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May 17, 2012 |
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01. Cancer Of The Soul
02. Brave New Hell
03. Soul Evisceration
04. Outnumbering The Day
05. Feeding The Undead
06. Eaten
07. Bastard Son Of God
08. Year Of The Cadaver Race
09. The Ascension
10. Draped In Disease
11. Stillborn Saviour
12. Blood Vortex
13. Breeding Death (Demo) (Bonus Track)
14. Ominous Bloodvomit (Demo) (Bonus Track)
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Death metal has progressed a lot in recent years, becoming much more than just the generic style we're all used to hearing. This is largely due to the growing number of talented bands that are brave enough to defy what could be called "normal" in brutal music, and take it one step further. Swedish super group BLOODBATH are the perfect example. Their first full-length release, "Resurrection Through Carnage", was one of 2002's biggest surprises if you ask me, and still remains high up there on my list of favorites. It really was a pleasant change from the normal-sounding death metal releases I've heard over and over again. Not that I ever get bored with death metal, because I don't, but that effort was a prime example of what you'll get with a talented bunch of guys like BLOODBATH all playing together on a single recording.
Well, here we are with BLOODBATH's second studio effort, "Nightmares Made Flesh". The album was originally released in Europe last September, but it's finally being unleashed in North America this month (March 8) and features two bonus tracks plus alternate cover artwork by Wes Benscoter. The core members remain intact - Dan Swanö (EDGE OF SANITY, NIGHTINGALE), Anders Nyström (KATATONIA, DIABOLICAL MASQUERADE), Jonas Renkse (KATATONIA, OCTOBER TIDE) - but ultra-growler Mikael Åkerfeldt was unable to carry on with the band (due to a busy touring schedule with his main band OPETH). Joining the fold are vocalist/producer extraordinaire Peter Tägtgren (HYPOCRISY, PAIN) and new skinsman Martin Axenrot (WITCHERY, SATANIC SLAUGHTER). We also see multi-talented Dan Swanö making the switch from the drum kit over to the guitar, who joins Nyström for a double-axe assault.
Now, naturally, when you get a guy like Tägtgren offering his talents to a project such as this, you're bound to get results no matter what direction the music takes.
I'll admit that I thought Mikael Åkerfeldt's vocals were more fitting for the first album, but man, Tägtgren does not disappoint on this one at all. What can I say? The guy just has the ability to excel at whatever he does, and this just adds yet another triumph to his long list of achievements. His vocals here sound quite a bit different than in HYPOCRISY, but there is that clear distinction that lets you know it's him in the flesh. The players themselves perform equally in top form. Swanö and Nyström wage an impressive attack, while the team of Renkse and Axenrot deliver a solid rhythmic backbone all the way through.
Okay, so let's dissect this thing. The important thing to note here is that the sound/style has changed slightly in comparison to the first album. While the material on "Resurrection Through Carnage" was really dark and raw, carrying a very death-like theme (not to mention the infectious "fuzzy" guitar sound), "Nightmares Made Flesh" sports a more polished, more mature death metal sound, but very much in line with traditional BLOODBATH. Crushing opener "Cancer Of The Soul" and accompanying destroyer "Brave New Hell" will inject you with a lethal dosage of immense, unrelenting brutality. Equally as paralyzing are the nail-driving "Soul Evisceration", "Outnumbering The Day" with its thrashy hooks, and personal favorite, "Feeding The Undead". It has a lot of killer off-beats and syncopation which make headbanging to this one a pure delight!
"Eaten" starts off with a slower, sludgy rhythm then explodes with a barrage of killer guitar shreds by Swanö and Nyström, along with some scary growls courtesy of Mr. Tägtgren. Other tracks like "The Ascension", "Year Of The Cadaver Race", and "Stillborn Saviour" will further prove to you that BLOODBATH are one of the most capable innovators of death metal currently on the scene. I could keep on describing the songs until I'm blue in the face, but you really have to hear them for yourself to truly experience what this disc has to offer.
This is real hefty stuff people! It combines all the necessary ingredients normally found on a death metal album, but as I mentioned earlier, the polished finish gives this real character. Although I was impressed by Tägtgren's performance, I can't help but wonder how the songs would have sounded with Åkerfeldt behind the mic. However, this North American version of "Nightmares Made Flesh" does contain two bonus demo tracks taken from the "Breeding Death" EP back in 2000, featuring vocals by Mikael Åkerfeldt. Ironically, BLOODBATH recently parted ways with Tägtgren due to "conflicting schedules", and as a result, Åkerfeldt will be rejoining the band for their performance at this year's Wacken Open Air festival in Germany. Seeing as this MIGHT be BLOODBATH's last gig, you don't want to miss out on your chance to see them live. So if you can, you may want to make a point of heading over to Wacken this year (August 4-6).
Until then, I strongly recommend picking up "Nightmares Made Flesh". If you were happy with "Resurrection Through Carnage", you won't be disappointed with this one either.
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