If you thought Swedish Thrash peaked in 1990 and politely faded away, you were wrong. Mezzrow has climbed out of the grave after a long, necessary silence to prove that the old ways are still the best ways. Embrace The Awakening is not a nostalgia trip; it’s a high-velocity manifesto that sounds like classic Bay Area Thrash filtered through a meat grinder built in the Gothenburg suburbs. This album doesn't ask for your attention; it demands that you get off the couch and into the pit.
The core of this record is uncompromising speed and surgical precision. They don't waste a single moment. Tracks like the lead single Architects Of The Silent War explode with a driving, relentless rhythm that showcases every single element you demand from the genre: sharp, technical riffing, aggressive chanting, and a pace that threatens to leave the speakers smoking. Lyrically, this track taps into the dark, sophisticated world of cyber warfare, proving that even thirty years later, the themes of corruption and unseen threats remain terrifyingly relevant.
The genius of this attack is the dual guitar prowess. Magnus Söderman and Ronnie Björnström lock in with pure, traditional thrash riffage that pays homage to Testament, but the final sound is lean, clean, and utterly contemporary. There is no murky production here. every note is intended to pierce. The Moment To Arise and Sleeping Cataclysm are built on this foundation, utilizing fast, complex transitions that keep the listener constantly off balance, providing hooks that are both catchy and crushing.
Even the slightly longer tracks, like the nearly six-minute Foreshadowing, maintain the necessary urgency. Mezzrow understands that atmosphere in Thrash isn't built through ambient filler; it's built through escalating tension and relentless drumming, perfectly executed by Alvaro Svanerö. The vocals, delivered by the inimitable Ulf “Uffe” Pettersson, are the final layer of savagery: a classic, aggressive snarl that cuts through the precision.
The entire album is a testament to longevity and dedication. Embrace The Awakening is unapologetically old-school in spirit but executed with new-school technical venom. It's the sound of veterans refusing to coast. This isn't just a comeback; it's an undeniable threat to the new generation. 8/10
Degraved - Spectral Realm Of Ruin (Dark Descent Records / Me Saco Un Ojo Records) [GC]
For my second review this week I am reviewing, let me see? Oh yes more death metal, its my (upside down) cross to bear I suppose! It’s been a mixed bag this year for death metal as with most genres there has been some exceptional albums and some less than exceptional albums, time for me to find out where Degraved’s Spectral Realm Of Ruin fits in.
It starts off with a blur of noise in the shape of Pariah Of Death & Darkness, I wasn’t sure what to expect but I don’t think it was this if I am honest, its all lo-fi blackened death blasting with vocals that sit on top of the music instead of running with it, it all feels just a bit too unsubtle and it took me while to even think of how to describe it.
The core of this record is uncompromising speed and surgical precision. They don't waste a single moment. Tracks like the lead single Architects Of The Silent War explode with a driving, relentless rhythm that showcases every single element you demand from the genre: sharp, technical riffing, aggressive chanting, and a pace that threatens to leave the speakers smoking. Lyrically, this track taps into the dark, sophisticated world of cyber warfare, proving that even thirty years later, the themes of corruption and unseen threats remain terrifyingly relevant.
The genius of this attack is the dual guitar prowess. Magnus Söderman and Ronnie Björnström lock in with pure, traditional thrash riffage that pays homage to Testament, but the final sound is lean, clean, and utterly contemporary. There is no murky production here. every note is intended to pierce. The Moment To Arise and Sleeping Cataclysm are built on this foundation, utilizing fast, complex transitions that keep the listener constantly off balance, providing hooks that are both catchy and crushing.
Even the slightly longer tracks, like the nearly six-minute Foreshadowing, maintain the necessary urgency. Mezzrow understands that atmosphere in Thrash isn't built through ambient filler; it's built through escalating tension and relentless drumming, perfectly executed by Alvaro Svanerö. The vocals, delivered by the inimitable Ulf “Uffe” Pettersson, are the final layer of savagery: a classic, aggressive snarl that cuts through the precision.
The entire album is a testament to longevity and dedication. Embrace The Awakening is unapologetically old-school in spirit but executed with new-school technical venom. It's the sound of veterans refusing to coast. This isn't just a comeback; it's an undeniable threat to the new generation. 8/10
Degraved - Spectral Realm Of Ruin (Dark Descent Records / Me Saco Un Ojo Records) [GC]
For my second review this week I am reviewing, let me see? Oh yes more death metal, its my (upside down) cross to bear I suppose! It’s been a mixed bag this year for death metal as with most genres there has been some exceptional albums and some less than exceptional albums, time for me to find out where Degraved’s Spectral Realm Of Ruin fits in.
It starts off with a blur of noise in the shape of Pariah Of Death & Darkness, I wasn’t sure what to expect but I don’t think it was this if I am honest, its all lo-fi blackened death blasting with vocals that sit on top of the music instead of running with it, it all feels just a bit too unsubtle and it took me while to even think of how to describe it.
Sulfuric Embalming follows the same template, heads down, blast the drums, mix the guitars just slightly higher than the vocals and then hope the sheer force of everything will make the listener work out what is going on, it’s a bit of a struggle in places but there is some decent bits and on the whole it is a good listen it, I think it just needs more focus and a more clear sound?!
On Inept Descent it feels like it clicks into place a bit more, it has more focused beginning that then leads into the all-out chaos of the song but also manages to pull back and mix the styles together with much more sensible and recognizable sound and the real dirty sounding mix is really prominent on this track and really helps the overall effect of the track and it seems like they want to keep this going.
Stalker Of The Herd follows the same blueprint but really focuses more on the mid-pacedness and it really benefits the song as a whole as you can actually hear all the individual elements and what they can actually achieve when given the room to shine, it never takes long for them to get the blasty bits in there and there is no complaint from me as they add more depth and unpredictability to proceedings on the album highlight for sure!
Unseen then almost takes it too far and extends the run time past 7 minutes, it’s a decent enough track but with this formula, for my tastes it doesn’t really lend itself to tracks this long, you get the slow but, the fast bit and they then long out sections to pad the track out and its all just a bit to much and goes on for far to long.
March Of The Dead thankfully doesn’t do that and has a heavy thrash style to the way the song unfolds, its still the down low scuzzy death metal but it has a more groove orientated structure for the most part, sure the usual break outs are there but it always falls back into a dependable rhythm, and just like that Vacuous State is the last track on the album and thankfully they don’t try and do anything to out there and unpredictable, it’s another blast of groove infused, blasting and grim sounding death metal and is one of the better tracks on the album and wise choice to end on.
At the very beginning I really wasn’t expecting too much from this album as it sounded like it was just going to be a bit of a confusing mess but as it went on it got better, I liked most of the record barring some bits here and there and it was as solid and enjoyable listening experience, I think with a bit more focus and care there could be a really great album in Degraved but in the meantime Spectral Realm Of Ruin is well worth a listen. 7/10
Enemynside – In The Shadows Of Unrest (Self Released) [Spike]
This four-track EP from Rome’s Enemynside is exactly the kind of unpretentious, high-velocity assault you need when you just want the job done. This isn't philosophical metal. it's pure, modern aggression filtered through a Thrash Metal lens, and it moves with the terrifying efficiency of a professional hitman.
The short runtime is a masterstroke of design. Clocking in at under 13 minutes, In The Shadows Of Unrest doesn't allow for a single moment of contemplation. It rips out of the gates with In the Shadows of Unrest, immediately establishing the frantic, surgical precision of the drumming and the clean, serrated edge of the guitar tone. This band excels at maximum volume, maximum speed, and minimal breathing room.
The EP’s power is cemented in its focus on the classic thrash themes of cynicism and betrayal. Carnal Betrayal, a single previewed before release, is the undisputed highlight. It delivers a full-scale barrage of blistering riffs and a breakdown that hits with genuine, modern force. It’s the sound of aggression against a system, or perhaps just against the nearest person who annoyed you, and it feels absolutely mandatory for the pit.
Concrete Jungle keeps the velocity dial jammed into the red. It's built around a rhythmic core that drives everything forward without collapsing into noise rock chaos. The tracks sound polished enough to pierce you, yet retain the necessary thrash grit. Even the final track, Desolation, is less a sombre conclusion and more a final, frantic burst of speed before the needle lifts.
Enemynside proves that sometimes, the best musical statement is the fastest one. They are here to headbang, and they are here to ensure you leave the encounter with whiplash. This is a vital, uncompromising dose of modern aggression. 8/10
Voidceremony - Abditum (20 Buck Spin) [GC]
It feels like and eternity since I have had a 20 Buck Spin record to review, I have had many death metal releases in that time, but a TBS album usually hits different and can usually guarantee quality and today it comes in the shape of Voidceremony’s 3rd album Abditum.
Before I start, I have to say that an album that only has 9 tracks should not have an intro AND an outro like Abditum does, it feels unnecessary to me but here we are and Intro- Inevitable Entropy is upon us and it doesn’t really do much to give get the blood pumping or give anything away and just seems pointless but I am of course only expressing my opinion here!
Veracious Duality would have been a much better way to start, racing out of the blocks with a ferociously Morbid Angel sounding tirade of cascading guitars and rapturous drumming and everything sounds so wonderfully dirty but has enough clarity in the production to really keep hitting the marks, it can get a bit choppy in places and the section changes could be a lot smoother but it has enough charm to keep you listening.
Seventh Ephemeral Aura as a song title is utter nonsense but there is no mistaking the formula they have musically, it falls between the juddering technicality of Nile and old school punishment of previously mentioned Morbid Angel, if you didn’t know any better this could easily be an unheard old school death metal gem, and that’s meant as a total compliment, it sounds like its form the glory days but of old but brought in with more modern styles.
Dissolution is frustratingly just a 51 second interlude that really is 100% frustrating and not needed on any level, you wouldn’t usually hear me saying this but, I think Despair Of Temporal Existence needs to be longer, as it has a decent idea and sounds like it could break out into something really potent but its over in just under 2 minutes so never really gets out of first gear and then just ends abruptly and seems like its missing a trick another couple of minutes could have added a real killer section in to make the song shine!
Failure Of Ancient Wisdoms gets things back on track and makes full use of a longer run time to get the guitar fret boards worked over and the sections intertwine and chop back and forth in a much more coherent way than previously and the bass is front and centre on this track and really creates a huge sound to support everything else.
Silence Which Ceases All Minds is more wonderfully executed technical sounding death metal but not tech-death, this is the more subtle approach and has the undeniably old school element really pinned down more than ever and its only until the song finishes I notice there was no vocals, you pay so much attention to what is going on with the music that things just pass you by! Gnosis Of Ambivalence is the final actual musical track and there is nothing to not like, thundering drums, wonderfully technical and jagged guitar work, the bass poking through here and there and its another triumph of a track that celebrates the old and new schools of death metal
As mentioned at the beginning Outro- Elegy Of Finality are the frustrating end notes of this criminally short but magnificent album. People with more knowledge than I have will be able to tell you how many tracks an album should contain, but I think 6 is pushing it massively!
The tracks that were on here were all wonderful and had so much involved you could really only complain that there wasn’t enough of it when all was said and done! Despite the briefness of this record it will stick in your mind and keep you coming back for more and at the end of the day that what matters. 8/10
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