Out now
Via Century Media Records
Words by: Greg Walker
Since 2013 a prolific work ethic has yielded a rich tapestry of creativity for Sweden’s Orbit Culture, quickly establishing as their hallmark a combination of traditional thrashy speeds with anthemic melodic breaks, giants grooves and earth quaking breakdowns, sculpting some of the freshest metal of recent times. Woefully underrated, Orbit Culture deserves to conquer the metal world. Adding to 2025s already formidable roster of quality metal album releases, newly released LP Death Above Life promises to rattle December’s album of the year lists. With all the subtlety of an industrial pile driver, Orbit Culture stick to their tried-and-true formula of big start and colossal finish, trading concussive blows with the piercing sunlight of melody filtering through the broiling wrath.
Death Above Life ignites with a firestorm delivering every aspect you’ve come to expect without disappointment. Inferna is not straightforward death metal trope; multiple style transitions through thrashing out to crushing fury to massive groove moments are dispensed with a fantastic sense of melody injected. Frontman Niklas Karlsson’s scornful bark is well balanced with his 1988 James Hetfield-esque cleans, the balancing act continued through a deeply emotive melodic essence in the bridge followed by jagged riffage. Subtle use of symphonics are peppered throughout for added mood, shading a dark anthemic outro characteristic of this band. Smouldering at the end via mournful squealing synths, Inferna alone has me frothing for more, blowing me away with just how many elements they’ve crammed into it and successfully executed a striking opener.
First of no less than five advance singles, The Tales Of War is more of an uncomplicated death/thrash rocker with all the OC elements intact, a beautiful little injection of melancholic strings, the melody behind the chorus defying the gravity of the mid-tempo stomper, capped off with a beautifully restrained solo.
Fifth single Bloodhound opens as an incredible stuttering syncopation, taking us into the multi-genre mix we love about them. The main riff slows into a maelstrom of a breakdown, descending into a brain-deep throb, before coming full circle closing as it started. A fantastic listen and exhausting at the same time.
Of the other three singles, Hydra entices with a Sad But True style stankface chug, utilising a hefty foot tapper not unlike the Metallica classic, but much more immense in stature. Aside from a blast beat hailstorm mid track, the momentum lumbers on unabated. Swirling atmospherics behind it all adds to create a sensational track.
Nerve is more of a traditional Swedish Melodic Death track than anything else on the album, a cool driving bounce behind the more accessible tone of this tune. Title track Death Above Life boasts an imposing punch with discordant tail, tightly wound, relentless. Changing gear long enough only to gather breath, the gargantuan track doubles down on the tension, never exploding in a climax.
The deeper cuts are just as impressive. Inside The Waves presents an enormous bounce, creating a mosh pit monster with a huge chorus hook complimenting the melodic underlay and double kicks, drummer Christopher Wallerstedt commanding Orbit Culture’s navigation through the album’s intensity. The Storm is another classic Melodic Death Metal anthem, with an ancient naval kind of chant mid track, fitting since these lads hail from the homeland of Vikings. Neural Collapse is a neck snapping fist pumper, sounding like how a proper migraine feels. Less a reprieve than a lost alone at sea feeling, this second last song features the only real quiet moment on the album, outside the actual closer.
The Path I Walk is a slow burn lament, so emotive is Niklas Karlsson’s delivery, not so much a ballad as an emotionally heavy burden, symphony backing mood adding to the solemnity. A solitary violin meandering around a lone clean guitar sees us out and leaves us in the darkness of silence, abandoning me, speechless. A superb closer to a superb album. Despite using a despondent tenderness, Nicklas is clearly more comfortable in that fry rasp, but I would have much preferred him to tackle a more vulnerable vocal at least in the opening strains and building a little longer to that signature sound in his throat. But this is a small complaint, and likely my only complaint overall in this stunning album.
Orbit Culture never fail with their incredible production, catering perfectly to the dynamics of their violent caress whilst highlighting the clarity of the delicate melodies that Karlsson and Richard Hansson weave as a guitar duo, as well as their status as individual players; they deserve way more recognition than they currently get. What a rewarding slab, Orbit Culture have fit so much into 53min, I’d eagerly awaited this album and it’s left me super impressed.
Modern metal is in a very healthy place.
