Swedish Metal

Just Before Dawn – Precis Innan Gryningen Review

Just Before Dawn – Precis Innan Gryningen Review

By Steel Druhm on April 17, 2013 in 2013, 4.0, Chaos Records, Death Metal, Reviews, Swedish Metal, Death Metal, 4 comments

“Another project from Rogga Johansson? When does the man sleep and find time for the finer things in life, like beer and Mexican wrestling? These questions plague me as I peruse the list of bands, side-projects and side-side projects which Rogga has his paws on (The 11th Hour, Paganizer, Demiurg, Megascavenger, Ribspreader, etc. etc.). Now you can add Just Before Dawn, which is his collaboration with Anders Biazzi (Blood Mortized, ex-Amon Amarth) and a gaggle of friends from bands like Puteraeon, Zombification, Revel in Flesh and Godhate. Together they’ve churned out a crusty, thick and vicious ode to all things Bolt Thrower and Asphyx, which is similar to Rogga’s recent work with Megascavenger, but better and more consistent.” Do you like Bolt Thrower? Do you think metal and war go hand in hand? Are you okay with retro Swedish death? If the answer to all these questions is yes, join Sgt. Steel Druhm on the front lines as he examines Just Before Dawn.

Memory Garden – Doomain Review

Memory Garden – Doomain Review

By Steel Druhm on April 15, 2013 in 2013, 3.0, Doom Metal, Heavy Metal, Metal Blade, Reviews, Swedish Metal, Doom Metal, Heavy Metal, 4 comments

“I’m a sucker for the name “Memory Garden.” I love the classic Trouble song with that title and I’ve always appreciated this group as well. Part of the moniker love is due to having worked in a cemetery bearing that name during grad school (yes, Steel Druhm was a legitimate grave-digger), but the talent, class and polish of this outfit doesn’t hurt none either. These Swedes play a type of progressive doom that sounds like a mix of Candlemass, Memento Mori, Nevermore and Lansfear with some similarities to the material off Tad Morose’s classic A Mended Rhyme. Never too slow and dirgey, they infuse just enough traditional and power metal ideas to move things along and they bring an exceptionally high level of musicality to the table so everything goes down smooth as buttered silk.” Proggy, melodic doom should sound good to even the most attention challenged of metal fans. Even moss peeping, anti-doomers like AMG himself might enjoy the tasteful stylings of Memory Garden.

Blackshine – Soul Confusion Review

Blackshine – Soul Confusion Review

By Steel Druhm on March 30, 2013 in 2013, 3.0, Heavy Metal, Reviews, Swedish Metal, Thrash Metal, Heavy Metal, Thrash Metal, 3 comments

“And now for something completely different. Blackshine is an underground Swedish act sporting an interesting blend of thrash and hard rock. Though I’ve seen them refered to as “death n’ roll,” I never found that to be an apt descriptor. Their sound is like a raucous blend of First Wave Bay Area thrash, Motorhead, Sentenced, a wee bit of Wolverine Blues-era Entombed and a smattering of stoner/biker rock.” If that sounds like a heady brew of influences, join Steel Druhm as he gets his Blackshine on.

October Tide – Tunnel of No Light Review

October Tide – Tunnel of No Light Review

By Steel Druhm on March 12, 2013 in 2013, 3.0, Death Metal, Doom Metal, Pulverised Records, Reviews, Swedish Metal, Death Metal, Doom Metal, 6 comments

“Steel Druhm is a sucker for well done doom death with oodles of morose, melancholy atmosphere. Yep, I like stuff that makes me feel as if I’m slowly drowning in an ice cold Finnish lake as wood gnomes and forest elves cry and throw Mardi Gras beads into the water (just go with it, don’t analyze). Because of these predilections, I heartily enjoyed the last opus from this bunch of downcast Swedes, which featured several members of Katatonia at one time or another. After some line up changes and a few years away from the game, October Tide skulks back with Tunnel of No Light and it’s business as usual (that business being depressing but darkly beautiful music).” But is the business as successful as before? Steel Druhm splashes about and does his best to answer that very question.

Skineater – Dermal Harvest Review

Skineater – Dermal Harvest Review

By Natalie Zed on February 9, 2013 in 2013, 3.5, Death Metal, Pulverised Records, Reviews, Swedish Metal, Death Metal, 2 comments

“Dermal Harvest is the horror-drenched debut from Swedish extreme metal outfit Skineater. Though the band was together as early as 2008, it wasn’t until 2011 that they began to seriously court label interest, play live and record demos. They often market themselves as a supergroup of the extreme metal underground, as their members include guitarist and founder Håkan Stuvemark (ex – Wombbath, ex – In Thy Dreams, ex – Vicious), guitarist Kari Kainulainan (ex-Mourning Sign, ex-Amaran), drummer Matte Modin (Raised Fist, ex – Dark Funeral), bassist and backing vocalist Stefan Westerberg (ex-Carnal Forge, ex – In Thy Dreams) and vocalist Jörgen Ström (The Mary Major).” Natalie Zed gives you the lowdown on this Swedish death “supergroup” and tells you if they have enough skin in the game.

Stonewall Noise Orchestra – Salvation Review

Stonewall Noise Orchestra – Salvation Review

By Dr. Fisting on February 6, 2013 in 2.0, 2013, Reviews, Swedish Metal, Transubstans Records, 7 comments

“The bio for Salvation, the new record by Sweden’s awesomely-named Stonewall Noise Orchestra, states that they are “influenced by 70’s [sic] groovy rock along with many other sources of inspiration.” More retro/stoner rock? With a vague disclaimer right there in the bio?! I find this troubling, at best.” Join Fisting that Andrew Guy as he reviews this stoner rock album from the land of meatballs, Swedish fish, IKEA, and Angry Metal Guy himself. Chaos ensues. Sort of.

Kongh – Sole Creation Review

Kongh – Sole Creation Review

By Alex Franquelli on February 5, 2013 in 2013, 3.5, Agonia Records, Doom Metal, Reviews, Sludge, Swedish Metal, Doom Metal, Sludge Metal, 2 comments

Quite an epic album. The fuzz is there in all its imperfect majesty, while the pace is as slow as ever, bringing back the doom where it belongs: in the realm of repetitions, through think layers of narcotic sounds. Overall, the final result is a solid evolution from the psychedelic throes of Shadows of the Shapeless, but whoever (well, everyone) says that Kongh sound like Yob is right. And yet they’re wrong at the same time [Oh God! Which is it!? — AMG], since the sound these three lost souls from Nässjö and Småland (that’s southern Sweden, for the most curious nerds amongst yourselves) seem to enjoy touching on the likes of Alice in Chains (“Skymning”), Mastodon (“Sole Creation”) and Brooklyn’s own Tombs.

Enforcer – Death By Fire Review

Enforcer – Death By Fire Review

By Steel Druhm on January 28, 2013 in 2.5, 2013, Cock Rock, Heavy Metal, Reviews, Swedish Metal, Thrash Metal, Heavy Metal, 6 comments

Enforcer is an easy band to poke fun at. Though from Sweden, they play a retro style that seeks to hit the sweet spot between NWOBHM and early American speed metal acts like Abattoir, Jag Panzer and Attacker, with the occasional dose of hair metal/cock rock tossed in for shits and giggles. This style calls for a fair amount of skin-tight white jeans, hairspray, bullet belts and overall silliness pasted on a rickety frame of Iron Maiden and Saxon riffs. How that strikes you is a very personal matter and I’m not one to judge (that’s a lie. I’ve been silently judging you all for years).