TORMENTED
Rotten Death
(Iron Fist Productions)
33:01min

This review will be biased since my love for Swedish Death Metal knows no boundaries. TORMENTED is another example of archetypal quality brought to light by unknown northern cellar-dwellers way back in the nineties. This pumping anthemic energy, which flows through the best Swedish albums, is presented here for the new generations. Band members are mostly old school veterans coming from the bands such as EDGE OF SANITY, DARKIFIED, PAN.THY.MONIUM and some others. My first impression upon seeing this was creeeping doubt that is always present when I see older guys doing Death Metal. But scepticism was flushed away when I put my earphones on. This is what BLOODBATH could have been if they were any good – Death Metal well produced to gather a new fans to the genre, and at the same time something older fans could rejoice in. It would be almost superflous to explain what this album sounds like and I will just throw some names for you to get the picture – NIHILIST, ENTOMBED, DISMEMBER, etc. (well, how about the additional rawness of recent DEATH BREATH stuff? – Frank). If you have, by any chance, heard about this bands pick this record with assurace. Wild, fast, punkish and huge, with lyrics rotten and competely true to the basics – corpses crawling through the ancient tombs, decaying life hungry to spread the disease. Did I say the sound is huge? Yes, cavernous (I am speaking of caverns cyclops could dwell in) to the bone, echoing with the passionate screams and grunts. The song structure is straightforward – basic, with simple choruses that do not fool around and complicate things. Death itself is simple so art representing it should also be, and here that is accoplished with mastery. Of course, the logo of the band is great – ENTOMBED-styled mighty crumbling font dear to all old schoolers. That syle always tickles my heart, and I think I am not the only one. No mistakes made here. Listen for yourself: www.myspace.com/fuckingtormented. The vinyl version is out on Nuclear Winter Records with a gatefold cover, whereof 400 copies are in black vinyl and 100 copies in red. Available here: www.nuclearwinterrecords.com

Branko Matijaševic

Branko Matijaševic

Related reviews / interviews:
TORMENTED - Death Awaits (Michael Tak)
TORMENTED - Graveyard Lust (Anders Peter Jørgensen)

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