Musically and lyrically evolved, Swedish Melodic Death Metal masters are back with a fantastic new opus dealing with darker thoughts that have shaped the band itself.
Musically and lyrically evolved, Swedish Melodic Death Metal masters Soilwork are back with their twelfth studio album, entitled Övergivenheten, the follow-up to the amazing Verkligheten and one of their most complex and elaborate albums to date, strengthening their legacy even more in the world of heavy music. Recorded and produced by Thomas “Plec” Johansson and Soilwork at Nordic Sound Lab, and mixed and mastered by the same Thomas “Plec” Johansson at The Panic Room (assisted by Simon Eliasson and Viktor Brunö), Övergivenheten, which means “abandonment” in Swedish, deals with darker thoughts that have shaped the band itself and affected the development process of the album. The personal struggles align with social difficulties outside of the band, all embraced by the first-class, sharp music beautifully crafted by frontman Björn “Speed” Strid, guitarists Sylvain Coudret and David Andersson, bassist Rasmus Ehrnborn, keyboardist Sven Karlsson, and drummer Bastian Thusgaard.
The acoustic guitars and banjo by guest Johan Randén kick off the multi-layered title-track Övergivenheten before Björn and his henchmen begin a fantastic sonic attack showcasing melodious riffs, rhythmic beats and endless adrenaline; followed by Nous Sommes La Guerre, or “we are the war” from French, where the ladies’ choir brings an extra kick to the music while Björn beautifully declaims the song’s lyrics (“I can feel the shadows enter, risin’ from the earth / Now that everyone is giving me the widest berth / I have nightly visits, sentient absence watchin’ me / Nurturin’ the itch where other worlds are scratchin’ me”). There’s no time to breathe as the band keeps slamming their instruments in Electric Again, with Sylvain and David doing an amazing job armed with their stringed axes; and in Valleys Of Gloam the skillful Bastian adds tons of groove to the overall result is a first-class Melodic Death Metal feast for the masses. Let’s then slam into the circle pit together with the Soilwork boys in the striking, high-octane Is It In Your Darkness, with Bastian hammering his drums mercilessly supported by the rumbling bass by Rasmus, whereas the band keeps invading our senses with their dense, groovy Melodic Death Metal in Vultures, where Rasmus is on fire with his metallic bass lines, being therefore perfect for headbanging like a true metalmaniac. After the short, atmospheric instrumental interlude Morgongåva / Stormfågel, or “morning gift / stormbird” from Swedish, it’s time for us all to bang our heads to Death, I Hear You Calling, a solid composition where Björn’s angry vocals match perfectly with the song’s lyrics, pace and heaviness, meaning it should work amazingly if played live.
The gentle keys by Sven are suddenly joined by a wall of sounds spearheaded by Bastian’s crushing beats in This Godless Universe, presenting elements form Death and even Black Metal which bring a touch of eccentricity to it. More modern than its predecessors, Dreams Of Nowhere offers another round of their caustic lyrics (“Bleeding through the blanching skin you’re / Offering the Gods your name / Bound to see the sunrise fading / The everlasting flame”), flowing into the whimsical interlude The Everlasting Flame, where Sven will captivate your senses once again before we’re treated to tons of progressiveness in the form of Golgata, with Sylvain and David extracting sheer electricity form their guitars, providing Björn with exactly what he needs to fire both his guttural roars and his classic clean vocals. Those Swedish metallers still have a lot of fuel to burn in the album, with Harvest Spine being the perfect depiction of how heavy and melodic they can sound at the same time and with Björn stealing the spotlight once again with his flammable vocals; and lastly we have On The Wings Of A Goddess Through Flaming Sheets Of Rain, a stunning name for an incendiary song that begins in a sinister manner before evolving into one last Melodic Death Metal attack by Soilwork, offering our avid ears piercing, strident riffs and solos, massive blast beats and stylish keys, putting an outstanding ending to Övergivenheten.
Needless to say, Soilwork did it again, kicking some serious ass with their undisputed Melodic Death Metal throughout the entire Övergivenheten while always loyal to their core essence (even when experimenting with new elements and sounds). Hence, don’t forget to check what the band is up to on Facebook and on Instagram, to subscribe to their official YouTube channel for their official videos, to stream more of their top-of-the-line creations on Spotify, and above all that, to grab your favorite version of Övergivenheten by clicking HERE or HERE. Övergivenheten is one of those albums that not only represents what Soilwork are all about, but it also emanates a sharp and strong energy that’s the result of all of the aforementioned personal struggles from the band members, proving once again heavy music is always the best remedy for any type of adverse situation.
Best moments of the album: Is It In Your Darkness, Death, I Hear You Calling, Harvest Spine and On The Wings Of A Goddess Through Flaming Sheets Of Rain.
Worst moments of the album:Dreams Of Nowhere.
Released in 2022 Nuclear Blast
Track listing 1. Övergivenheten 5:45
2. Nous Sommes La Guerre 6:53
3. Electric Again 4:22
4. Valleys Of Gloam 4:11
5. Is It In Your Darkness 4:04
6. Vultures 5:47
7. Morgongåva / Stormfågel 1:33
8. Death, I Hear You Calling 4:41
9. This Godless Universe 4:41
10. Dreams Of Nowhere 4:29
11. The Everlasting Flame 1:06
12. Golgata 4:59
13. Harvest Spine 5:10
14. On The Wings Of A Goddess Through Flaming Sheets Of Rain 7:31
Band members Björn “Speed” Strid – vocals
Sylvain Coudret – guitar
David Andersson – guitar
Rasmus Ehrnborn – bass
Sven Karlsson – keyboards
Bastian Thusgaard – drums
Guest musicians Johan Randén – acoustic guitars and banjo on “Övergivenheten”
Laila Prigorowsky, Helene Alexandersson, Catrine Ellwen, Gonca Yazan, Jenny Ericsson & Cia von Heijne – ladies’ choir on “Nous Sommes La Guerre”
A demonic American duo is back in action with eight songs of fiercely implacable Death Metal bristling with riffs like lethal weapons and devilish growls, inspired by the history and mythology of the samurai.
Drawing on the complex history and vibrant mythology of the samurai, the powerful warrior caste of feudal Japan, Gastonia, North Carolina-based outfit Shuriken Cadaveric Entwinement has carved out their own kingdom of intense and characterful Death Metal, and although the demonic duo formed of multi-instrumentalist Jordan Varela (Lust Of Decay) and vocalist Jay Barnes (Cesspool Of Vermin) unveiled their second album Resuscitating The Vile almost a decade ago and may have fallen on their swords, consigning the project to the dust of ages, their third full-length opus, entitled Constructing The Cataclysm, is about to see the light of day. Recorded by Mike Clevenger at Audio Helm Studios, and displaying a fantastic samurai-inspired artwork by Andreas Christanetoff of Armaada Art, the album features eight songs of fiercely implacable Death Metal bristling with riffs like lethal weapons and devilish growls and howls, taking the duo to new levels of intensity and sheer class.
Get ready to be transported to feudal Japan before Jordan begins decimating his drums in the hellish Insurrection of the Diabolic while Jay growls and roars like a rabid beast, offering us all unrelenting and extremely vile Death Metal that goes straight to your jugular. Then blasting old school Death Metal the likes of Morbid Angel and Deicide it’s time for the duo to crush us all in Breaching the Gates of Tranquility, where Jordan is not only an evil machine behind his drums but his riffage is also caustic just the way we like it; and there’s no time to breathe as Jay and Jordan continue to hammer our heads with their Brutal Death Metal in Insidious Spiritual Incarceration, a fantastic option to slam into the pit to the wicked, demented vociferations by Jay. And Awaiting the Infinity of Oblivion doesn’t have a single moment of peace or boredom; quite the contrary, it’s an endless Death Metal onrush that will leave you completely disoriented when it’s over.
Jordan once again gives a lecture in caustic riffs and blast beats in Irrevocable Siege of the Abominable, offering Jay exactly what he needs to infernally roar the song’s dark words nonstop, being therefore perfect for some good old headbanging, whereas in Fragmenting the Profane the duo adds some welcome elements from Thrash Metal to their core sonority, resulting in another riff-fueled devastation by the duo tailored for igniting some serious circle pits at a live concert or festival. The second to last explosion of intricacy and rage by Shuriken Cadaveric Entwinement, entitled Tribunal of the Oni, keeps the album scorching hot, with Jordan sounding fantastic with both his riffs and metallic bass, followed by the title-track Constructing the Cataclysm, putting a sick ending to the album by blending traditional Japanese sounds in the background with the fury of American Death Metal, while also leaving our corpses lying in the battlefield like deceased samurais after all is said and done.
The metal samurais Jay Barnes and Jordan Varela are waiting for you to join them in the battlefront by following them on Facebook, by streaming all of their wicked compositions on Spotify, and mainly by purchasing a copy of the excellent Constructing The Cataclysm from the Comatose Music’s BandCamp page or webstore (as a regular CD or a CD + shirt + sticker bundle), as well as from Apple Music and other retailers such as Barnes & Noble and Plastic Head Megastore. Having said all that, instead o committing a seppuku or hara-kiri, use your katana for something a lot more fun such as raising it in the air while banging your head to the music blasted by Shuriken Cadaveric Entwinement in their high-octane new album, honoring all metalheads that came before us.
Best moments of the album: Insidious Spiritual Incarceration, Fragmenting the Profane and Constructing the Cataclysm.
Worst moments of the album: None.
Released in 2022 Comatose Music
Track listing 1. Insurrection of the Diabolic 4:19
2. Breaching the Gates of Tranquility 4:10
3. Insidious Spiritual Incarceration 3:43
4. Awaiting the Infinity of Oblivion 4:46
5. Irrevocable Siege of the Abominable 3:13
6. Fragmenting the Profane 4:06
7. Tribunal of the Oni 3:47
8. Constructing the Cataclysm 4:55
Band members
Jay Barnes – vocals
Jordan Varela – guitar, bass, drums
As the summer solstice is gone, the days are getting shorter and the nights are getting longer, and here at The Headbanging Moose it’s time to darken the skies even more with our metal lady of the month of August, the stunning, enigmatic and evil Sandie Gjørtz, also known as Sandie “The Lilith” Gjørtz, Sandie The Lilith, or simply Lilith, the unrelenting frontwoman for Danish Melodic Death Metal outfit Defacing God. Her devilish roars will haunt your damned soul for all eternity, and I’m sure you’ll thank us at The Headbanging Moose for introducing you to such talented woman of the current metal scene. Be careful, though, as Lilith is the primordial she-demon as you might know, and succumbing to her enchantment means you might never see the light of day again in your life.
Growing up with Rock N’ Roll and Heavy Metal as both her parents are metalheads, Sandie mentioned heavy music has always been a natural part of her life. “I’ve been told that even before I could walk, I often crawled in front of the TV when my parents played a VHS live video with Ozzy Osbourne and I managed to stand up in front of the TV and shake my diaper-ass to ‘Bark at the Moon’ for example. So yeah, it is simply in my veins”, commented our mesmerizing vocalist in one of her interviews, also saying she started out “softly” with Judas Priest, Black Sabbath and King Diamond before getting to know Pantera and, with the discovery of YouTube when she was around 11 years old, being introduced to harder and heavier bands the likes of Sepultura, a band her father loves by the way. When she told her father about that, he got so excited he showed her his copy of Slayer’s ultimate classic album Reign In Blood, and once again she felt that indescribable rush flowing through her veins.
“I am eternally grateful for these influences on music in my youth. It has always been following me and helped me through dark times, many times! And since that time, I just knew that I wanted to be or do something in this kind of music. It’s a deep, burning passion that is extremely hard to even describe as said. If you know and get it, you get it. If not… You never will,” complemented Sandie, who also said that although she knew nothing about growling or extreme vocal techniques when she was young, she has always been busy with music, singing and acting in drama classes during her school years, as well as choir singing at the church, which was curiously one of her hobbies before turning into Lilith. She knew she wanted to become a vocalist, but as mentioned she didn’t know at that age that women could also do extreme singing, while at the same time she realized choir singing and clean vocals weren’t enough for her.
Having a raging fire burning inside her and dealing with anger issues, things she wanted to express somehow as she considered herself an intense and emotional girl during her youth, Sandie finally discovered bands the likes of Holy Moses and Arch Enemy when she was around 15 years old, being blown away by those women who could manage to do extreme singing just like some of her idols such as Cannibal Corpse and Morbid Angel. “First, it seemed a little bit extreme for me because I never saw anything like that before and for me, it was not a ‘natural’ thing for a woman to scream and sing that deep. Back then, I also don’t think that women who did growls, screams and extreme vocals, in general, was such a common or known phenomenon like it is nowadays. Not that I know at least. I just know that I adored it and decided that if they could do it, I sure as hell could do it too!”
Since then, our unstoppable growler has been investing all her talent, energy and passion into making extreme music, learning extreme techniques on her own, always trusting her feelings and saying metal music works as pure therapy for her, that it is really what she lives for. After so many years practicing and developing her vocal skills, Sandie knew it was time for her to have her own Extreme Metal band, leading to the creation of Defacing God in 2015. “I always wanted to play in a band, but only did something about it in 2015 when our drummer (Michael Olsson) and I decided to start a project together. After the decision was made, we began to search for musicians with the same intentions and passion as ourselves, and it ended up with the constellation we have today.” From that day on, Lilith was born.
Currently comprised of Sandie “The Lilith” Gjørtz on vocals (who’s also responsible for all visuals and lyrics), Signar Petersen and Christian Nielsen on the guitars, Rasmus “Kalke” Nielsen on bass, and Michael Olsson on drums, Defacing God were formed in 2015 in Aalborg, a city in the Jutland region of Denmark, but only going public in 2018. Sandie mentioned she hadn’t worked in any other projects before founding Defacing God, only focusing on her singing as well as on some other instruments like the guitar, keyboards, piano and cello, which means we can all consider Defacing God her beloved (and evil) first baby. “Since most of us in the band are experienced musicians by now, we chose to keep our project close to our bodies until we thought everything was completely clear. We didn’t think it made sense to make ourselves visible before, and none of us wanted to stand on stage and deliver something half-finished. Therefore, we have worked at high pressure to be coordinated and create something that we ourselves are proud to show off. I myself really appreciate bands that have a complete theme, stage expression, etc.,” commented our Lilith, also saying that “in addition to the above, we have had some legal construction problems with our rehearsal rooms, and we were therefore forced to take a break for a few months and have our rooms rebuilt and ready. Furthermore, we have had a change in the lineup and our band members. Everything takes time – especially when it comes to music. We have had so much in the making, so many ideas, and it is only now that I feel that we have found our right track and expression. I just think that’s how it is with art in general. It’s one big bubble of ideas, thoughts and expressions, and it can take a long time before the result of all this turns out to be something that makes sense.”
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Inspired by opulent Scandinavian metal traditions, Defacing God base their conceptual themes on the seeping darkness that moves in us all, rooted in occultism and witchcraft, but primarily the mythologically mysterious female demon Lilith and her tales of fervent defiance and perseverance. Through their storytelling, music and aesthetic, the band pulls their listeners into a dark universe of obscure myths, folklore and ancient stories, all the while weaving in often subtle lyrical inspirations from modern societal oppressions and personal demons while musically speaking they echo the styles of artists such as Cradle of Filth, Carach Angren and Dimmu Borgir, blending it with a conventional dose of Black Metal and merging these auras with infernal Death Metal. Hence, as Defacing God are gearing up for the release this September of their debut opus The Resurrection of Lilith, the band has already unleashed upon us a few songs that will feature in the album just to give us a taste of how devilish and heavy it will be, and you can already succumb to the dark world ruled by Defacing God by listening to the songs Succumb the Euphoria, Monolith Of Apocalypse Arise, The Marked Ones, and Rise Of The Trinity, all available on Spotify by the way, also showcasing stunning, hypnotizing visuals thanks to the wicked mind of Lilith. Celebrating feminist power and sisterhood throughout Defacing God’s entire upcoming album, Sandie mentioned that the trinity formed of Abyzou, Jezebel and Lilith is the kind of catalysator who speaks for all cremated witches who never got a voice through times and history, strong and wise women have been slaughtered, molested, executed and abused, just because the herd were scared of their wisdom and free spirit.
As already mentioned, Sandie is highly inspired by Scandinavian metal as well as witchcraft and occultism, also nurturing a personal love for Black Metal, all expressed through the band’s upcoming stage performances and in many of her texts, representing her view of the world and her own experiences. “In the era of witch hunting (between the 15th and 18th centuries) it was only women who stood out from the crowd or perhaps knew something. They were not considered part of normality, and so they were burned – basically because the ‘masses’ did not understand them and were afraid of them. Today it is more acceptable to fall outside the norm. Actually, I think that it has become modern to be alternative – but no matter what, there will always be those who cannot or will not understand you, and you cannot and must not please everyone. That is really what is the message in the theme and what many of the texts can be analyzed down to. Therefore, we have decided that it must be a consistent theme throughout our expression,” commented Sandie in one of her interviews. Furthermore, among her favorite artist and bands, you’ll find some renowned acts the likes of Marduk, Lord Belial, Rotting Christ, Nile, Morbid Angel, Septicflesh, Dimmu Borgir, Cradle of Filth and Belzebubs, also being inspired by movies, books, games, ancient history and “dark places” that she has visited through time.
A proud Aalborg citizen, Sandie said that the metal community in her hometown and in the entire Denmark is quite strong, also saying that it houses a lot of talented solo musicians and great bands compared to other bigger countries. “The community is strong here in Aalborg, too, where I live. We, for example, have a big international festival, Aalborg Metal Festival, scheduled in November every year which is a great festival with lots of passionate, hard-working people behind. Through blood, sweat and tears they make this huge festival work each fucking year without complaints,” also mentioning concerts and festivals arranged by AR&M (Aalborg Rock & Metal) several times a year, where a bunch of hard-working volunteers line up for making the whole thing work as well. One interesting fact about Sandie and her Defacing God is the fact that in 2019 the band was booked for Viborg Metal Festival having only released one song at that time, which according to Sandie herself happened because some people behind the festival already knew her bandmates from other bands and trusted them to put on a great show regardless.
Although she hasn’t been involved with other bands prior to Defacing God, Sandie was a guest musician in the album To Live To Kill To Live, by Danish Heavy/Power Metal act Manticora, saying she loved the experience of collaborating with the band in their latest album. “This part I sang was supposed to be an evil Chinese aunt who killed her whole family due to jealousy. The more brutal, the better!” However, if you think her life is just surrounded by brutality, you might be really impressed by the quality work she used to do before focusing on her career as a musician. “After I finished high school, I took some exams related to business and straight after that I followed my vision (besides of the music) to become a social worker, specialized in young people with mental health diagnoses and social problems. I started to study my bachelor’s in social education and on the side I worked as a teacher,” she said in one of her interviews, also mentioning her passion for the beauty industry. She simply loves everything that has to do with makeup, skincare routines and the ways we can express ourselves in a visual and creative way, taking some exams in the beauty industry and having actually made a living off her own beauty firm, Gorgeous By Gjoertz, while at the same time taking a degree in service, hospitality and tourism management at University College in Aalborg. Not only that, she was also a self-employed insurance agent at one of Scandinavia’s biggest insurance companies, proving how unrelenting and full of energy she is. So, after all is said and done, what are you waiting for to renounce to your weak gods and succumb to the dark powers of a true goddess like Lilith?
“In the name of art there should no boundaries and everyone should have the freedom to be their own independent self, to explore and to express as they desire without being judged or oppressed.” – Sandie Gjørtz
After almost eight years, one of the torchbearers of Italian Dark Metal is back with a fantastic, multi-layered work that seals the artistic and human path of the band.
Almost eight years after the excellent Silence, Black/Gothic Metal entity Cadaveria, the creative alter-ego of Italian-based frontwoman Raffaella “Cadaveria” Rivarolo (one of the first women to hit the Extreme Metal scene in the early 90’s), is back with an exciting new album entitled Emptiness, a fantastic, multi-layered work that seals the artistic and human path of the band currently comprised of the aforementioned Cadaveria together with bassist Peter Dayton and drummer Marçelo Santos, plus guest guitarist Kris Laurent (Cadaveria, The Providence) and additional guitars by Pier Gonella (Athlantis, Necrodeath, Mastercastle). Recorded and mixed at Rrooaarr Sound Studio, mixed and mastered at Shadows Studios, produced by Cadaveria and Pier Gonella, and displaying a stylish artwork by Roberto Toderico, Emptiness represents a rebirth for Cavaderia after a three-year long pause from the scene during which Raffaella had to be treated for cancer, containing four singles digitally released between December 2020 and June 2021 alongside seven previously unreleased songs which combined will smoothly penetrate deep inside your mind in the name of rock and metal.
The band wastes no time and begins their sonic attack in The Great Journey, with Cadaveria’s raspy vocals being accompanied by the classic beast by Marçelo and the rumbling bass by Peter, followed by Shamanic Path, blending their core Gothic Metal with Death and Doom Metal nuances while Cadaveria does an excellent job with both her she-demon screams and anguished clean vocals. Then in the title-track Emptiness our beloved Cadaveria declaims the song’s poetic lyrics in a dark and sinister way while Kris fires traditional riffs that match perfectly with her voice; and Marçelo adds endless fury and heaviness with his drums to The Woman Who Fell to Earth, feeling utterly electrifying from start to finish. Cadaveria sounds truly possessed on vocals supported by her bandmates in Divination, with Marçelo kicking some ass behind his drums, while Matryoshcada is more sluggish and somber than its predecessors, with tons of groove flowing from Peter’s bass while Kris’ riffage sounds inspired by old school Black Sabbath.
In Silver Rain we’re treated to pensive words declaimed by Cadaveria (“The children of my thoughts are running / Away naked up to the hill / Your seeds will sprout inside me to enjoy new Springs together / My mind is clear I carry no weight, no pain on my shoulders / Your seeds will sprout inside me to enjoy new Springs together”) amidst a mesmerizing fusion of Dark and Gothic Metal, whereas Cadaveria and her henchmen continue to explore the realms of Dark Metal in The Cure, with her she-wolf roars walking hand in hand with the piercing guitars by Kris while also presenting the rawness and fury of Black Metal in its core essence. Strident riffs ignite the melancholic, sinister tune Life After, where Cadaveria flawlessly alternates between her raspy gnarls and mesmerizing clean vocals, therefore resulting in a beautiful creation by the band that depicts everything Dark Metal stands for; while in La Casa dell’Anima the fact the lyrics are in Italian is awesome, although the music is not as exciting as the rest of the album. Lastly, the band offers more of their darkened sounds in The Sky That Screams Above Us, a sluggish composition where Marçelo brings forward pure doom through his beats.
You can have a very good time by streaming Emptiness in its entirety on Spotify, and also by following Cadaveria on Facebook and on Instagram for news, tour dates and so on, by subscribing to their YouTube channel for not only more of their music but mainly for their top-notch official videos, and above all that, by purchasing a copy of Emptiness by clicking HERE or HERE. Our beloved diva Raffaella “Cadaveria” Rivarolo didn’t only beat the shit out of cancer, but she did that while at the same time she worked on the awesome music found in Emptiness, proving metal is and will always be the best treatment for any type of disease and also highly recommended for filling that emptiness we all have inside us. Thank you, Cadaveria, and may you keep embellishing the airwaves with your beautiful fusion of Gothic and Black Metal for many decades to come.
Best moments of the album: The Great Journey, Divination and Silver Rain.
Worst moments of the album:La Casa dell’Anima.
Released in 2022 Scarlet Records
Track listing 1. The Great Journey 4:55
2. Shamanic Path 5:10
3. Emptiness 5:00
4. The Woman Who Fell to Earth 5:52
5. Divination 3:07
6. Matryoshcada 5:09
7. Silver Rain 4:24
8. The Cure 4:52
9. Life After 4:35
10. La Casa dell’Anima 4:55
11. The Sky That Screams Above Us 5:33
A ruthless entity arises from the underworld with an obsessive and monolithic record, showcasing the boldness and rot of American death doom and the introspection and emotion of English death doom.
Formed in 2017 in Bologna, Italy, but currently scattered between Bologna and Tallinn, the capital of Estonia, the ruthless Death/Doom Metal entity known as Ferum (which means “wild”, “untamed” or “fierce” in Latin) is unleashing upon us all their debut full-length opus, entitled Asunder / Erode, following up on their 2018 EP Vergence. Recorded and mixed by the band’s drummer Are Kangus at Walter Productions, mastered by Dan Swanö, and displaying a fantastic cover art by Paolo Girardi (read more about the concept and process HERE), Asunder / Erode is a clear step forward in the career of vocalist and guitarist Samantha Alessi, bassist Matteo Anzelini and the aforementioned Are Kangus compared to their previous release, offering fans of heavy music an obsessive and monolithic record showcasing at the same time the boldness and rot of American death doom and the introspection and emotion of English death doom, with its slow, funereal riffs and cavernous atmosphere positioning it as one of the best albums of the genre of the past few years.
The massive, sluggish beats by Are kick off the thunderous opening tune Halfhead, with Samantha roaring deeply like a she-demon while also extracting sheer malignancy from her axe. In other words, it’s dark, sinister and somber just the way we like it in Doom Metal, which is also the case with The Undead Truth, featuring the iconic Mike Perun of Cianide on vocals, sounding even more demonic and grim with Samantha firing obscure riffs nonstop supported by the low-tuned bass by Matteo, not to mention how intricate and vibrant the drumming by Are is. Then continuing their path of old school, sulfurous Death and Doom Metal the trio brings forth the headbanging Desolate Vantaa, a song perfect for breaking your neck in half to the pounding drums by Are while Samantha darkly vociferates the song’s lyrics; and dark clouds are above us in the damned tune Belong, where Samantha and Matteo are in total sync with their stringed weapons, generating a menacing, reverberating sound tailored for admirers of the most obscure form of Doom Metal.
Get ready for almost seven minutes of infernal epicness in Monolithic Acquiescence, presenting elements from Blackened Doom in its core while remaining loyal to the foundations of Death Metal thanks to another awesome performance by Samantha on vocals; whereas investing in a more ferocious vibe, the trio delivers endless violence and heaviness in Entrails Of Linnahall, with Are dictating the song’s brutal pace while also alternating between pure Death Metal and slow, sinister passages. A deep roar by Samantha kicks off the Stygian extravaganza titled Resurgence In Bereavement, another dense, multi-layered composition showcasing Are’s classic Doom Metal beats, growing in intensity and fear until all fades into the void for our total delectation, while eerie vocalizations and minimalist sounds will darken our minds in Outro – Spesso Il Male Di Vivere Ho Incontrato, which is not a bad idea for an outro but it could have been slightly shorter to keep the energy level in the album even higher. Nothing to worry about, though, as in the end the album kicks some serious ass from start to finish.
As already mentioned, the wild and fierce hybrid of Death and Doom Metal blasted by Ferum in Asunder / Erode is a must-listen for anyone who enjoys a good dosage of obscurity and hatred in metal music, proving how focused the trio was while recording the album and, consequently, pointing to an exciting future ahead of them. Having said that, don’t forget to start following Samantha and the boys on Facebook and on Instagram for news, tour dates and other important information about the band, to purchase your copy of Asunder / Erode from the Avantgarde Music’s BandCamp page or from Sound Cave as a CD, a color vinyl or a black vinyl, and to stream all of their devilish arias on Spotify. Ferum are definitely on the right path to conquer the world of extreme music based on what they have to offer us all in their new album, leaving us eager (or I might even say desperate) for more of their music in a not-so-distant future.
Best moments of the album: Halfhead, Desolate Vantaa, Entrails Of Linnahall and Resurgence In Bereavement.
Worst moments of the album:Outro – Spesso Il Male Di Vivere Ho Incontrato.
Released in 2022 Unorthodox Emanations/Avantgarde Music
Track listing 1. Halfhead 5:24
2. The Undead Truth 6:28
3. Desolate Vantaa 5:15
4. Belong 5:23
5. Monolithic Acquiescence 6:53
6. Entrails Of Linnahall 5:24
7. Resurgence In Bereavement 6:39
8. Outro – Spesso Il Male Di Vivere Ho Incontrato 3:02
Band members Samantha Alessi – vocals, guitars
Matteo Anzelini – bass
Are Kangus – drums
Guest musician Mike Perun – vocals on “The Undead Truth”
Let’s bang our heads to the new EP by a Deathcore duo aiming at redefining what the Australian metal scene is capable of.
“They laugh at me because I am different… I laugh at them because they are all the same…”
Aiming at redefining what the Australian metal scene is capable of, Brisbane-based Deathcore duo As Paradise Falls (also known as APF) has been on a dark rollercoaster of pure emotion in the pursuit to find where they truly fit in the world both as people and as a band. After the releases of their 2014 debut EP Save Yourself and their 2017 debut full-length album Digital Ritual, As Paradise Falls dropped off the radar and halted the progress of the band with no explanation, but it looks like they’re back on track with their 2020 single Bleed for the Crown, and more important than that, with their brand new EP titled Madness / Medicine. Produced by Shane Edwards at Studio 28 in Thailand, Madness / Medicine is a new breed of Deathcore that has raised the archetype of heavy music, proving how talented vocalist Ravi Sherwell and guitarist Danny Kenneally are while also providing music lovers with a very good reason to bang their heads nonstop to the sound of the EP’s five incendiary tracks.
BATS is simply sinister and caustic from the very first second, where Ravi’s enraged, demonic vocals will pierce your mind mercilessly while Danny hammers his guitar in great fashion, resulting in a fantastic opener for the EP. If you’re a diehard fan of Deathcore you’ll fall in love for this tune without a shadow of a doubt, whereas Captain Hero is even more demented than its predecessor, with the heaviness exhaling from the song’s bass and drums being outstanding while the duo adds elements from classic Death and Groove Metal to their core sound to make things even more violent. Then we have KFBR392, slightly more alternative as if Slipknot ventured through the realms of Deathcore, where once again Ravi barks and roars like a demented beast while Danny will haunt your damned soul with his riffage; and get ready for another round of insanity and heaviness by As Paradise Falls entitled Mechanical Hannibals, a lecture in Deathcore showcasing all elements we love in the genre such as wicked vociferations, rumbling bass lines and pulverizing riffs. Finally, closing the EP we’re treated to two minutes of dementia in the form of TR4K 1, with Danny cutting our skin deep with his sick riffs, therefore inspiring us all to succumb to the dark side of Deathcore.
As already mentioned, As Paradise Falls want to show the world the Deathcore scene in Australia is stronger than ever, with their new EP representing that evolution and, consequently, where we should expect to see the duo in the coming years. Hence, you can keep track of all things As Paradise Falls by following the band on Facebook and on Instagram and by listening to more of their wicked creations on Spotify, and don’t forget to obviously purchase a copy of Madness / Medicine sooner than you can say “Deathcore” by clicking HERE. Hopefully, Ravi and Danny will continue to deliver awesomeness in their upcoming releases without having to put the band on hold again, expanding their reach to new, unexplored lands and showing the world what Australian Deathcore is all about, just like what they have to offer us all in their entertaining new release.
Best moments of the album: BATS and Mechanical Hannibals.
Behold this 34-minute aural declaration of war toward the insignificance of all terrain things masterfully crafted by a dynamic duo from Greece.
Born in the beginning of 2021 in Athens, Greece with the intent of creating sprawling, otherworldly abstract Death Metal embraced with lyrics about chaos, death and nightmarish realms and states of consciousness, the ruthless Black/Death Metal duo Necro on guitars and vocals and Noctus on bass and vocals, collectively known as Anticreation, emerges from the abysses of hell with their colossal debut album From the Dust of Embers, a 34-minute aural declaration of war toward the insignificance of all terrain things. Recorded, mixed and mastered at Descent Studio, and with layout by Cold Poison an logo and inner parts by Nox Fragor Art, From The Dust Of Embers is an imposing beast levitating with an immense aura of complete ruin and inevitability highly recommended for fans of Pseudogod, Immolation, Dead Congregation and Lucifyre, showcasing all the fury of Necro and Noctus accompanied by guest musicians Krzysztof Klingbein on drums and Slanderer on ambient and noise tracks.
The sinister intro Faith’s Demystifcation welcomes the listener to the Stygian lair ruled by Anticreation before the duo comes crushing in the title-track From the Dust of Embers, a straight-to-the-point, no shenanigans Black Metal onrush where Krzysztof proves why he was chosen by Necro and Noctus to take care of the drumming duties, and with Necro being not only bestial on the guitar but his guttural vocals are also infernal. Then starting in a beyond phantasmagorical manner, the obscure The Beauty of Lava brings forward elements from Doom Metal and Blackened Doom to make things even more menacing, with Noctus hammering his bass mercilessly, and the duo continues to extract sheer malignancy from their stringed weapons in Abomination Reborn while Krzysztof dictates the pace with his pounding beats. Put differently, it’s sulfurous Black Metal at its finest spiced up by a humongous dosage of Death Metal roars, whereas The Last Perception sounds even more demented and vicious than its predecessors, resulting in a Black Metal extravaganza where Necro’s strident, devilish riffs will pierce your mind ruthlessly.
Krzysztof smashes his drums like a beast in A Journey Into the Throat of Death, giving it a tribalistic vibe while the guitars and bass sound as caustic as possible, flowing into the interlude The Swarm, which will send shivers down your spine thanks to all the eerie, otherworldly noises and sounds crafted by Anticreation until all hell breaks loose in Unborn, a brutal Black Metal aria where Necro and Noctus once again darken our minds with their riffs and bass lines, not to mention how inhumane Krzysztof sounds behind his drums. Kathagiasis, the last song from the regular version of the album, showcases wicked vociferations by Necro accompanied by the menacing bass by Noctus, whereas lastly we’re treated to more of their caustic fusion of Black and Death Metal that’s worth the investment in the digital version of the album with the bonus track The Supreme Terror, which as its name already says will terrorize you for all eternity.
There’s no light at the end of the tunnel for your damned soul, which means the only option left for you is to succumb to the dark side and join Anticreation on their devilish path, and you can do so by following the band on Facebook and by purchasing the amazing From The Dust Of Embers from the band’s own BandCamp page, as well as from the Sentient Ruin Laboratories’ BandCamp page or webstore, or from the Nuclear Winter Records’ BandCamp page. In the end, we’re all insignificant, and Anticreation are among us to show us this unwanted truth armed with From The Dust Of Embers, an album that will surely be considered one of the top metal albums hailing from Greece this year.
Best moments of the album: From the Dust of Embers, Abomination Reborn and Unborn.
Worst moments of the album:The Beauty of Lava.
Released in 2022 Sentient Ruin Laboratories/Nuclear Winter Records
Track listing 1. Faith’s Demystifcation 0:45
2. From the Dust of Embers 4:04
3. The Beauty of Lava 5:44
4. Abomination Reborn 4:48
5. The Last Perception 4:10
6. A Journey Into the Throat of Death 4:33
7. The Swarm 0:45
8. Unborn 4:26
9. Kathagiasis 4:37
Digital Edition bonus track 10. The Supreme Terror 3:16
Band members Necro – guitars, vocals
Noctus – bass, vocals
Guest musicians Krzysztof Klingbein – drums
Slanderer – ambient/noise tracks
The best and most infernal Death Metal band in the history of Brazil returns with their twelfth studio album, celebrating the death of the sun with ten tracks of pure aggressiveness and fury.
Four years after the release of their 2018 album Scourge of the Enthroned, Brazilian Death Metal masters Krisiun are back from the pits of the underworld from their hometown Ijui, located in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, with their impressive twelfth studo opus, entitled Mortem Solis, which is Latin for “death of the sun”. Recorded at Family Mob Studios, mixed and mastered by Mark Lewis at Audiohammer Studios, and displaying a sinister, stylish artwork by renowned Brazilian artist Marcelo Vasco, Mortem Solis has all the elements that turned Krisiun into one of the best Death Metal bands in the world, and by far the best one hailing from Brazil, plus an additional dosage of aggressiveness and fury by vocalist and bassist Alex Camargo, guitarist Moyses Kolesne and drummer Max Kolesne to always keep their music fresh, darkening the skies even more with their undisputed, first-class Extreme Metal.
Sworn Enemies is utterly sinister and demonic from the very first second with Max showcasing all his dexterity and rage behind his drums, or in other words, it’s ass-kicking Krisiun to properly start the album, with Alex vociferating the song’s Stygian lyrics flawlessly. Alex’s bass will make the earth tremble in Serpent Messiah while Moyses hammers his guitar nonstop, extracting sheer obscurity and aggressiveness from it and therefore sounding brutal from start to finish just the way we like it in old school death; and the band’s undisputed Death Metal keeps permeating the air in Swords into Flesh, another infernal, detailed and very technical creation by the trio with Max sounding like a stone crusher on drums. Then the rumbling, menacing bass by Alex ignites the heavy-as-hell Necronomical, highly recommended for breaking your neck in half headbanging together with the band, whereas there’s no time to breathe as Krisiun keep decimating our senses in Tomb of the Nameless, where Moyses is on total freakin’ fire with both his sick riffage and piercing solos.
The instrumental, atmospheric interlude Dawn Sun Carnage (Intro) will captivate your mind before the trio comes back into the battlefield in Temple of the Abattoir, starting in a somber manner to the minimalist guitars by Moyses before his bandmates join him in a hurricane of Death Metal that will smash you like an insect. By the way, kudos do Max once again for never sounding tired on vocals, always roaring like a true beast, and the trio fires a first-class fusion of violence and harmony in the Death Metal extravaganza War Blood Hammer, where brothers Moyses and Max provide Alex with everything he needs to bark manically, resulting in one of the most pulverizing of all tracks. Their second to last explosion of Death Metal made in Brazil, entitled As Angels Burn, will inspire you to slam into the circle pit like there’s no tomorrow mainly due to the demented drumming by the beyond talented Max, while lastly we’re treated to more heaviness, obscurity and savagery in Worm God, putting a pulverizing conclusion to an album that doesn’t have a single second of boredom.
The bold, incendiary music found in Mortem Solis can be appreciated in all of its glory on Spotify, but if I were you I would definitely add such amazing album to my personal collection of evil by clicking HERE. Also, don’t forget to give the guys form Krisiun a shout on Facebook and on Instagram, where you can stay up to date with all things Krisiun including their upcoming tour dates, and to subscribe to their YouTube channel for more of their wicked creations. As already mentioned, the best and most infernal Death Metal band in the history of Brazil is back in action with their awesome new album, celebrating the death of the sun with ten tracks of pure aggressiveness, wrath and obscurity, and I’m sure you’ll be more than happy to join them in this darkened feast of classic Death Metal.
Best moments of the album: Swords into Flesh, Tomb of the Nameless and War Blood Hammer.
Worst moments of the album: None.
Released in 2022 Century Media
Track listing 1. Sworn Enemies 3:46
2. Serpent Messiah 5:10
3. Swords into Flesh 4:19
4. Necronomical 4:12
5. Tomb of the Nameless 4:28
6. Dawn Sun Carnage (Intro) 1:33
7. Temple of the Abattoir 5:22
8. War Blood Hammer 4:07
9. As Angels Burn 3:08
10. Worm God 4:41
Band members Alex Camargo – bass, vocals
Moyses Kolesne – guitar
Max Kolesne – drums
The iconic João Gordo and his crew show no mercy for the absolute disaster that’s the current Brazilian government, bringing to us all a true masterpiece of Punk Rock and Hardcore.
If you take a quick look at the current political, economic and environmental situation in Brazil, you’ll notice things are not going well. Quite the contrary, the whole situation is Brazil is beyond delicate and catastrophic, and that’s the main reason as to why São Paulo, Brazil-based Hardcore/Punk Rock veterans Ratos de Porão have just released the fantastic Necropolítica, or “necropolitics” in English, their thirteenth studio album and their first since the 2014 album Século Sinistro. Known for their rebelliousness and acid lyrics since their inception in the distant year of 1981, vocalist João Gordo, guitarist Jão, bassist Juninho and drummer Boka show absolutely no mercy for the nasty, disastrous government of Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro throughout the entire album, dealing with topics such as the rising far-right movement in the country, the countless deaths during the Covid-19 pandemic, and the strong negative impact of the influence of the country’s evangelical church in all of the decisions taken by Bolsonaro and his horde of ignorants, all wrapped up by a sinister artwork designed by Rafael Gabrio, who intentionally made it very similar to Black Sabbath’s cult cover for Sabbath Bloody Sabbath, as personally requested by João Gordo himself.
The sound of a dying patient using a mechanical ventilator kick off the absolutely vicious Alerta Antifascista (“anti-fascist alert”), where Boka smashes his drums ruthlessly offering João Gordo exactly what he needs to vociferate the song’s austere lyrics, whereas Aglomeração (“agglomeration”) is a freakin’ awesome Punk Rock and Hardcore creation by the quartet where Jão is on absolute fire with his demented riffs, or in other words, simply slam into the circle pit and “pray for Jesus” to protect you in there (without a mask, of course). More melodic and dancing than its predecessors, Passa Pano Pra Elite (“cover up for the elite”) is an excellent option for their live performances where the bass jabs by Juninho complement Jão’s solos flawlessly, followed by the title-track Necropolítica (“necropolitics”), a fast and furious extravaganza that matches perfectly with the current actions of the Brazilian government, with João Gordo blasting his trademark roars nonstop. It’s almost like a new “national anthem” for the country, which can also be said about Guilhotinado em Cristo (“guillotined in Christ”), offering us all another round of their old school Punk Rock and Hardcore with Thrash and Death Metal elements while Boka once again hammers his drums like a beast.
The band once again adds hints of Rockabilly to their core sonority (and the final result is brilliant) in O Vira-Lata (“the mutt”), with Jão and Juninho being yet again in absolute sync with their stringed weapons while João Gordo sends all his “love” to Bolsonaro and his hideous family. G.D.O. actually means “gado”, the Portuguese word for “cattle” which is how the followers of Bolsonaro are called, and the music gets back to a more frantic, demented sonority while João Gordo talks about how harmful all fake news spread by those idiots can be to the society; followed by Bostanágua, or “bosta na água” (“shit in the water”), a play word with Bolsonaro’s name, a straightforward, in-your-face Hardcore tune where João Gordo keeps barking rabidly while Boka dictates the song’s electrifying pace. Entubado (“intubated”) is a song about the horrible situation that happened in the city of Manaus, in the middle of the Amazon, where due to a total lack of support from the government several people sadly died without oxygen during the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic, and the music is not only brutal but perfectly depicts all that despair; and lastly, Neonazi Gratiluz, with “gratiluz” being the combination of the words “gratitude” and “luz”, or “gratitude” and “light”, is a way to refer to the Brazilian white supremacist elite who believes they’re better than everyone else and who keep sending “good vibes” to everyone (when in fact they’re not). Needless to say, Jão slashes his guitar in great fashion accompanied by the classic beats by Boka throughout the entire song, culminating in the perfect conclusion to such meaningful album.
It doesn’t matter if you don’t understand a single word in Portuguese, Necropolítica is a must-listen for any fan of heavy music, and you can enjoy the album in full on Spotify, as well as show your total support to Ratos de Porão by following them on Facebook and on Instagram, and by purchasing their newborn beast from their own webstore or by clicking HERE. To be honest, based on the endless crimes committed by Bolsonaro and his henchmen and all the garbage he vomits everyday to the press, I think Ratos de Porão might need to record parts II, III, IV, and so on of Necropolítica, which despite being really sad news for Brazil as a country, it’s a good thing for the world of Punk Rock, Hardcore and Heavy Metal. Hopefully the evil Bolsonaro won’t be re-elected this year and Ratos de Porão can get back to their less obscure lyrics in their future albums, but we must all admit Necropolítica is a masterpiece of Brazilian rock music that will always remind us of the dark times Brazil is living right now.
Best moments of the album: Aglomeração, Necropolítica, O Vira-Lata and Neonazi Gratiluz.
The legendary Portuguese purveyors of extremity celebrate 25 years of existence with a new opus featuring 19 tracks of flesh rending Brutal Death Metal and skin flaying Grindcore.
Featuring 19 tracks of flesh rending Brutal Death Metal and skin flaying Grindcore, Crueza Ferina, meaning “ferocious cruelty”, is the sixth full-length album from legendary Portuguese purveyors of extremity, pioneers of brutality, Porto-based horde Holocausto Canibal, highly recommended for fans of Haemorrhage, Nasum, Lay Down Rotten and Cliteater, among others. Utterly unstoppable and completely irresistible, Crueza Ferina was produced and engineered by João Ribeiro and mastered by Brad Boatright at Audiosiege Mastering Studio, sounding absolutely devastating from start to finish while adorned in the shocking image of a dead pig killed in a barbaric ritual of traditional slaughter. Far from their sadistic imaginations turning to the torture of animals though, vocalist Orca, guitarist António C., bassist Z. Pedro and drummer Diogo P. have embraced a vegan philosophy, with Z. Pedro telling Loud Magazine in a recent interview that “for us, the only blood we continue to accept to see is human”.
Over one minute of an infernal screeching pig ignites the opening tune Ad Bizarrem Morem before the band begins hammering their instruments in such demented intro, setting the tone for Êxodo Mortuoso, or “deadly exodus”, featuring guest guitars by Robert Vigna of Immolation, a lecture in Brutal Slammin’ Death Metal led by the inhumane gnarls by Orca and the razor-edged riffs by António. Epicédio Madrigaz (“madrigaz epic”) is as pulverizing as its predecessor where Diogo sounds bestial behind his drums, offering Orca exactly what he needs to crush our souls with his deep guttural, whereas Sinaxe do Sepúlcro Tafófobo (“synax of the taphophobic sepulcher”) lives up to the legacy of old school Grindcore with a D-Beat Crust touch, showcasing a sensational performance by António with his incendiary axe. Then drinking from the same fountain as Cannibal Corpse in their early days, Z. Pedro blasts his bass manically making the earth tremble together with Diogo’s massive beats in Ancestrais Ritos Hipóxicos (“ancestrals hypoxic rites”), and it’s time to slam into the circle pit in the name of Grindcore to the sound of Apresto Executório (“executive preparatory”), with António once again slashing our ears with his riffage. Diogo takes the lead one more time in the venomous Aniquilação Suídea (“swine annihilation”), sounding absolutely heavy and devastating from start to finish while spiced up by Orca’s visceral growling, followed by Ávida Tragação (“avid gulp”), keeping the album at a high level of dementia and gore and being perfect for breaking your neck headbanging like a true beast. And Congregação da Flama Felídea (“congregation of the felid flame’) is yet another fast and furious creation by Holocausto Canibal where Diogo sounds utterly possessed behind his drums accompanied by the ass-kicking guitars by António.
Psicótico Interlúdio (“psychotic interlude”) is an instrumental bridge that provides Orca with a break before he comes back ripping in Anátemas Nefandos (“nefarious anathemas”), bringing forward less than 40 seconds that will certainly crush your cranial skull so heavy and frantic it is; while Esquartejado em Segundos (“quartered in seconds”) is even shorter and more brutal than the previous songs with its 25 seconds of sheer savagery. In Prenúncios da Vingança Cavicórnea (“harbingers of cavernous revenge”) the band is back to their streak of “longer” songs, with Diogo’s blast beats hitting you in the head mercilessly, and there’s no time to breathe as the band continues their sonic devastation in Suprema Dominância Taurina (“supreme taurine dominance”), with António, Z. Pedro and Diogo being in a beyond blackened sync while the song’s ending sounds like the soundtrack to a gore flick. The band darken the skies with the truculent Campas do Negro Breu (“pitch black graves”), offering us all Brutal Death Metal at its finest spearheaded by the flammable riffage by António while Orca keeps vociferating the song’s evil words like there’s no tomorrow; and Girândolas da Agonia Profunda (“whirlwinds of deep agony”) is as deranged and heavy as it can be, showcasing another round of sheer brutality blasted by Z. Pedro and Diogo with their demonic kitchen, followed by Miasmas Onanizantes (“onanizing miasmas”), another song that lasts for less than a minute but that is enough for Holocausto Canibal to smash us all with their infuriated sounds. António leads his bandmates with his metallic riffs in Quérulo dos Finados (“kerulus of the dead”), a song that will certainly leave you completely disoriented after all is said and done, and the venomous bass jabs by Z. Pedro dictate the rhythm in the closing tune Sortilégio da Perversão (“perversion spell”), less puissant than the rest of the album but still brutal and grim.
If you think you have what it takes to face the brutality, heaviness and grind blasted by Holocausto Canibal throughout their hellish new album, you can purchase it from the Selfmadegod Records’ BandCamp or webstore as a regular CD or as a CD + shirt bundle, adding an extra touch of violence and gore to your personal collection. Hence, don’t forget to also follow those Portuguese butchers on Facebook and on Instagram for news, tour dates and other nice-to-know info about their career and their music, and to stream all of their wicked creations on YouTube and on Spotify. Put differently, brace yourselves for impact and let’s celebrate 25 years of utter extremity with Holocausto Canibal to the sound of their visceral new album, as the band remains as unflinching and uncompromising as ever.
Best moments of the album: Êxodo Mortuoso, Aniquilação Suídea, Congregação da Flama Felídea and Campas do Negro Breu.
Worst moments of the album:Psicótico Interlúdio and Sortilégio da Perversão.
Musically and lyrically evolved, Swedish Melodic Death Metal masters Soilwork are back with their twelfth studio album, entitled Övergivenheten, the follow-up to the amazing Verkligheten and one of their most complex and elaborate albums to date, strengthening their legacy even more in the world of heavy music. Recorded and produced by Thomas “Plec” Johansson and Soilwork at Nordic Sound Lab, and mixed and mastered by the same Thomas “Plec” Johansson at The Panic Room (assisted by Simon Eliasson and Viktor Brunö), Övergivenheten, which means “abandonment” in Swedish, deals with darker thoughts that have shaped the band itself and affected the development process of the album. The personal struggles align with social difficulties outside of the band, all embraced by the first-class, sharp music beautifully crafted by frontman Björn “Speed” Strid, guitarists Sylvain Coudret and David Andersson, bassist Rasmus Ehrnborn, keyboardist Sven Karlsson, and drummer Bastian Thusgaard.
Needless to say, Soilwork did it again, kicking some serious ass with their undisputed Melodic Death Metal throughout the entire Övergivenheten while always loyal to their core essence (even when experimenting with new elements and sounds). Hence, don’t forget to check what the band is up to on Facebook and on Instagram, to subscribe to their official YouTube channel for their official videos, to stream more of their top-of-the-line creations on Spotify, and above all that, to grab your favorite version of Övergivenheten by clicking HERE or HERE. Övergivenheten is one of those albums that not only represents what Soilwork are all about, but it also emanates a sharp and strong energy that’s the result of all of the aforementioned personal struggles from the band members, proving once again heavy music is always the best remedy for any type of adverse situation.
THE HEADBANGING MOOSE 