Band:	Deathember
Album:	Going Postal
Style:	Groove thrash metal
Release date:	April 19, 2013
A review by:	BloodTears

01. Going Postal
02. Spirals
03. Quietly
04. Unending Thirst
05. Let Us Flip A Few Pages Back (Part 1)
06. Where I Evade (Part 2)
07. The Deprivation (Part 3) [feat. Daniel Ädel]
08. Repeat & Remind
09. Hailing Down [feat. Ralph Santolla]
10. Amnesiac

You might know Deathember from Metal Storm's Clandestine Cuts where their debut EP A Thousand Flatlines was featured. The band has grown up musically and released their first full-length album. Going Postal even boasts illustrious guests such as vocalist Daniel Ädel (Vildhjarta) and guitarist Ralph Santolla (Deicide, Obituary, Iced Earth).

The same gender-bending qualities of their EP are applied here but they turn on their heavier side a bit more and flow as easily between melodic death metal territory as groove metal waters. But what is most interesting about Going Postal though is its heavy grooves, strong hooks, ingenious melodies, and the frequent twists and turns. The band's identity and specific dynamic is already well-defined.

With balanced production complementing the songs, Deathember start off strong with the title track "Going Postal" which, in many ways, is a good illustration of what the Swedish group has to offer: high energy riffs and an ambitious technicality. The volume is turned up on what I decided to call a "headbanger song", the mid-tempo tremolo-guided "Hailing Down" and "Unending Thirst" with its frantic pace. Their new vocalist does a really good job at showcasing different capabilities and moods in his growls and while the vocals are imposing, they don't overshadow the instrumentation of the songs.

The crown jewel, however, is the three-part song set comprised of "Let Us Flip A Few Pages Back (Part 1)", "Where I Evade (Part 2)" and "The Deprivation (Part 3)". It is here that the band dives a bit into a more progressive, nuanced and atmospheric side; this is the most enigmatic section of the album where they open up new avenues in their sound while maintaining a suffocating heavy nature and piercing solos in between.

Forgetting a few okay-ish songs, Going Postal is a multifaceted album and that is ultimately its biggest strength. It offers the listeners different rhythmic patterns and unexpected ambient sections all wrapped up into one crafty package. Deathember seem to be trying to push the boundaries and stay away from clichés, and they accomplish that with flying colors.