Dissection - The Somberlain [1993]

Around the time of the release of “The Somberlain,” Sweden was experiencing a massive output of death metal. There were the giants of the genre and there were even more bands releasing demos left and right. Dissection, though, would embrace the darker sounds of black metal and help spawn a whole new wave of terrific bands from the country in Sacramentum, Arckanum, Lord Belial, Vinterland, etc. When metalheads usually discuss which of Dissection’s first two albums are better, it’s usually a pretty split crowd between this one and “Storm of the Light’s Bane,” but both records are worthy of praise for not only their influence, but for how damn good they are. 

“The Somberlain” has a dark feel to the music (as do most black metal albums), but the atmosphere on this album is quite different from others. It’s cold, chilling, haunting and absolutely brilliant. A song with the title “Black Horizons” should sound evil, and it does throughout its eight minutes of life. Eight minutes of tempo changes, dark and beautiful melodies, sinister tremolos, acoustic guitars and Nodtveidt’s vicious vocals make for an insanely good song, and album for that matter, as a lot of the songs here contain a lot of the same kind of elements. Every song (not counting the instrumentals) has a fair amount of melody, whether it’s through the tremolo patterns or a soothing melodic solo that pierces through the blistering riffs, Dissection always has just the right amount of melody. 

In addition to the cold aura and the melodic tendencies of the band, every other member of the band does their part to perfection. Nodtveidt’s vocals are harsh growls that compliment the bleak backdrop very well. His vocals are also pretty understandable and not just guttural shrieks. The rhythm section on this album is also top-notch, as I was able to find a standout moment on the drumming on every song. I was also able to hear the bass quite fine, as it thumped along or even provided some great fills in the background of the tremolo frenzies. “The Somberlain” proves to be a game-changer for not only the band (who would go on to top this effort with their masterpiece “Storm of the Light’s Bane”), but for the Swedish black metal movement as well. When it comes to getting lost in a flurry of melody and darkness, there just aren’t too many bands out there that can do it better than Dissection and this full-length is usually one the first records I reach for when that time arises. 

Highlights

“Black Horizons”

“The Somberlain”

“Heaven’s Damnation”

Final Rating

Awesome [8.5/10]

Evocation – Evoked From Demonic Depths: The Early Years [Compilation: 2012]

After taking a break from listening to Swedish death metal, due to the sheer ridiculous amount of bands that I’ve heard in this style over the last year or so, I decided to pick up Evocation’s recently released compilation a few days ago when I happened across it in a local store. This release compiles Evocation’s two demo tapes from 1992, an unreleased rehearsal recording and a previously unrecorded track from ’92 entitled “Genesis”.

Evocation definitely have always had the “Swedish sound” akin to Dismember, Grave, Entombed and so on, but, they always stood apart from the pack in the way that they incorporated melodic influences that have more in common with the Gothenburg scene than the Sunlight studios crowd, leaving us with a more unique and accessible take on the old-school Swedish death metal sound.

I’m not sure how this was managed way back in ’91, but, Evocation got a really high quality sound on “The Ancient Gate” and the “Promo 1992” demos. When combined together on a release like this (or their previously released self-titled compilation from 2004), the two demos flow really well together, and if the band hadn’t broken up not long after, I think they could have released an absolute belter of an album that would be up there with legendary releases like “Left Hand Path” and “Like an Ever Flowing Stream”. Sadly, the previously unreleased rehearsal demo sort of feels like it was just tacked on the end as a sort of afterthought, with a real raw and sloppy recording job that sounds completely different to the other two demos. However, the versions of the songs on this part still sound good in their own way and give a different insight to songs that you’ve already heard earlier on the comp. “Genesis” would fit in perfectly well with the two demos and it’s great that the band finally recorded it as a bonus track for the compilation.

All in all, this compilation is a killer package, with all of their early demo material (almost an hour worth of music) and a 32 page (!!!) booklet containing background info on the band, all lyrics, a bit of info about each song, liner notes, three live bootleg video enhancements on the CD version, information on the story behind each recording and a lot of photos, any fanatic of the old Swedish underground would be a fool to let this pass them by.

Highlights:

"Through the Darkened Peril"

"The Ancient Gate"

"Where the Headstones Shine"

"Veils Were Blown"

Final Rating:

Awesome 8.0/10

Grotesque - Incantation [1990] (EP)

Chances are, if you're a metalhead who knows at the very least that Sweden had/has an incredible death metal scene, then I don't need to go on about all of the bands and how there were myriads of fantastic bands that never got past the demo stage. Grotesque is one of those unfortunate casualties, as they have never released a full-length, but luckily they've left us with this terrific five-track EP "Incantation." Whether or not this EP is considered widely influential in the metal underground is beyond me, but I definitely hear a lot of the newer groups out today with plenty of Grotesque in their music (Tribulation, Zombiefication, Putrified, etc), so it's definitely within the realm of possibility, especially when considering that these Swedes didn't exactly have the same d-beat/punk influence, nor did they have the chainsaw tone (though, it was still a pretty thick and heavy tone) that their comrades had, and a lot of the music here was driven by the insane riffs and intense drumming, more akin to the American style. 

The self-titled opening track features plenty of different styles in the opening minutes, featuring some dark melodies, tremolos, and some thrashy riffs to get the listener's headbanging. The rest of the song follows suit, with an abundance of different riffs and some great vocals which are another highlight on "Incantation." I may not be the biggest fan of At the Gates (Or the subgenre that they play), but there is no denying that Tomas Lindberg (Or as he's known in Grotesque, Goatspell) can conjure some vile vocals that are absolutely perfect for fronting a band the caliber of Grotesque. What transpired on the first track is pretty much the entire story of this EP. The band did a brilliant job of structuring the music with a solid mix of thrashy riffs, death metal tremolos, melodies and an overall eerie atmosphere. "Submit to Death" and "Blood Runs from the Altar" are a couple of the more thrash-oriented tunes, but they're fronted by a death metal vocalist whose vocals could shatter glass. "Spawn of Azathoth" is an all-out blitzkrieg of intensity and if your head isn't banging, seek help. "Nocturnal Blasphemies" is probably the most "unique" song on this EP, as it features some riffs that have glimpses of technical patterns, but it's also one of, if not the darkest song here. So, the story here with "Incantation" and Grotesque isn't a new one, just one that I enjoy revisiting, because who doesn't love a little band that didn't make it as big as they should have? I know I do. 

Highlights

"Incantation"

"Spawn of Azathoth" 

"Blood Runs from the Altars"

Final Rating

Awesome [8.6/10]

Altar/Cartilage - Ex Obliovione/The Fragile Concept Of Affection [1992] (Split)

During the days when death roamed the world like a unmerciful tyrant, bands were exploiting their own music rapidly, and many couldn't even get pass demo level. Splits were scarce, yes, but they still existed, and somewhere in the repugnant bowels of time, lies a hidden split of two bands; The Finnish act Cartilage and the Swedish devil Altar, but great bands who would gradually escalate towards the same fate that many suffered during the late/mid 90's: Destruction. Yes, it indeed brings me great sorrow to see that both bands are now disbanded, but instead of mourning over their death like me, you can grab a copy of their split LP (which is now a precious rarity), and enjoy forty two minutes of decomposed manifestations of corrupted death metal, from the two countries that made produced the during the heydays of old school death metal.

Four bonus tracks were added to the album later on (two songs four each), and I suppose they're fairly good, but let's focus on the main, decrepit material here. Altar are from Sweden, though they don't extract the same kind of Swedish death metal bands played in those days to the opposition of many, creating a rather thrash-oriented churning of Morbid Angel circa ''Altars Of Madness'' with a slightly rougher production and a more doom-laden edge. Altar keeps the balance of the music at a steady level with jumpy incursions and spiky verse and that additional thrash crust I was talking about, but I still didn't find their style too distinct or gloomy. The vocalist's muffled growls don't stand out with great prominence, but so long as they fit the music well, I'll be content.

Cartilage, on the other hand, provide with a slightly different brand of death metal, this time taking influences from their home country instead of another. Cartilage definitely pleasured me more than Altar because the riffs are rawer and even more filthy than Altar, and Cartilage's vein is laden with Demilich, Abhorrence and Convulse; some of the finest Finnish death metal bands out there. They're sordid, no doubt, and evil at that, and they can preserve that quality of the music through each riff, slow or fast. Cartilage mainly focuses on frantic attacks and swift channels, leaving a bit of an old school thrash mark on your ears, but they still tend to give off a horror feeling to the listener with numerous implements, so you'll be headbanging and feeling chills slithering through your spine at the same time. Awesome.

Both bands would eventually be destroyed, but Altar released a couple more demos before their annihilation, so I guess they're a little more lucky. This split offers death metal that any old school death/thrasher would enjoy, and they're even bizarrely flourished, and even though both bands may not have created considerably original death metal, their material is still sturdy, cunning and rotting, so jump at it while you still have the chance.


Highlights
''The Underworld''
''Why Do I Watch The Dawn''
''Ex Oblivione''
''Daymere/A Message From The Grave''

Final Rating
Awesome [8.6/10]

Nifelheim - Nifelheim [1994]

Although Nifelheim's self titled debut album was released during the time when the second wave of black metal was just getting popular, it follows the exact trail that early black/thrash savages like Hellhammer, Bathory or Venom created. There were some pioneering black/death acts which emerged during the early-mid 90's as well, such Swedish blasphemers Necrophobic or Finland's darkened black/death assault Belial, but Nifelheim produced over-the-top, completely flurried black/thrash that doesn't fail to butcher carcasses. And in addition to the extremity and sheer speed of their music, Nifelheim has to be one of the first bands to correlate satanic themes with traditional metal anthems lyric wise, and even though their music evil and frantic, cheesy black/thrash/speed moments can not be avoided. Not that I'm complaining about these so called ''cheesy'' riffs, really.

The main material that enhances the speed, the aggression and all things evil is that Nifelheim (as stated) take their influences from the early black metal scene rather than the second scene which is a much atmospheric affair by all standards. Hints of cloudy atmosphere here and there may be present, and there's a resonant production quality too, but otherwise the whole of the album is a fluent burst of militant black/thrash, seldom tending to slow down or show any sign of deterioration. The production is thin and metallic just as the guitar tone, so you won't be provided with a whole lot of chunky, carnal riffs, but the disastrous tremolo pickings and chord strums are as sharp as newly-forged blade, so you've been warned--don't mess with this one. I also tend to enjoy the flickering array of dismal melodies, thrown into the crazed riffing at a common basis, and the somewhat sophisticated feel of the riffs, keeping the dynamics at a high level for a good near-thirty-minutes. Tracks like ''Possessed By Evil'' embrace the classic black/thrash/speed attitude with scratchy, tremolo and chord attacks while the bombastic goodness frenzy on Sodomizer is out of control and the supreme combination of atmosphere and semi-technical riffs on ''Storm Of Satan's Fire'' is another treat entirely.

Yes, the album is no longer than ''Reign In Blood'', then again, it's similar to the aggressive magnum opus in many ways, but surprisingly, Nifelheim has managed to keep the energy constant and volatile throughout, and a substantial amount of variation is offered with the gritty, grinding edge of the fuzzy riffs, only be enhanced with primal art of blast beating and the crusty barks of Per ''Hellbutcher'' Gustavsson. Everything is  irritating, in the right manner that is, and the primitive attitude or early black metal and early thrash metal is preserved throughout every single track, with a tiny dash of atmosphere, hidden under the riffs. Next time, when you're going through your classic black/thrash pieces and while channeling between Usurper, Desaster, Destroyer 666, early Sodom and Kreator, and Aura Noir, don't forget to remind yourself of the masterful bestiality of ''Nifelheim''.

Highlights
''Black Curse''
''Storm Of Satan's Fire''
''Possessed By Evil''

Final Rating
Awesome [8.7/10]

Interment - Where Death Will Increase [1991] (Demo)

Some may know Interment from their recent album, and some may know them as one unknown pioneer of early Swedish old school death metal from their demo days. Interment was formed first as Beyond in 1988, then they changed their name and released three killer demos right before a lengthy hiatus, and today they're basically putting out the same stuff they were in the 90's, only maybe more intricate. While all of their demos are classics and imperatives in the Swedish death metal scene, it wouldn't be wrong to say that they didn't much of a diverse aroma to the scene as bands like Unleashed, Dismember and Entombed were already putting out superb release. Their first demo, ''Where Death Will Increase'', stands out as their most favored release among the small group of underground DM nerds, and it stands as the most important release in their career, too.

I feel many have already suffered the same old groove laden incursions of pure face melting punk-driven chainsaw madness, and scores of entrails have already been spilled to the floor by similar acts. It engraves itself upon a crusty pattern of morbid, ghastly death metal, and from its skeletal seat, it commands its freshly revived ghouls to strike and butcher all that is not morbid. The production is a fairly convincing as the demo prevails within the abyss created by it. The atmosphere is crucial here, and while the demo has little ambiance, there's still some left for the album to breathe blood and filth, so new riffs can spawn healthily. The crypt of ghouls now stands before you, and there's no turning back. The first track ''Morbid Death'' shakes you and pummels you into dust while it spreads some infectious grooves. The drum chokes are also worked up pretty well, and the riffs offer a beefy tone as well, so they sound hefty at all times. The music is extremely accessible as the main focus of the riffs are maiming thrash driven grooves and classic tremolo descents.

''Where Death Will Increase'' should butter you up easily as soon as it arrives but don't expect it to offer anything more than straightforward, thrash-injected Swedish death metal. Fans of Entombed, Grave and Nihilist will certainly love this little spectacle of nostalgia, dotted with a few queer twists and even some exuberant synthesizers delving into the demo. Interment crafted their weapons with simple, but cold and hard steel, no more inventive than the scores of bands out today, but this certainly does crush a good number of Swedeath worshipers, allowing the morbid atmosphere prevail throughout. Get this demo now and close your eyes so that you can be slammed into the graveyard dust, and just let yourself flow as putrefied cannibal ghouls and crypt fiends eagerly feast on your flesh.

Highlights
''Morbid Death''
''Cranial Putrefaction''
''Infestering Flesh''

Final Rating
Awesome [8.4/10]

Utumno - Across the Horizon [1993]

Utumno are quite the oddball death metal band to say the very least. Hailing from the land of death metal, Sweden, you would expect for them to at least sound somewhat similar to the majority of the punk-driven bands there, but they don't. Not one damn bit. This band is more likely to be compared to groups like Ripping Corpse, Sepultura, Revenant and Morbid Angel than they are Grave or Entombed. It's a shame that these guys never got anywhere past this six-track debut record, "Across the Horizon," because the amount of promise and talent that is found here is remarkable and likely could have pushed them to relative success in Sweden's death metal scene. 

With only six songs, Utumno does a fantastic job of mixing in so many different sounds that the shortness of the album becomes completely irrelevant. The opening track "The Light of Day" features some decent thrashy riffs that eventually turn into sludgy powerchords that are later accompanied by a grim narration and sinister melody, before turning into a riff-fest that encompasses early-Sepultura-like thrash riffs, insane bass lines and midpaced riffs that are damn-near as catchy as those produced by bands like Terrorizer and Bolt Thrower. "I Cross the Horizons" is one of the more "weird" tracks thanks to its eclectic mix of techy riffs and melodies, very similar to death/thrash legends like Ripping Corpse and Revenant. And "In Misery I Dwell" and "Saviour Reborn" are both death metal tunes of the highest caliber, as Stalhammar's vocals slay (His vocals sound a lot like a less gruff Max Cavalera), and the violent riffage crushes. 

Had the last two tracks "Sunrise" and "Emotions Run Cold" been as stellar as the four preceding tracks, then "Across the Horizon" would have undoubtedly been a pinnacle in the Swedish death metal scene. With so many bands trying to catch up to the giants in Dismember, Entombed, Unleashed, etc, Utumno was perfecting their craft of thrashy, yet atmospheric death metal that spanned the metal spectrum without sounding like a clusterfuck of influences. Had the band moved on to create a sophomore album, their ascension in the metal world would have been inevitable, and what a wonderful world that would be. 

Highlights

"The Light of Day"

"I Cross the Horizon"

"In Misery I Dwell"

Final Rating

Awesome [8.7/10]

Hetsheads - We Hail The Possessed... [1994]

First off, let me make this lucid. This album, is not an album by any means. It's a demo compilation featuring the bands 1991 demo ''Remonstrating The Preserver'' and a few additional songs. And as far as the bands discography goes, it would be correct to say that it's genuinely short, as it consists of that demo and this compilation. However, one shouldn't be fooled by a band's short lifespan because Hetsheads can conjure the perfect old school Swedeath sound in the simplest way, with no technical nonsense, no other influences whatsoever, just plain, thrashy, chainsaw ripping Swedeath of the most primal kind. Their style is probably nothing that an average death metaller has never heard of, but the sheer brilliance of the dark, cryptic and embalming atmosphere, diversely consuming and engulfing the crushing riffs is one treat no death metal fan should do without.

Their sound is very akin the most primitive kind of Swedish death metal, a sound that resembles early Entombed/Nihilist, Dismember, Grave and other usual suspects, although it would be wrong to say they copy the exact sound. There's plenty of filthy grooving and hardcore-tinged moments of pure death/thrashing mayhem, and also some murky death/doom sequences where you'll find the atmosphere to reach its uttermost peak, and you'll feel the massive oppressive ponderousness thumping against your skullcap. The distorted, crunchy chainsaw guitar tone is there as it has always been, and the band excels in using it to drive the furious chord-driven riffs towards a malicious edge. ''Paganization'' is one good example of the band's murky, horror-laden sound, churning together distorted tremolo bursts with simple Bolt Thrower-esque grooves and doomy grinders. There are some nice acoustic interludes included in some of the more mellow tracks like ''For His Sake'' or the horrific intro instrumental, but sections like that are limited as the album mainly focuses on brutal, unpolished death metal.

I can't really say much more about Hetsheads' stylings, because its pretty limited, though the single, focused beam of precise old school brilliance is enough persuade any old schooler into listening to this. I was so obsessed with the current Swedish death metal trends that I instantly forgot about what was laid right in front of me; the archaic ancestors of all these bands, the real originators, who excelled in creating the grotesque and the macabre. Hetsheads is by no means an originator or a band which which put a milestone for death metal, but they did take that muddy, filthy sound and display it almost perfectly, without straying from that pure path. Simply put it this way; if you're starting to get into old school Swedeath, ''We Hail The Possessed'' demo compilation is just as good of a place to start as those fiendish masterpieces everyone seems to be so eager to worship.

Highlights
Dissolution By Catatonia
Remonstrating The Preserver
When The Time Has Come


Final Rating
Awesome [8.4/10]

Dissection - Storm of the Light's Bane [1995]

Melody has always been a difficult beast to handle in the metal world simply because if you use too much of it, you're likely to be placed in a group of horrific bands that you would never want to be in such company with. If you don't use any melody, then you had better have the riffs and everything else to impress. But if you're like Dissection and you know how to incorporate the perfect amount of melody with stunning riffs and a bleak and chilling atmosphere, then there should be no worries. "Storm of the Light's Bane" is infinitely better than the debut from these Swedes and it is praised the world over for its magnificence in conjuring the perfect aura for the band's black metal stylings. 

The opening song of the record, "At the Fathomless Depths" sets the tone for the rest on the songs with a very haunting and looming feel of dread, while also possessing an almost classical sense to the music. The next song "Night's Blood" opens with a decent thrash riff, only to morph into a blistering melodic tremolo section followed by some brilliant midpaced riffage. While on the subject of riffs, there aren't many on this album, well in the traditional sense. The majority of the rhythms on "Storm of the Light's Bane" are your typical black metal tremolo patterns and the occasional thrashy riff, but for the most part the bulk of this record centers around the melodies that are so perfectly intertwined with the frenzied drumming and Nodtveit's tremendous vocals. "Soulreaper" is probably the best example of what Dissection sounds like when storming through at full force rather than focusing on melodies and atmosphere, settling for a blistering sound that could shatter bones. 

Dissection also loved their acoustic guitars, making for some memorable moments on "Night's Blood" and "Thorns of Crimson Death," as they find their place in the songs as more of an interlude that raises the hair on one's neck rather than a showcase of technical proficiency. The intro to "Where Dead Angels Lie" is also one of the most memorable acoustic intros in recent memory as it makes way for the impeccable melodies that follow it. "Storm of the Light's Bane" isn't a record that should be written off as some boring Gothenburg melodeath album, but one that should be listened to on repeat for its sound is the equivalent of a raging ice storm that would bury a small village. If that doesn't sound appealing to you, then I would hope you find yourself caught in said blizzard. 

Highlights

"Night's Blood"

"Where Dead Angels Lie"

"Retribution - Storm of the Light's Bane"

Final Rating

Masterpiece [9.1/10]

Exhumed (SWE) - Obscurity (Demo) [1990]

Oh, the wonderful Swedish death metal scene of the nineties. This is quite possibly the greatest scene of all time. Just about every death metal band from there kicked severe amounts of ass, whether it was the giants like Entombed, Grave, Dismember, Unleashed, etc or if it were the bands making a name for themselves in the underground through their awesome demos like Desultory, Excruciate, Edge of Sanity, or the subject of today's entry, Exhumed. Normally when people think of death metal demos from Sweden, it's the usual suspects like Nihilist and Nirvana 2002 who both had legendary demo collections that were highly influential, but Exhumed's "Obscurity" demo is quite magnificent as well, yet it remains a hidden gem. 

For those of you who know about this band and have had the pleasure of hearing this demo, you know just how great it is. The sound is extremely raw and primitive, but is there really a better way to create old school Swedeath? The guitar tone is thick, heavy and dirty which makes each mid-paced riff that much more awesome. It also makes the tremolo riffs found on "Obscurity" seem heavier than your typical death metal tremolo burst. The tone of the guitars is also highlighted during the more melodic moments, especially the ending of "Satanic Verses" which features a great melodic passage that has that eerie, yet beautiful sound to it that those Swedish bastards are famous for. Exhumed also shows that they're not afraid to go faster than the average Swedeath band, especially on the opening track "Obscure Desolation." If you cannot headbang to the riffs in this song then you shouldn't be listening to metal. 

While not as legendary as the Nihilist demos, "Obscurity" is a brilliant piece of Swedish death metal history that everyone needs to take notice of. Oh, and stay away from the later stuff the band does as Morpheus, because you will be extremely disappointed after hearing this. 

Highlights

"Obscure Desolation"

"Satanic Verses"

"What Life Has Brought"

Final Rating

Awesome [8.7/10]

Nasum - Inhale/Exhale [1998]

Sweden's pretty well known for always putting out fast music. Evil death metal, heavy grindcore and brutal crust and d-beat. Nasum was definitely one of the best bands to come from this country and their debut full length album, "Inhale/Exhale" is proof of that. Nasum's sound was very fast and very death metal and d-beat influenced. They blended the signature Swedish death metal riffs with the speed and agility of d-beat bands like Discharge.

 "Inhale/Exhale" is an incredibly fast, heavy and insane album. It's also one of the first albums to have that signature Scandinavian grindcore sound. That heavy, groovy, fast and punk as fuck sound made famous by Nasum and Finland's Rotten Sound. That signature sound still remains strong in the Scandinavian grind scene nowadays with great bands like Coldworker and Gadget.

The guitars on the album have a very fast, death metal sound to them but there is absolutely no doubt that this is a grindcore album, with the extreme use of d-beat tempos and hardcore punk riffs. The solos are also very influenced by those of the old school Swedish death metal tyrants like Entombed and Dismember. The drums are a lot of fast blast beats but there's also of use of d-beats in the drumming as well. There is a lot of groove on this album that adds to the music. It's the kind of groove that is just perfect for a good mosh pit.

Unfortunately, the band came to an end when Mieszko Talarczyk (vocals & guitars) was a victim of the 2004 Tsunami disaster in Thailand. The band declared that it would be quits on May 26th, 2005. Although, Nasum have stated that they will be playing shows and festivals all over the world in 2012 in celebration of their (would be) 20 year anniversary. So if you like fast, groovy, brutal, punk as fuck grindcore, then you should listen to Nasum. Get prepared to have your shit blasted to bits.

Highlights
"The Masked Face"
"Time to Act!"
"When Science Fails"

Final Rating 
Awesome [8.7/10]