HARDWARES

Over the course of 15 years, the Swedes have increased the melodies (taking a cue from countrymen Amon Amarth), without losing the sense of brutality. No small feat. A baker’s dozen death metal tracks, begun with Johnny Hedlund’s straight in-your-face bellow, prior to any notes being played! The anti-Christian ‘The Greatest Of All Lies’ kicks things off; familiar territory, for sure, but Unleashed sell it like this is their debut - full on intensity and 100% conviction. A near punk intensity envelops ‘Long Before Winter’s Call’, the death metal version of the Christmas story, complete with some soloing and lead guitar. More six-string action is evident throughout a vicious-throated ‘Your Children Will Burn’. Most of the songs are between three and 3:30 long, yet they still retain enough space for development. Case in point, the title cut: apart from a slowed down (almost bluesy guitar break), it’s the first example of rudimentary (snare-bashed drumming) old school death. The final third of 2:38 ‘This Day Belongs To Me’ sees Tomas Masgard going sick on the frets! After the ‘Marching Off To War’ respite, the guitar onslaught returns, upfront in the mix and clearly the focus of ‘Entering The Hall Of The Slain’. The bridge between ‘Black Horizon’ and the sludgy-begun ‘Carved In Stone’ is actually acoustic! Just for a few seconds. The strong harmonies dominate ‘Midsummer Solstice’. Ending with an infectious (but sincere) ‘I Want You Dead’ makes the listener hit the play button again. This battalion of hammer-smashed ears has nothing to fear.