Haven't yet discovered the techncial death metal sounds of Sweden's Aeon? Well, now that Metal Blade Records have scooped this monster act up, the world better get geared up for their relentless & extreme attack. Rise to Dominate is the band's latest release, and is a real killer from start to finish, littered with rampaging, technical & brutal guitar riffs, blinding solos, relentless drum work, top notch vocals growls, and really strong production values. It's no wonder that Cannibal Corpse bassist Alex Webster has been a big supporter of this band the last few years-after hearing 2005's Bleeding the False, and now Rise to Dominate, Aeon can sure as hell deliver the goods.
Reports are that drummer Nils Fjellstrom has recently joined fellow Swedes Dark Funeral (Nils does play on this CD), so he will now share his intricate and powerful style with the black metal legends and his main band Aeon. It's worth noting that his drum work on Rise to Dominate is one of the many highlights. Tunes like "You Pray to Nothing", "Spreading Their Disease", and "When the War Comes" are filled with the drummers manic and precise style. Guitarists Zeb Nilsson & Daniel Dlimi offer up riff after riff of pure, technical & bludgeoning death metal, with Nilsson tossing in plenty of acrobatic solos, especially on "Hate Them", where he shows not only flash but taste & tone as well. Lead vocalist Tommy Dahlstrom has one of the better growls in the business, as he comes across quite brutal yet you can understand a lot of what he is singing which is an added plus. The lyrics here are your usual death metal fare, steeped in evil, Satanism, hatred, and violence. Musically, this band is super tight, and the arrangements as mentioned are quite precise and technical.
What's not to like here? Nothing really, as Rise to Dominate is just a solid, really enjoyable modern death metal record, that is sure to open up some eyes now that they have the Metal Blade machine behind them. Chalk up another contender for death metal release of the year alongside the latest from Nile, Behemoth, Beneath the Massacre, Dark Tranquility, Immolation, and Angel Corpse.
Track Listing
1. Helel Ben-Shachar
2. Spreading Their Disease
3. Living Sin
4. Hate Them
5. You Pray To Nothing
6. Garessed By the Holy Man
7. House Of Greed
8. Godless
9. When the War Comes
10. There Will Be No Heaven For Me
11. Luke 4:57
12. No One Escapes Us
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