Rarely do you get multiple opportunities to hear new songs live, before the album is even out! Such was the case with these Swedes’ latest, at least in the form of ‘I, The Jury’, ‘At Midnight They’ll Get Wise’, ‘Ravens Guide Our Way’ and the title cut, having witnessed Grand Magus on two European festivals, prior to picking up this Roadrunner debut. Remains to be seen if the North American side of the label will release it. Like the back catalog, the ten tracks are an infectious mix of groove and doom. JB Christoffersson possesses a smooth voice, capable of the occasional high note, to offset the booming bass elsewhere. The disc opens with a pair of upbeat, but not full out rollicking, cuts. Not surprising, both ‘I, The Jury’ and the titular track made the live set. From there, it’s a little more downbeat (but never forsaking that sense of melody), until the speedy ‘Northern Star’ (almost could be a Scott ‘Wino’ Weinrich track, take your pick which of his various outlets). After a crawling introduction, ‘The Lord Of Lies’ perks up around the four minute mark, but only so briefly. You’ll have to wait for ‘Midnight…’ for the accelerator to hit the floor, start-to-finish. That riff! ‘Bond By Blood’ walks a similar road, only slightly less affective. The concluding ‘Ravens…’ recalls a slower ‘Like The Oar Strikes The Water’ (off their stellar ’08 release, Iron Will). Like long running countrymen, Candlemass, the key is the variation between depressive and joyous (there’s a reason JB was asked to guest on the Swedes’ 20th anniversary DVD a few years ago). That’s about as lofty compliment as I can give.
