UNLEASHED - As Yggdrasil Trembles
April 7, 2010, 14 years ago
(Nuclear Blast)
From the bounce of the opening ‘Courage Today, Victory Tomorrow’, it’s evident Johnny Hedlund and his long running Swedish death metallers (next year will celebrate two decades since the Where No Life Dwells debut) are seeking to further increase the musicianship, particularly the guitars (an already blistering ‘This Time We Fight’ breaks into solo mode and ‘Dead To Me’ bears witness). Perhaps they’re trying to blur the lines between themselves and successful countrymen Amon Amarth? Lyrically and now musically, there are similarities! The chorus to a dynamic ranged ‘Wir Kapitulieren Niemals’ features a repetitive chant of “Viking death metal” throughout, even as it slows to a doomy grind. ‘Return Fire’ breaks the Scandic mold (“Battalions lock n load, guns ready, aim, fire”), opting for mechanized warfare, but still gallops along musically. Nice little widdly guitar effect in ‘So It Begins’, while power is the name of the game in the bruising mid-tempo title track. That classic ‘Dungeons Of Pleasure’ (Nasty Savage) guitar tone has been resurrected for ‘Far Beyond Hell’. The closing ‘Cannibalistic Epidemic Continues’ is a none too veiled reference to Christianity’s rite of Communion. Due mostly to more varied offerings (read: greater number of slower tunes), this isn’t quite up to the mastery of Hammer Battalion, yet is a worthy partner to it and Midvinterblot.
