MORDBRAND
"Imago"
Deathgasm Records, 2014.
After some EP's and split albums at last the album debut of Swedish Death Metal band Mordbrand is out and is nothing but old-school Swedish Death Metal and i was thinking "one more Death Metal release from a Swedish Death Metal band" but as a matter of fact while listening i realized that it is not just another copycat of the old Stockholm sound or similar, "Imago" shows 90% of that style but here are some differences that makes this band different from others. They have a more raw sound on the production of guitars and drums, sometimes you can hear even some Black Metal riffs and they do it very good.
Songs like "Imago" shows this creepy atmosphere like coming out of a terror movie, other tracks like "Revelate" and "Sever the Limbs That Grace" shows this classic "hardcore" beat on the drums which is very common on the old school style and of course at the same time sounds like God Macabre here and there. But this is no surprise since Per and Björn plays in that band too.
I am glad to see these kind of bands that are worried to offer something different, looking to have their own sound and not only to remain in that channel and play this old-school Swedish style over and over which i really like it so much but at some point you have to make a difference like Mordbrand its doing on "Imago".
Probably with a better production and even having this HM-Boss pedal on could sound fantastic this album without a doubt.
Points: 4.5 of 5
Listen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HHWcKfqV6Ts