Band:	Dimension Zero
Album:	This Is Hell
Style:	Gothenburg metal
Release date:	October 27, 2003
Guest review by:	Passenger

01. The Introduction To What This Is
02. Dimension Zero
03. Immaculate
04. Blood On The Streets
05. Into & Out Of Subsistence
06. The Final Destination
07. Amygdala
08. Killing My Sleep
09. This Light
10. Di'I Minores
11. Hellmet [Japanese bonus]

Though I'm a huge In Flames fan only recently I discovered that Jesper Strömblad played bass, like he had previously done in that band, in a side project he had started with Glenn Ljungström (ex-In Flames and Hammerfall) called Dimension Zero. By that time Daniel Antonsson (Pathos) had already replaced the second in the guitars and, when I saw the rest of the line-up, I realized that this was, after all, another Swedish super-group, with Jocke Göthberg (Marduk) and Hasse Nilsson (Luciferion) giving a hand too.

Well, "This Is Hell" is the third release and it doesn't feature much originality inside this style. A first listen and two distinct bands came into my mind, in a fusion of influences, In Flames and Unleashed. Instrumentally the music is based on demolishing riffs, loud and repetitive drums, practically imperceptible bass and Göthberg's growls. The speed is remarkable, but that often leads to unmemorable structures, songs that just pass too fast for not being able to captivate the listener for anything else besides that, like "Dimension Zero" or "Killing My Sleep". The best parts are definitely when they decide to put some melody in, either creating slowed down leads or catchier chorus, which is what makes "Into And Out Of Subsistence" and "Amygdala" the highlights, among the best this quartet has composed so far. I would say that there is still a third "dimension" here, good tracks like "Blood On The Streets" as well as "The Final Destination", with potential but not taken far enough, maybe too restricted on the brutality.

After having heard their entire discography, I can say that evolution since "Penetrations From The Lost World" is inexistent, but that doesn't seem to be the purpose here (or on most side projects of musicians with higher compromises with other bands for that matter), so I can guarantee that if you have been following them and liking so far, this will not be a disappointment. "This Is Hell" has its ups and downs and is a very powerful listening, but lacks consistency and more surprises.