FLESHCRAWL „“Structures of Death””

Music: Death Metal
Country: Germany
www.fleshcrawl.net


Cool Songs: A Spirit Dressed in Black, Rest in Pain (R.I.P.), Structures of Death

Germany’s FLESHCRAWL began its career in 1987. Then known as MÖRGOTH, undoubtedly due to there being another band of the same name and of a similar style in Germany, the group changed its name to SUFFOCATION, which again changed to FLESHCRAWL. Although from a different region of Europe, FLESHCRAWL has always maintained a distinctly Stockholm, Sweden sound in the tradition of DISMEMBER and GRAVE.

One aspect of the Stockholm sound that makes it as appetizing as a human liver to Hannibal Lecture is the guitar sound. “Structures of Death” stays consistent in this regard. FLESHCRAWL has always achieved this great sound, but some credit goes to the mixing and mastering of Martin Schmitt in Studio Underground in Västeras, Sweden. They tune their guitars quite low and have a considerable amount of gain. If tones could kill, Fleshcrawl would be Ted Bundy. In fast mode, their riffs are a blur of distortion. There is an incendiary quality during the motion of the rhythm. During the slower moments, such as a ringing bar chord fill, the distorted notes make a colossal, murderous transformation, filling the airwaves with pure malevolence. They also exploit finger-tapping and high-end string manipulations to construct their dynamics and create harmonious breaks.

As stated before, FLESHCRAWL has consistently maintained their style, so this is nothing new for the band. What makes “Structures of Death” one of the top death metal albums of the years is the song writing. Regardless if the group wrote the music first then the lyrics or vice verse, much of the lyrics brilliantly match the music. This close connection results in many unforgettable rhythms and choruses. The title track’s lyrics and fretwork has an identical match in meter and rhythm. They accomplish this flow by writing short verse lines and a simple rhymes like, “You suffer, discover, structures of death.” The sparse wording also plays in their favor in “A spirit dressed in Black,” which features a chorus as infectious as a bloody stump in a foxhole.

FLESHCRAWL most likely found Swedish death metal before American death due to their closer proximity to Stockholm, Sweden. The group’s sound differs from the Swedish style only in location. Still, it is ironic that one of the best albums of this style came via a non-Swedish band. DISMEMBER and GRAVE were probably a major influence on FLESHCRAWL. FLESHCRAWL must have bee in the shadow of these groups for most of their career because those groups rose to prominence much soon than FLESHCRAWL. However, “Structures of Death” super cedes anything released by Stockholm’s best in recent years.

note: 8.5/10

Tracklist

1. Skulls of the Rotten (Intro)
2. Structures of Death
3. Into the Fire of Hell
4. Written in Blood
5. A Spirit Dressed in Black
6. Fleshcult
7. Into the Crypts of Scattered Souls
8. Anthem of Death
9. Nothing But Flesh Remains
10. Rest in Pain (R.I.P.)
11. About Mortality
12. War of the Dead
Total playing time 40:50

Line-up

Sven Gross – Vocals
Oliver Grbavac – Guitar, Vocals
Mike Hanus – Guitar, Vocals
Bastian Herzog – Drums, Vocals
Nico Scheffler – Bass