeply saddened by the news of Rimfrost’s demise in 2019, you were not alone. After Dr. Grier spent a week spinning Abigail in a dark room, we had to physically drag him into a cold shower and pay Brittney Slayes to give him a backrub just to get him out his catatonic state. Thankfully, the band changed their minds halfway into the pandemic, and all was right with the world. Sometime during their brief break-up, though, vocalist Sebastian Svedlund had the luminous idea to start Omnicidal, an entirely different band with an entirely different style: old school Swedish death metal with a teaspoon of Gothenburg melodeath.” Dawn of the OmniRim.

Narnia – Ghost Town Review

By Dr. A.N. Grier on March 23, 2023 in Reviews, Power Metal, 57 comments

“Everyone’s favorite Christian band is back (that isn’t Stryper or Theocracy). No new gimmicks, no new twists—just the same sermons explaining why all you sin-sucking sons of bitches are going to Hell.” Holy ghosts and goblins.

Morphetik- Proclamation of War Review

By Itchymenace on March 15, 2023 in Reviews, Thrash Metal, 19 comments

“The promo materials for Morphetik’s sophomore release state that it “promises to usher in a modern age of thrash that pays homage to the originals while keeping their eye towards the future.” A lofty boast in a genre field that is well-populated with talented bands producing quality music.” New year, olde speed.

Bastard Grave – Vortex of Disgust Review

By Steel Druhm on March 11, 2023 in Reviews, Death Metal, 27 comments

“Sweden’s Bastard Grave haven’t fared especially well here at AMG Industries and Conglomerated Musical Elitism, LLC. They’ve been ransacked and lambasted by two different writers (both bastards), and now they get to deal with the Steel Bastard for third album, Vortex of Disgust. A death metal act with one clubbed foot in the classic Swedeath sound of Entombed and Dismember and the other in more American flavors of brutality, Bastard Grave want their grave cake and long to feast upon it too.” Grave condition.

Isole – Anesidora Review

By Steel Druhm on March 8, 2023 in Reviews, Doom Metal, 79 comments

“Isole have slowly but inexorably become one of my favorite doom bands over the last 10 years, reliably delivering big albums in the Candlemass, Solitude Aeturnus, While Heaven Wept tradition. With 2 of those 3 big acts now out of action, Isole have steadily ascended the doom hierarchy ladder as they continued to improve with time.” Doom to improve.

Wretched Fate – Carnal Heresy Review

By Eldritch Elitist on February 26, 2023 in Reviews, Death Metal, 38 comments

“I like the Swedeath subset of death metal, but I don’t like it enough to delve into it on a regular basis. Perhaps this is due to its lack of character; or, more accurately, its abundance of character, one which has largely remained unchanged since Entombed ventured down the Left Hand Path. As such, while countless notable Swedeath releases have come and gone, the only ones that truly stick with me are those that inject a fun little twist while staying true to the tenets of the style. The melodic grotesqueries of Lik and the horror soundtrack stylings of Heads for the Dead are a few recent examples, and with their sophomore record, Carnal Heresy, Wretched Fate aims for similar prestige.” Swedetails.