HARDWARES

History/geography lessons form one of the longest running (and now quite melodic) Swedish death metal outfits. With titles like the acoustic begun ‘Germania’, ‘Rise Of The Maya Warriors’, ‘Vinland’ (aka the Viking name for North America) and catchy ‘By Celtic And British Shore’, the eleven tunes comprise a historic travelogue. The preceding trio of records are amongst the best of Johnny Hedlund’d (bass/vocals) career. Add to that some unexpected touches, like concentrated accent on guitars, acoustic starts to several, including ‘The Soil Of Our Fathers’ or the brief restrained interlude in ‘Fimbulwinter’’. Speaking of the opening track, it kicks right into a gallop, complete with hair pinwheeling guitar break, before an acoustic segue into the otherwise savage title cut, which reiterates lyrics from those recent albums. Eerie, horror film keyboard notes introduce ‘The Hour Of Defeat’, the first of these to lock into the melodic bounce found all over Midvinterblut and Hammer Battalions. Speaking of Battalions, ‘Gathering The Battalions’ is filled with all sorts of guitar histrionics. Clickety-clack drum attack characterizes ‘Vinland’, a vitriolic Hedlund vocal delivery. Not a radical departure, sure to appease fanbse that's stood by the Swedes for (unbelieveably) more than twenty years! Skoal.