ALBUM REVIEW: Entrails - “World Inferno”

By: Richard Maw

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 16/06/2017

Label: Metal Blade Records

I can't find any fault with this album from intense opener to epic closer of “The Blood Breed”, the band don't put a foot wrong. This is raging death metal, plain and simple

“World Inferno” CD//DD//LP track listing:

1. World Inferno
2. Condemned to the Grave
3. Serial Murder (Death Squad)
4. The Soul Collector
5. Dead and Buried
6. Insane Slaughter
7. Into Eternal Fire
8. Suffer
9. The Hour of the Casket
10. The Blood Breed

The Review:

Hot on the heels of the latest Paganizer album comes this absolute treat of Swe-death from the 100% reliable Entrails. This is raging death metal, plain and simple. If last outing “Obliteration” was finely crafted and even a little (just a little) restrained in places, this is feral and completely unfettered by any kind of restraint.

That's not to say that there aren't songs here, there most certainly are. The title track opener is catchy and perfectly honed in terms of riffs and hooks. That Boss HM-2 sound is firmly present and correct. Sound wise, this perhaps harks back to “Raging Death” more than “Obliteration” as it features bludgeoning drums, chainsaw guitars and distorted bass of monumentally gnarly proportions. Once again, there are no weak tracks here; “Condemned to the Grave” is a chugging beast that offers a slight change of pace, while elsewhere there are genuinely catchy moments in “Serial Murder (Death Squad)” with its echoes of ATG in the riffage, neck snapping rhythms on “Dead and Buried” and outright carnage on “Insane Slaughter” after the atmospheric intro.

There are slower stomping moments here and there and the band can swing when it wants to; “The Soul Collector” and “Into Internal Fire” are both fine examples. All tracks are focused and none stray below three and a half minutes or beyond six. Always exponents of thrash pacing and mid tempos rather than insane blasts, Entrails can concentrate nicely on the songs and vibe instead of out and out speed- refreshingly old school to my ears.

Of course, the shadows of Entombed and Dismember are ever present, but so what? If you are going to operate in a sub-genre, only the best references are relevant. The likes of “Suffer” would slot perfectly onto anything great recorded by the aforementioned bands. Honestly, I can't find any fault with this album from intense opener to epic closer of “The Blood Breed”, the band don't put a foot wrong. Between Paganizer and Entrails, we are being spoilt by the quality of Swedish death metal right now. Buy both records and head bang non-stop.

“World Inferno”is available now

Band info: facebook

FFO: Entombed, Grave, Dismember, Paganizer

ALBUM REVIEW: Paganizer - "Land of Weeping Souls"

By: Richard Maw

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 05/08/2017

Label: Transcending Obscurity

Rogga Johansson shows no sign of letting up at all; another album, another line up, another master class in Swedish death metal. This is absolutely business as usual for Paganizer, possibly the finest and purest exponents of this type of metal around. Highly recommended.

“Land of Weeping Souls” CD//DD//LP track listing:

1). Your Suffering Will Be Legendary

2). Dehumanized

3). Forlorn Dreams

4). Land of Weeping Souls

5). The Insanity Never Stops

6). Selfdestructor

7). Death Addicts Posthumous

8). The Buried Undead

9). Soulless Feeding Machine

10). Prey to Death

The Review:

Paganizer return with this first full length since 2013. This pleases me immensely, as they have been consistent purveyors of the finest Swedish Death Metal for close to twenty years. This record does not disappoint at all. After the exhaustively excellent “Twenty Years In A Terminal Grip” best of and the superb “On The Outskirts of Hades” EP, I thought the band were going to deliver.

Sure enough, they have. Impressively. You get rolling blasts, thrash pacing, chainsaw riffing and reassuringly deathly vocals, and all that in opener “Your Suffering Will Be Legendary”! The band don't put a foot wrong over the course of these ten tracks; “Dehumanized” is as dark as it is pacey, rolling bass drums are a feature of “Forlorn Dreams”, the lead work is fantastic throughout, the sound is great and vicious.

Truly, Paganizerare still at the top of their game and are as devastating as ever. What shines through on the album is the song writing. Paganizer know how to write great death metal and also to make some oddly catchy hooks here and there, to go with surprisingly catchy riffs. The title track is an effective demonstration of the band's power, while “The Insanity Never Sleeps” has got everything any fan of real Swe-death could want- including the sound of a gun being cocked (essential to a death metal album).

The latter half of the album is just as intense and just as gnarly; “Selfdestructor” allows for a slithering opening riff before more choppy fair comes in. There is no let up through the remaining four tracks, either; “Death AddictsPosthumous” is thrashy stuff and “The Buried Undead” is very deathly indeed (kind of like Bolt Thrower, but sped up a little). “Soulless Feeding Machine”and “Prey To Death” deliver two sharp shots of death  to finish this impressive set.

Rogga Johansson shows no sign of letting up at all; another album, another line up, another master class in Swedish death metal. This is absolutely business as usual for Paganizer, possibly the finest and purest exponents of this type of metal around. Highly recommended.

“Land of Weeping Souls” is available here

Band info: bandcamp|| facebook

FFO: Grave, Down Among The Dead Men, Ribspreader, Entrails

11 IS ONE LOUDER: Gatecreeper front man Chase H. Mason aka Hellahammer chooses his Top 5 Death Metal Records

In October 2016, Arizonanewcomers GATECREEPERdelivered their stunning new album, 9 colossal tracks of low-end, old-school death metal that would form the basis of their ferocious 'Sonoran Depravation' album.

Having devastated the underground since their formation less than three years ago, GATECREEPER unleashed their first full-length to widespread acclaim.  Produced by Ryan Bram at Homewrecker Studios and mixed by the master Kurt Ballou (Converge, Nails, Black Breath) at God City Studios.

 'Sonoran Depravation' is a 30+ minutes infusion of crusty, doom-soaked death metal at its most infectious and uncompromising, indeed when they use melodies they're more creepy than pretty. They seem to only be there to allow you to catch your breath before they sit on your chest and start punching you in the face again.  With a sound that calls to mind the classic Swedish death metal bands Dismember and Gravemixed with the impeccable groove of Obituary and Bolt Thrower.   Anybody into extreme music should be able to enjoy the simple brutality and groove this band offer. 

With the band slowly carving a name for themselves within the scene, we caught up with front man Chase aka Hellahammer to talk through his top 5 Death metal albums, as we take things to the extreme, by cranking it to 11.  Why do we go to 11, “It’s one louder, isn’t it?”

Grave – “Into The Grave"

Gravecame out swinging with this debut LP. Caveman death metal from Sweden. Simple heavy riffs with just enough groove on top of some very entertaining drumming. This album taught me that it’s ok to throw in some low-key mosh riffs once in a while.

Dismember– “Massive Killing Capacity”

I know this one isn’t commonly considered Dismember’s finest work, but it’s definitely my favorite. They changed their song writing a bit on this one to adopt more of a “rock” approach and the vocals are a little more “shouty” but I think it all works perfectly. So many catchy riffs! Every song has multiple sections where I can’t help air guitar-ing or singing along. I listen to this album at least once a week and it never gets old.

Deicide– “Once Upon The Cross”

Perfect death metal album. It’s blasphemous, hard, and most importantly, catchy! It’s not an easy feat to make things catchy in death metal without sounding corny and this record has hooks all over the place.

Sentenced– “Shadows of Past”

I feel like this album doesn’t get the recognition that it deserves. Finland put out a lot of good death metal, but this one is definitely my favorite LP. It is the perfect mix of Obituary, Bolt Thrower, and “Leprosy”-era Death. There are huge chunky riffs combined with catchy and memorable leads. I love everything about it including the title’s poor grammar and the Middle School art class colored pencil cover (both of which were changed for the re-issue… shake my head). This album is a definitely a huge influence on what we do in Gatecreeper.

Death– “Leprosy”

“Leprosy” is what I would consider THE classic death metal album. This album will continue to be emulated as long as death metal exists

Band info: bandcamp || facebook