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Swedish Death Metal review



Reviewer:
9.0
A review by: Jeff


CD1:
01. Mefisto - Missing In Action
02. Obscurity - Demented
03. Corpse - Rise Again
04. Merciless - Souls Of The Dead
05. Morbid - Wings Of Funeral
06. Nihilist - Abnormally Deceased
07. Putrefaction - Putrefaction Remains
08. Carnage - Torn Apart # Therion - Megalomania
09. Carbonized - Final Chapter
10. Expulsion - Darkside
11. Grave - Brutally Deceased
12. Sorcery - Descend To The Ashes
13. Tribulation - Irrevocable Act
14. Afflicted Convulsion - Consumed In Flames
15. Dismember - Dismembered
16. Desultory - The Chill Within
17. Grotesque - Submit To Death

CD2:
01. Entombed - But Life Goes On
02. Nirvana 2002 - Mourning
03. General Surgery - Slithering Maceration Of Ulcerous Facial Tissue
04. Dismember - Override Of The Overture
05. Grave - Into The Grave
06. Unleashed - Before The Creation
07. Tiamat - Ancient Entity
08. Carbonized - Recarbonized
09. At The Gates - City Of Screaming Statues
10. Liers In Wait - Bleeding Shrines Of Stone
11. Edge Of Sanity - Enigma
12. Cemetary - Nightmare Lake
13. Therion - Symphony Of The Dead
14. Afflicted - Tidings From The Blue Sphere
15. Marduk - Still Fucking Dead (Here's No Peace)
16. Dissection - Black Horizons

CD3:
01. Evocation - Through The Darkened Peril
02. Seance - Reincarnage
03. Toxaemia - Beyond The Realm
04. Furbowl - Shark Heaven
05. Suffer - Human Flesh
06. Traumatic - A Perfect Night To Masturbate
07. Macrodex - Necrophilicide
08. House Of Usher - Rather Black
09. Crypt Of Kerberos - The Ancient War
10. Eternal Darkness - Psychopath
11. Interment - Morbid Death
12. Uncanny - Transportation To The Uncanny
13. S.G.R. - Die In Agony
14. Sarcasm - In Hate...
15. Crematory - Enshrouded (In The River Of Eternity)
16. Necrony - Under The Black Soil
17. Repugnant - Spawn Of Pure Malevolence
18. Katalysator - Mass Genocide Ritual


"Swedish" Death Metal
Label: Prophecy Records
Sweden: 2009
Length: CD1: 70:45 ; CD2: 74:55 ; CD3: 78:41


How funny it can be to see that nowadays some people still believe that In Flames, Soilwork and even Dark Tranquillity are the good representative bands of the true Swedish Death Metal scene. Of course I'm not talking about quality or anything else, the debate is different but Swedish Death means Entombed, Dismember, Putrefaction, Dissection and even Therion and Tiamat (yes sir?). Daniel Ekeroth wrote a really good book about the scene (this is highly recommended really) and then Prophecy published a compilation which perfectly describe its history and evolution. This compilation is a perfect way to understand what real Death Metal made in Sweden is.

We're talking about a compilation so unfortunately it would be too long for me to describe the music of all the bands featured on these 3 Cds. But to sum up, the CDs follow a chronology. The first one is about the pioneers of the genre with bands like Merciless, Grave, Dismember or Nihilist. This is of course really dark aggressive and pure in your face, but at 10000 kms of all the melodic recordings that we listen to nowadays. This is pure Death Metal a bit different of Death Metal from Florida but with obvious links. Those "cousins", are of course similar in a lot of points from the lyrics to the prehistoric but "perfect" (for the genre) recording. The second part of the compilation represents the bands which started to spread the music all around the world. Entombed, Unleashed, Edge Of Sanity or At The Gates, were among the most popular but some little jewels like Nirvana 2002 or General Surgery were not forgotten by the ones who made the compilation and we even have some examples of the Black Metal evolution with Marduk or Dissection. Finally the last CD represents this successful scene and even proves that new bands like Katalysator follow its story pretty well. All in all you'll pass more than 200 minutes listening to a whole story, the story of the true Death from Sweden. Isn't it classy?

The compilations are not easy to review just because they're too "vague" but this one follow a perfect chronology and represents a perfect spectrum of the genre. Some recording are better than some other but this is not problematic of course and when you'll see that you'll even find the some really rare songs, it's obvious that you shouldn't be disappointed. Seriously this is not easy to release good compilation but this one, because of its quality and "intelligence" is among the best ever released. I would like to see such kind of new releases every month in our record shops, sadly this is not the case so don't miss it if you're a fan of extreme music.

Yes, my friends, Tiamat and Therion used to be real Death Metal bands and if you don't believe me, the "Swedish Death Metal" compilation will be a perfect way to remember it. Seriously, this 3x album features the "crème de la crème" of this particular Death Metal which features disturbing dirty but always melodic riffs and melodies. I can only recommend it to you all really... Some of you will discover news band some other will be happy to listen to them again but the whole pack is just too good (and beautiful) to be missed by all the ones who pretend to like Death. A must definitely (don't forget to read the book too if you can. It is already classified in the "classic" catergory).

Written by Jeff | 22.04.2009




Comments

Comments: 27   Visited by: 234 users
22.04.2009 - 09:55
Daggon
Underpaid M.D.
Definitely I'll try to check this sooner or later, but first I'll have to search for the book. Thanks for reviewing this kind of stuff, thanks Jeff.
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"Les vers savent qu'ils n'ont pas d'ailes, c'est pour cela qu'ils se cachent sous terre"
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22.04.2009 - 10:33
Sheol
No Bloodbath...?

Awsome compilation anyways!
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22.04.2009 - 11:34
THE_BLACK_GOD
Account deleted
Written by Sheol on 22.04.2009 at 10:33

No Bloodbath...?

Awsome compilation anyways!

this is a very nice compilation and nice review. Therion and Tiamat were death metals, and its nice to see their songs on this cd. I like the review and nice points about american death metal and swedish death metal. specially about lyrics, cause I like swedish death metal cause of they have some lyrics! but when you take a look at american death metal they dont have nothing but ugly stereotypes about kill and ...
meaningles.

@Krafve: Neither I see Amon Amarth over here
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How funny it can be to see that nowadays some people still believe that In Flames, Soilwork and even Dark Tranquillity are the good representative bands of the true Swedish Death Metal scene.

Absolutely agree with them, they are not true swedish death metal.
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22.04.2009 - 12:45
Marcel Hubregtse
Grumpy Old Fuck
Elite
Written by Sheol on 22.04.2009 at 10:33

No Bloodbath...?

Of course not cause this compilation features bands from the start of Swedish Death Metal.
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Member of the true crusade against European Flower Metal

Yesterday is dead and gone, tomorrow is out of sight
Dawn Crosby (r.i.p.)
05.04.1963 - 15.12.1996

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22.04.2009 - 13:13
Deadsoulman
Elite
The first sentence of this review sounds strange to me. It's like it says the exact opposite of what you want to say?

Anyway, there's a nice string of bands featured on this release, should be fun to give it a few spins and discover those I don't know yet.
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22.04.2009 - 13:16
Jeff
Freaky Admin
Elite
True Collin! A "not" was there for nothing

It's fixed now!
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Come with us to Hellfest 2011!
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22.04.2009 - 16:12
Uirapuru
Liver Failure
Never heard of this ''Nirvana 2002''
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member of the true crusade against old school heavy metal, early 80s thrash, NWOBHM, traditional doom, first and second wave black metal, old school death metal, US power metal, 70s prog rock and atmospheric doomsludgestoner. o/
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22.04.2009 - 16:16
Marcel Hubregtse
Grumpy Old Fuck
Elite
Written by Uirapuru on 22.04.2009 at 16:12

Never heard of this ''Nirvana 2002''

They are quite famous amongst people who are interested in proper Swedish Death Metal.
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Member of the true crusade against European Flower Metal

Yesterday is dead and gone, tomorrow is out of sight
Dawn Crosby (r.i.p.)
05.04.1963 - 15.12.1996

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22.04.2009 - 16:48
HardSide
Did anybody read the book? Amazon has it rated pretty high, and everybody keeps talking about it now.
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22.04.2009 - 20:38
ms68
Quote:
How funny it can be to see that nowadays some people still believe that In Flames, Soilwork and even Dark Tranquillity are the good representative bands of the true Swedish Death Metal scene.

i don't know about your supposition about swedish death metal. maybe you mean death metal bands from sweden but swedish death metal=gothenburg metal=melodeath=dark tranquillity. maybe bands like in flames and soilwork have lost their touch with their roots but don't say it about dark tranquillity.
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The more you eat, the more you shit
No matter what you eat, it all turns to shit
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23.04.2009 - 01:50
Warman
Erotic Stains
It sure is a good book.
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23.04.2009 - 16:11
Deadmeat
Necrobutcher
Written by [user id=31891] on 22.04.2009 at 11:34


Absolutely agree with them, they are not true swedish death metal.

yeah because they are not death metal. they are mel death and melodeath. it has not to do with if they are true or not...
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Υou've sold your human essence to the cold world of dead and empty things... You're SOLD!
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23.04.2009 - 16:18
Umideath
What ? Marduk ? Death ? maybe I dont know !
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My Top 90 Metal Albums Of 2023 - Part 2 >> https://youtu.be/6Yi7zV9Xo58 - Part 1
https://youtu.be/8F0E_CAfmMM
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24.04.2009 - 00:42
Introspekrieg
Totemic Lust
Elite
Written by Umideath on 23.04.2009 at 16:18

What ? Marduk ? Death ? maybe I dont know !

Check out Dark Endless from 92
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25.04.2009 - 12:59
Sunioj
Thanks to this review and compilation, I have found quite a few bands I've never heard of before. Definitely need more compilations like this!!
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25.04.2009 - 13:15
Magatouve
Account deleted
If you have to mention more than 50 death metal bands from Sweden to describe the history of this scene, you wouldn't mention Hypocrisy?! I guess in their early days they were an important band out there... for me this is strange
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25.04.2009 - 16:38
THE_BLACK_GOD
Account deleted
Written by [user id=291] on 25.04.2009 at 13:15

If you have to mention more than 50 death metal bands from Sweden to describe the history of this scene, you wouldn't mention Hypocrisy?! I guess in their early days they were an important band out there... for me this is strange

you are absolutely true! why no one talked about them! I think theyve forgot Hypocirsy as we forgot them! but Amon Amarth is not there too. maybe they ddidnt want to choose definite bands
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25.04.2009 - 20:36
Magatouve
Account deleted
Written by [user id=31891] on 25.04.2009 at 16:38

Written by [user id=291] on 25.04.2009 at 13:15

If you have to mention more than 50 death metal bands from Sweden to describe the history of this scene, you wouldn't mention Hypocrisy?! I guess in their early days they were an important band out there... for me this is strange

you are absolutely true! why no one talked about them! I think theyve forgot Hypocirsy as we forgot them! but Amon Amarth is not there too. maybe they ddidnt want to choose definite bands

I love Amon Amrth (and also Opeth) but both, despite being Swedish death metal bands, they appeared relatively late compared to the Swedish death metal scene which was thriving in the late 80's and early 90's, which is the subject of this compilation. Also, they developed their styles (Amon Amrth being Viking metal and Opeth being progressive death metal) in different directions than this scene. However, this doesn't apply to Hypocrisy. Peter Tagtgren, the founder of Hypocrisy, lived actually in Florida, the cradle of death metal, for three years before moving back to Sweden and starting Hypocrisy in 1990 and releasing his first demo in 1991. Hypocrisy early sound is a good representation, I think, of this scene. This is not to mention his involvements with many bands which grew out of this very scene such as Therion, Edge of Sanity, Marduk, and Bloodbath.
Maybe Hypocrisy is not one of the biggest ten bands in this scene, but it must be one of the best 50 bands!!!!!!!!
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30.04.2009 - 02:23
elven
HAIL TO OLD SCHOOL SWEDISH DEATH METAL!!!!!!!!!!!!
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13.11.2010 - 17:26
X-Ray Rod
Skandino
Staff
Wow, some users wondering why Hypocrisy, Amon Amarth or Dark Tranquility aren't in this compilation... That's just hilarious.

I'll get both the book and the 3cd compilations asap, looks very interesting indeed.
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Written by BloodTears on 19.08.2011 at 18:29
Like you could kiss my ass

Written by Milena on 20.06.2012 at 10:49
Rod, let me love you.

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13.11.2010 - 17:52
vezzy
Stallmanite
Written by X-Ray Rod on 13.11.2010 at 17:26

Wow, some users wondering why Hypocrisy, Amon Amarth or Dark Tranquility aren't in this compilation... That's just hilarious.

I'll get both the book and the 3cd compilations asap, looks very interesting indeed.

More like sad to me. But it's also funny in that the first paragraph deals with just that.

I've been hearing really great things about this book and I really want to check it out (besides the Amazon preview pages, ofc), but no idea where I can get it. The compilation is just dandy though.
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Licensed under the GPLv3.
Relinquish proprietary software for a greater GNU/America.
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13.11.2010 - 19:43
Marcel Hubregtse
Grumpy Old Fuck
Elite
Written by vezzy on 13.11.2010 at 17:52

Written by X-Ray Rod on 13.11.2010 at 17:26

Wow, some users wondering why Hypocrisy, Amon Amarth or Dark Tranquility aren't in this compilation... That's just hilarious.

I'll get both the book and the 3cd compilations asap, looks very interesting indeed.

More like sad to me. But it's also funny in that the first paragraph deals with just that.

I've been hearing really great things about this book and I really want to check it out (besides the Amazon preview pages, ofc), but no idea where I can get it. The compilation is just dandy though.

Grau has the german version of the book + 3cd + geographical poster for 44.90
Go to http://www.grau.cd
select buch under "artikelgruppe" scroll down to Various Artists Swedish Death Metal limited boxset
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Member of the true crusade against European Flower Metal

Yesterday is dead and gone, tomorrow is out of sight
Dawn Crosby (r.i.p.)
05.04.1963 - 15.12.1996

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13.11.2010 - 20:08
X-Ray Rod
Skandino
Staff
Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 13.11.2010 at 19:43

Grau has the german version of the book + 3cd + geographical poster for 44.90
Go to http://www.grau.cd
select buch under "artikelgruppe" scroll down to Various Artists Swedish Death Metal limited boxset

Do they have the book in english?
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Written by BloodTears on 19.08.2011 at 18:29
Like you could kiss my ass

Written by Milena on 20.06.2012 at 10:49
Rod, let me love you.

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13.11.2010 - 20:17
Marcel Hubregtse
Grumpy Old Fuck
Elite
Written by X-Ray Rod on 13.11.2010 at 20:08

Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 13.11.2010 at 19:43

Grau has the german version of the book + 3cd + geographical poster for 44.90
Go to http://www.grau.cd
select buch under "artikelgruppe" scroll down to Various Artists Swedish Death Metal limited boxset

Do they have the book in english?

Not that I know of. Maybe Daniel ekeroth still has it through Prophecy publishing in Sweden
----
Member of the true crusade against European Flower Metal

Yesterday is dead and gone, tomorrow is out of sight
Dawn Crosby (r.i.p.)
05.04.1963 - 15.12.1996

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13.11.2010 - 20:21
X-Ray Rod
Skandino
Staff
Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 13.11.2010 at 20:17

Not that I know of. Maybe Daniel ekeroth still has it through Prophecy publishing in Sweden

Meh... I think I can live without the poster so i'll just buy the 3cds and the book in a pocket format
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Written by BloodTears on 19.08.2011 at 18:29
Like you could kiss my ass

Written by Milena on 20.06.2012 at 10:49
Rod, let me love you.

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13.11.2010 - 20:22
Marcel Hubregtse
Grumpy Old Fuck
Elite
Written by X-Ray Rod on 13.11.2010 at 20:21

Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 13.11.2010 at 20:17

Not that I know of. Maybe Daniel ekeroth still has it through Prophecy publishing in Sweden

Meh... I think I can live without the poster so i'll just buy the 3cds and the book in a pocket format

The poster is included in the 3cds in a much smaller version anyway.
As for the boxset with the poster... that one is ONLY available in German
----
Member of the true crusade against European Flower Metal

Yesterday is dead and gone, tomorrow is out of sight
Dawn Crosby (r.i.p.)
05.04.1963 - 15.12.1996

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13.11.2010 - 21:36
X-Ray Rod
Skandino
Staff
Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 13.11.2010 at 20:22

The poster is included in the 3cds in a much smaller version anyway.
As for the boxset with the poster... that one is ONLY available in German

Yes, just today I borrowed the 3CD- digipack from the city's library so I saw the cover. extremely cool compilation I must say, straight to the vein.
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Written by BloodTears on 19.08.2011 at 18:29
Like you could kiss my ass

Written by Milena on 20.06.2012 at 10:49
Rod, let me love you.

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