Description

2023 remastered press on yellow orange marbled vinyl

Dismember have always been a band to try new things with each album that they put together; this one is no exception to that claim. Their ability to merge heavy riffs with melody and not overdue either section of their song structures is truly a wonder to behold. Bands like Dismember are the ones that define the real meaning of what melodic death metal is all about. Dismember focus first on constructing death metal while the melody is simply the icing on the cake. Possessing jaw-dropping breakdowns through storms of lava-like melodies that show that this band does not fuck around when it comes to playing melo-death for true bastards. Unlike many death metal bands that keep the connotation running that everything has to be chaotic and fast, Dismember break away from that trend and decide to use their sense of rhythm instead; making for unlimited compositional options as well as some solid hooks. While the breaks sometimes lead into pure rage and chaos of blast beats and heavy strumming, the entire entity of their music offers more of a sense of clarity in a way that the music is actually going somewhere, instead of just throwing in random speed riffs to hold the songs together. Differing from “Like an Ever Flowing Stream” and “Indecent and Obscene,” the production is significantly grimier and has more of a rusty feel. Despite the somewhat different mix style, I happen to like the change for this album, and I can not imagine listening to it any other way. The part that really stands out to me about this is Matti’s vocals – they sound as if they’re performed in more of a belching manner, rather than growling. The guitars churn with unique metallic growls of their own, similar to a tag-team of killers brandishing rusty chainsaws. For the majority, this is a pretty aggressive album; it flows with the anger and sorrow of a soldier in a war as he frantically searches about for means to stay alive in a living Hell. Aside from the adrenaline that the aggressive parts pump this album with, there is a definite sad point in this album, which is a reminder that no war is fought without casualties or sacrifice. Listen to “Life – Another Shape of Sorrow,” and tell me that’s not one of the most coherent representations of the word ‘sorrow’ in death metal. God damn that is something else! Could it be the epic climax of the album? You’re damn right it is. Are you bored of all of the endless death metal remakes which sound like copy bands of Morbid Angel? If you want real death metal that makes In Flames look like pussies and makes Deicide look like a bunch of newbies, then go for a Dismember album closest to you. This is awesome and prudent work on behalf of the kings of Swedeath. Check it out some time.

Track listing:
1. I Saw Them Die
2. Massive Killing Capacity
3. On Frozen Fields
4. Crime Divine
5. To The Bone
6. Wardead
7. Hallucigenia
8. Collection By Blood
9. Casket Garden
10. Nenia
11. Life – Another Shape Of Sorrow