Band:	Astral Carneval
Album:	Astral Carneval
Style:	Thrash metal
Release date:	September 2003

01. Intro
02. Addiction
03. Breakdown
04. Day By day
05. A Toda Madre
06. All I Ever Wanted

Another Sweden Death Metal band trying to earn a name in the Melodeath scene, seems that the Melodic Death Metal bands from Sweden frenzy isn't over yet?
Using basic formulas already done to death by established acts like Dark Tranquillity, In Flames and At The Gates, Astral Carneval tries too hard to convince us to believe that we're hearing something new, fresh and original.

After a short intro (cleverly named "Intro"), "Addiction" shreds the listener ears with excellent riffing, great tempo variation and more than decent growling, a varied opener, and I must say that a great one, the second song, "Breakdown" follows the same path than the opener, fast riffs, good vocals, catchy stuff.
The rest of the songs follow the same path as the 2 first ones, well, except "A Toda Madre" which I found a little annoying, (A Toda Madre is a Mexican slang term, meaning "Full Speed Ahead" or something like that, I speak Spanish, but I'm not Mexican?).

After a few spins, I must say that these guys play pretty good, but is not enough, not more, I've heard this type of Death Metal a zillion times before, and I must say, I'm getting pretty sick of it, and I think everybody is tired of hearing the same stuff over and over again.
Sadly I have to say that I don't see Astral Carneval making it to the big leagues, unless they redesign the whole sound of the band. In one hand, I liked this demo, but in the other, I've heard this before.
If you're new to the Melodeath scene, and you're looking new bands, try Astral Carneval, they'll satisfy the untrained ear, as for us, people that are pretty full of Melodic Death Metal bands, we'll wait for the next Dark Tranquillity album.