Entrails
Obliteration
Metal Blade Records
Release Date: Out Now
Review by Matthew Clewley
The early 90’s were an incredible time for death metal in the metal decorated land of Sweden. If ABBA wasn’t enough for you to headbang, then Entombed would be your band to enjoy. During this time period the Swedish death metal scene was flourishing and creating new bands that sounded fresh and succulently heavy like an expensive jawbreaker. Entrails weren’t one of those bands who could make it in this time period, with everything right but the band members, the band disbanded in 1994. However, Jimmy Lundqvist (guitarist) found some demo tapes in 2008 and decided it was time to release them.
Obliteration begins with the eerie bells of No Cross Left Unturned. It’s no Hells Bells, but it sets you ears on fire with a surprise attack of rampant instrumentals. The Carcass feels begin to emerge from my fragile state of mind as Epitome of Death stomps its way through five minutes of vicious distortion and thunderous playing. Beyond The Flesh continues this charging metal assault keeping the powerful riffs on the album at a gentle flow. The Grotesque adds something slightly cheesy to this album as it feels more like overly distorted hard rock that is followed on from the Sabbath reeking yet glorified riffs coming from Obliterate.
The cheese level on this album has turned from Babybels to Stilton with Skulls and Midnight Coffin. Skulls has a similar feel to The Grotesque, the quick and snappy rock tune that can get stuck in your head. Midnight Coffin, even with the slightly cringey name, makes Obliteration return to the slow chugging, bone crushing death metal that this album has orbiting around it. The last few songs of the album keep up to good work with the death metal power that just keeps increasing throughout the latter part of Obliteration, with Abyss of Corpses being incredibly enjoyable to listen to me mostly out of the last 3.
Joakhim handles the vocals incredibly well most of the time, though there are some moments where his screaming seems a tad unconvincing when it came to the form of the screaming, however instrumentally this band are like Frankenstein, they have been reborn and are going around causing a rampage that will even make Mary Shelley shit in her knickers. Entrails are full of a mix up of top quality songwriting and instrumental playing, even with a few cringeworthy songs on this album. It’s definitely worth a listen as this band should belong with the wave of the bands that Grave and Suffocation went on to ride along. An incredible listen to can take any Swedish death metal fan back in time to its glorious prime.
