Bloodbath are another death metal supergroup, and their follow-up to 2002's Resurrection Through Carnage is an impressive and heavy affair that sees some major personnel changes. Gone is vocalist Mikael Akerfeldt (Opeth), who is replaced by Hypocrisy belter PeterTagtgren, and drummer Martin Axentrot also joins the fold. They form an impressive line-up alongside mainstays Dan Swano (Edge of Sanity/Nightingale), who moves over from behind the drum kit to play guitar along with Anders Nystrom (Katatonia), and bassist Jonas Renske (Katatonia). There are plenty of heavy and brutal sounds permeating the CD's eleven tracks, but the songs are surprisingly melodic considering how extreme and doomy the tone is.
Singer Tagtgren is simply lethal throughout, spewing demonic outbursts of sheer terror that shatters the barbaric dual guitar attack of Swano and Nystrom. There's riffs aplenty here, like on the crushing "Year of the Cadavar Race", or the doom laden "Brave New Hell". There's even some Sabbath like sludge on the mammoth attack of 'The Ascension", a prime example of Sabbath doom and Slayer thrash mixed together. While Bloodbath's music is certainly not for the faint of heart, there's a touch of class here that helps elevate the bands music to heights above most normal death metal bands, a sense of power that takes the best of Swedish and US death metal and creates a huge wall of sound that is expertly executed.
Word has it that due to scheduling conflicts Tagtgren will not tour with the band, and Mikael Akerfeldt is free for a period of time from Opeth to once again take over the vocal slot temporarily. In the meantime, dig into this slice of kick ass death metal ladies and gentleman. You'll be happy you did.
Track Listing
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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