GRAVE „Fiendish Regression”

Music: Death Metal
Website: http://www.grave.se
Country: Sweden
Duration: 38:45
Cool Songs: Last Journey, Breeder, Bloodfeast

After releasing two mediocre albums, Century Media veterans, GRAVE explode back into the death metal scene to prove they can still hang with the big boys. GRAVE took a hardcore stance on “Hating Life,” which shouldn’t even be considered part of the GRAVE catalogue. “Back from the Grave” boasted a fitting title fore they returned to their post-mortem, slime-crusted death metal roots. Even though that album lacked the focus and speed of their first three classic releases, they were at least headed in the right direction. They just needed one more album to perfect the sound that made them such a revered act. “Fiendish Regression” is that album.

From the first notes, it’s apparent that these Swedes mean business. 'Last Journey' opens in a Slayer—'Dead Skin Mask' type fashion with minimal soft notes that eerily ring, setting the tone for a swift kick in the balls of heaviness. While “Back from the Grave” also opened with a strong track, 'Arise,' “Fiendish Regression” retains quality tracks through out the album, something the preceding album did not effectively do.

One element of this release that other bands in the death metal/grind genre sometimes lack is good tempo changes and breaks. One track that really shows this characteristic is 'Breeder.' This track opens with a riff that could have been lifted from MORBID ANGEL. The music momentarily halts then starts back up with a speedy guitar chug played through only one speaker. The rest of the band explodes back into the mix when the drums kick in with a brutal blast beat. This riff is reminiscent of the vintage track, 'Hating Life' from Into the GRAVE (not to be confused with the inferior album.) This album contains many of the same grooves found on the aforementioned album. GRAVE’s major talent of creating mid-paced classic head banging riffs is a formula commonly found in all the great metal bands.

Although the music is excellent, “Fiendish Regression” contrasts the first two albums in vocal quality. While Ola’s vocals are solid enough that they don’t take away from the powerful music, they lack the viciousness of their first two albums. This seems to be a common motif amongst all the killer comeback albums of 2004; however, this album is money well spent for all fans of classic Studio Sunlight Swedish death metal.

note: 9/10

Tracklist

-Last journey
– Reborn
– Awakening
– Breeder
– Trial by fire
– Out of the light
– Inner voice
– Bloodfeast
– Heretic
– Bonus tracks-
– Burial at sea
– Autopsied

Line-up

Ola Lindgren
Guitar / Vocals

Jonas Torndal
Guitar

Jensa Paulsson
Drums

Fredrik Isaksson
Bass