Unleashed - Fire Upon Your Lands - review
Unleashed - Fire Upon Your Lands - review
Tracklist
01. Left For Dead02. A Toast To The Fallen
03. The Road To Haifa Pier
04. War Comes Again
05. Fire Upon Your Lands
06. Loyal To The End
07. Midjardarhaf
08. Hail The Varangians!
09. To My Only Son
10. Hold Your Hammers High!
11. Unknown Flag
A review by
AndyMetalFreak August 21, 2025
Unleashed are regarded as one of the pivotal pioneers of Sweden's death metal scene, frequently categorized as one of said scene's Big 4 alongside Entombed, Dismember and Grave. However, instead of following the typical themes associated with classic death metal, those of bloody violence and gore, they instead focus on Viking culture, Norse folklore, and anti-Christianism, with references to J. R. R. Tolkien used in several songs.
Unleashed first emerged 36 years ago, and two striking factors when it comes to the band are their longevity and consistency. Not only are they still frontrunner of a scene they helped establish many moons ago, they also have a line-up that's remained consistent for 30 years. They may have reached their peak during their 90s reign, but since then they've still maintained a reasonably high standard of output, which is quite a feat when many of their of death metal contemporaries have lost their edge and faded into the background. They've also stuck to their roots, both musically and through their Viking/Norse themes; the hammer of Thor depicted at the centre of the band's last 4 album covers (including this latest) is an obvious indicator of that.
Now they unleash their 15th offering Fire Upon Your Lands, which, as expected, generally follows suit compared their previous albums. Their approach here is undeniably brutal and old-school, only this time they take their groove to the next level, surpassing even the most melodically driven and accessible bands in the genre. The riffs contain hooks that give bands such as Bolt Thrower and Amon Amarth a run for their money, with the album brimming top-to-bottom with memorable hooks, but none other as satisfying as the infectiously headbangable riff in "Hail The Varangians!". However, they then decide to shatter your eardrums with devastating chugs that break out into short solos that are certainly pleasing on the ears. The pace is relentless, the drums pounding in both stylish and furiously blasting manner alongside the distinctive punchy bass, which complements the guitars very well without being muffled out. Johnny Hedlund then utilizes his trademark semi-harsh vocals that don't so much growl, but narrate in a crazy warmonger style.
The songwriting is quite impressive considering the band have been releasing this same kind of material for a number of years now; it doesn't feel stale, despite how unoriginal the approach is. The songs are structured in a traditional and relatively safe way, mostly with catchy verses followed by a chorus, before breaking into a solo. These patterns may be predictable for some listeners, but they're very effective, and the high-end catchy riffs, and way the album relentlessly flows from one track to the next, certainly makes up for its predictability. There's also a strong replay factor as well, not just for the sheer catchiness or delicious tone, but due to its relatively short run-time.
My only real gripe is the modernized production. It's not badly produced by any means; in fact, it's almost immaculate, but I simply find it too refined and polished. I miss the raw old-school energy and that ripping buzzsaw tone. On the upside, the crispness of their sound allows you to hear every element more clearly, which makes the listening experience easier and more accessible for most listeners, particularly newcomers to this genre.
Rating breakdown
| Performance: | 7 |
| Songwriting: | 7 |
| Originality: | 4 |
| Production: | 6 |
Written on 21.08.2025 by
Written on 21.08.2025 by
An honest review that you don't necessarily have to agree with. Comments
Comments:
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"Consistency" really feels like the operative word in this review. I only know Unleashed from their five 2000s albums (Hell's Unleashed to As Yggdrasil Trembles), but this new 2025 record sounds exactly where I left off, and exactly where I’d expect it to be: tried-and-true, no suprises, as reliable as death metal white bread. And, in my misrecognized poetic way, I’d say the overall vibe hits like a dog’s fart: potent in the moment, but gone before it ever truly lingers.
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