ENTOMBED.

Pretty much a perfect album all the way around…

It's funny / sad to me to think of how many new bands have totally copped this sound, and are making way more money than Entombed ever have - worst part of all is that most of the kids these days don't realize this. Hopefully, they will be smart & go back to check out the originators of the Swedish Death Metal Sound, ya know? (Sometimes the internet ruins everything).

This record is 22 fucking years old now, & it still shreds giant hairy rhino balls all fuckin' day.
Swedish Death Metal that set the standard - FUCK YEAH!!!

Entombed - Left Hand Path.

Link in comments.

GRAVE.

Absolute perfect early Swedish Death Metal played with stylistic perfection. Heavy as fuck, relentless as fuck, and brutal as fuck.

This record goes straight for the jugular every second of every song. Tasteful drumming, dynamic riffing, and from-the-depths vocals?

Works for me…

Grave - Into The Grave

Link in comments.

CARNAGE.

A bit of long-lost & under-appreciated Swedish Death Metal, Carnage often get overlooked when it comes to said country's DM lineage.
These dudes were mere pups at the time of this recording, and didn't get the attention that Entombed & Dismember received - "Left Hand Path" blew the fuck up around this same time…

Some classic Swedish twin-guitar attack tones, fat & chunky, rumbling bass lines thickening it all up, and I must admit I rather enjoy the drumming on this release quite a bit - some interesting fills & tempos played within the riff, etc.

Some of these dudes went on to bigger bands, but honestly I can't say as though I liked anything those dudes were/are involved with other than when they were in Carnage.

This is a SEMINAL release as far as Swedish DM goes, but you knew that already, right?



Carnage - Dark Recollections

Link in comments.

HYPOCRISY.

Brutally heavy & sinfully harmonious at the same time?
It must be Sweden's Hypocrisy we're talking about.

There's a few different versions of this band sound-wise, and while I dig the early satanic-leaning material, this record sounds fucking HUGE.
The drums on this underrated release are standout for sure; the battery is relentless, the vocals top-notch, the riffs keep coming, & the leads "take you there".

Melodic Death Metal hardly gets my blood boiling - in fact, I am usually a non-fan of it - but Hypocrisy has always brought something heavier & deeper - the mix is always spot-fucking on w/ these dudes as well.

If you missed this, check it out.
There is a cold blackness about this that is refreshing without being cliche'.



Hypocrisy - A Taste of Extreme Divinity

Link in comments.

REGURGITATE.

Wonderfully-sickening gore-grind from some a Swedish crew that are some of the most important players in the game, this here hard-to-find-but-crucial-as-fuck (CD-R only) release gathers up their recorded output from a multitude of split releases they belched forth from 1991-2002 - I think - for a total of 78 brain-rattling tracks.

Gurgly gut-churning vocals, grindy-blurr riffs w/ a smidge of melody here & there, backed with a franticly blasting backline makes this collection a keeper...



Regurgitate - Easy Swallowin' Bloody Gore E-Piece

LINK REMOVED DUE TO D/L LEECH-FAGS VIA PUNKS & SKINS DOT (SUCK MY COCK) COM.

REPUGNANT.

I love it when I'm at work and I throw the 'ol iPod on shuffle and the tiny shiny beast rewards with something I forgot I had - like these ghouls from Stockholm known as Repugnant.
They may have been overlooked by the masses by some of the more famous names in the scene back then, but you'd be hard-pressed to say these guys don't belong up there when mentioning bands like Grave or Nihilist.

Awesomely chunky riffing, nice, swingy-thrash drumming at times, cold-throated lyrical delivery, audible bass runs, & sweet solos when you need them - you'll find it here...



Repugnant - Epitome of Darkness

Link in comments.

DISMEMBER.

Here's some no-bullshit Swedish Death Metal for you.

David Blomqvist consistently rates up there with the mighty Entombed (in their heyday) on this release, and when you look back at 2006 - the year this was released - he certainly eclipses them in the battle for Swedish DM supremacy at that point.
I loves me some Entombed, but this record is certainly worthy of your time if you haven't experienced these guys before.

Excellent riffs - no spazzy wank, solid melody - no overkill. Just meat & potatoes, Swedish-style...



Dismember - The God That Never Was

Link removed due to leeching via Punks & Skins dot com trollbots - FUCK YOUR SHITTY LINK-STEALING BLOG!

NASUM.

Grindcore is a strange beast for most folks.
In fact, hardly any of my metal-loving friends listen to it as much as I do.
I find it to be very soothing, and - believe it or not - "quite melodic".

The Swedish unit known as Nasum were a force to be reckoned with, and this album by them is one of my favorites of said genre. The production on this one is top-notch - everything sounds so clean. There's a controlled chaos that interjects the madness with some excellent hardcore-fueled riffage. They maintain the energy they have always been known for - along with more vivid tales of human strife - but it's a damn shame that the Tsunami of Xmas 2004 dealt them the final blow in the death of Mieszko.

Thanks for all the great memories, Nasum.



(Link will open in new window)

Nasum - Helvete

*420th. post - just sayin*

SUFFER.

Sweden has produced some of the best - as well as some of the worst - death metal throughout the years.
This next record falls under the "some of the best" category.

Suffer were a short-lived act, putting out a handful of demos & EP's prior to recording "Structures", their only full length (which was to be their final release).

While it was recorded by Tomas Skogsberg at the infamous Sunlight Studios, it does not have "that sound". These guys created a sound they could call their own, and there's a bit of a "hardcore" feel/approach to much of the songwriting. Lots of crunch, lots of time signatures, rad shout/bark vocals, etc.

Check these guys out if you haven't before.



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Suffer - Structures

DOUGHNUTS.

Sweden.
The home of high-tech cellphones, extremely safe automobiles, assemble-it-yourself modular furniture, beautiful hockey and tennis stars, designer vodka, tasty meatballs, rippin' death metal & Abba.

Did I forget anything?

Oh yes...

Back in the early-to-mid Nineties, Sweden was home to an all-female vegan/sXe hardcore band from Umea that released a few records on Victory that pretty much flew under the radar - quite possibly due to their political stance. That, as well as the fact that the meathead sXe HC scene (associated with that label at the time) found the all-girl lineup somewhat a novelty - too bad, as these ladies put their own honest and unique twist (especially vocal-wise) on their output.
They were quite dark & melodic in their appraoch with lots of chugga-chugga/pick-squeals/breakdowns, etc.

While this may be a bit of a stretch for some of you, I find their entire catalog compelling & highly enjoyable, even 10+ years later.
I am also still intrigued by the history of this band - especially for what they accomplished in such a misogynistic scene back in the day...



(Link will open in new window)

Doughnuts - The Age of the Circle

MÄSSMÖRD.

Swedish (heavy) crustcore featuring male / female vocals (try and guess who's who) that somehow stays away from most of the usual crusty trappings.
Quite melodic without being pussy, and while they do venture into the realm of "D-Beat", they somehow pull it off without sounding like "that one Discharge song".

Good shit that I just can't seem to stop listening to lately.



(Link will open in new window)

Mässmörd - Unleashed




Now playing: Medication Time - Blasphemy's Child

AVSKUM.

Tight, heavy and relentless "D-Beat" - what a pussy-sounding name for such a tough-guy genre of punk, huh?) - from Sweden.
These guys have been at the forefront of the crustcore scene since 1982, and are still killing it today.

(This record was sounding really fucking good tonight during "beer drinking practice", so I thought I'd share)...



(Link will open in new window)

Avskum - Crime & Punishment




Now playing: Raw Power - Start A Fight

POLAR GRINDER.

Absolutely stellar Swedish Grindcore compilation from 2002 that showcases Nasum, Sayyadina, Assel, Sewn Shut, Birdflesh, Asterisk, Regurgitate, Gadget & Arsedestroyer - (some of those names are quite familiar around here).

This is one of those "you can't miss with this one" kind of compilations; one that you don't see around much so jump on it!



D/L "Polar grinder" compilation right here.

GADGET.

If you liked Splitter, you'll dig this as well.

More insanely fast technical grindcore with more paint-stripping vocals.

Hot shit from Sweden - what's goin' on over there?

(I dig it)...

LINKS -
Official Website.
DoucheSpace.

D/L Gadget - Remote right here.




----------------
Now playing: Cop Shoot Cop - Any Day Now

SPLITTER.

Wow.
This record has been flooring me lately.
I've been torturing my co-workers with it all week long.
Seriously intense Swedish grindcore - is there any other kind - with a singer who just can't stop screaming his fucking lungs out on every line he sings.

This is a good thing...

LINKS -
Offical Website.
DoucheSpace.

D/L Splitter - Avskräckande Exemplar right here.



I just want to thank everyone for the encouraging comments and New Years' good wishes.While I may have recovered most of my files, no software is 100% reliable & it seems as though many of my MP3s are corrupted or lost.
Still, I am pretty stoked that I didn't lose my whole collection.

I should be back on track (postwise) from here on out, while at the same time I'll be refining my library / repairing it / finding new gems, etc.

Also, I'd like to thank everyone for sticking around during this last month of mechanical setbacks - your words of encouragement have given me the inspiration to carry on with this blog.

A positive 2008 to us all...


Now playing: Curl Up And Die - The One Above All, The End of All That Is.

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Now playing: Snake Nation - Monstrosity

SAYYADINA.

Deathy-grindcore from Sweden that stands out from the pack.
These guys just get better and better, and yeah, I would LOVE to see these guys live - that's saying something cuz I pretty much loathe going to "shows" these days...

LINKS -
Official Website.
DoucheSpace.


D/L Sayyadina - Fear Gave Us Wings right here.



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Now playing: Shank - Disclaimer

NIHILIST.

If I have to explain who these cats are WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING HERE???

LINKS -
Metal Archives.

D/L Nihilist - 1987-1989 right here.



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Now playing: Scatha - prognostication
via FoxyTunes

DISSECTION.

Don't you just love it when you're going through your music collection and you find a "long lost album"? One that makes you go, "How the fuck did I forget about THIS!?!"

Dissection is one of those bands that did what sooo many "kvlt" black metal motherfuckers T-R-Y to do...

I miss this band.

LINKS -
Official Website.
DoucheSpace.
Metal Archives.

D/L Dissection - The Somberlain right here.



Now playing:
Bathtub Shitter - Brown Love
via FoxyTunes

COLDWORKER.

From the ashes of the legendary Nasum comes Coldworker.
While it may not be grinding all the time, it still has that manic element at the forefront but with some metalcore/death metal brutality added to the mix.
A rather enjoyable listen...

LINKS -
Official Website.
DoucheSpace.

D/L Coldworker - The Contaminated Void right here.






Now playing:
Killdozer - Don't Cry
via FoxyTunes

LOST HORIZON.

While I don't listen to progressive/power metal hardly at all, I'd have to say that no one did it better than Lost Horizon did on this album.
"Straight-edge atheistic outer-space warriors (from Sweden)"...

LINKS -
Official Webpage.
DoucheSpace.

D/L Lost Horizon - A Flame To The Ground Beneath right here.