Bloodbath – Ressurection Through Carnage
“Resurrection Through Carnage” is my runner-up for album of last year. Mike Akerfeldt (Opeth), Dan Swano (EOS/Nightingale/countless others), Anders “Blackheim” Nystrom (Katatonia/Diabolical Masquerade) and Jonas Renske (Katatonia/October Tide) have returned to create music again under the Bloodbath banner of dripping gore after the outstanding fan response of this supergroup’s initial trip back in time with the “Breeding Death” MCD. Regarding that mini slab… I liked it for the nostalgia and the members obvious love of, and preservation of traditional Swedish death metal, but it did seem like the songs were thrown together as a product of a weekend worth of beer, stories and fun. The depth and overall attention to creating “songs” with impact just wasn’t there. This is why I’ve been so completely blown away by “Resurrection…” The songs are actually very memorable and highly developed. Every track is a mighty meathook to the torso with grooved out hooks, excellent tempo diversity and a de-tuned punch that is literally crackling off the disc from an ingenious guitar tone. Anders has created a very sick sound, clear, yet 10 times uglier than Carnage or the old Entombed buffalo buzz rig tone. From mid-paced grooves as the infectious “Like Fire”, to the inferno through dried corpses speed of “Ways to the Grave”, inspired harmonies and interesting turns in this simplistically structured music lead the way for the deep and penetrating death moans of Akerfeldt to further reinforce the tasteful, though crushing brutality. My only complaint with this album is the Pro Tools, clicky/computerized drum sound (this sadly kills the bottom end room ambience), but the material is so well written that this point is swiftly forgotten as one becomes possessed by the superior old school death that easily matches the excellence of albums released by Carnage, Entombed, Unleashed and of course Grave. It has been an eternity since I’ve heard this much ingenuity coming from a band that hails the old times and it has rejuvenated my death worship. – Marty
CENTURY MEDIA
Worm Gear 