Jesus that’s one hell of a gob-full of title, it will take you five minutes to order this in a shop? But is it any good?

Well they are Swedish death combo (can you order that as a starter for two?) formed from the dying embers of The Crown, and the influences are writ large. It’s Slayatallica, if I’m not mistaken and as I love both of them this album does appeal to my “bass bin speaker deafness” mode that I crave every now and again. 

This album is Rifferama City Central, they subscribe to the “why use one riff when seventy three dissonant ones matched with twelve time changes in each song will do nicely” sub genre. And yet they don’t sound too complicated, if that’s at all possible? 

Typical Scando Grizzly chewing light bulbs vocals backed with chugging riffs are the order of the day, but there is enough melody and surprising amounts of shade to let the music breath.

Some early Priest occasionally peers over the wall into view as does some proggy type Opeth noodlyness. So you get the impression that these guys are trying to cover a lot of bases and so they are, but it’s all done with enthusiasm and a deft touch. 

The drummer is a busy lad, he won’t have time for tea and scones playing live I would imagine, technically the plank spankers are very good if a little derivative but hey I’m being churlish now.

The production is clear and concise, it does sound as though they’ve spent time getting it right, plenty of channeled aggression emanating from your speakers. All in all this isn’t going to pull up any trees and shift by the shed-load and become mainstream but as albums go it’s not unpleasant. They have a plethora of good ideas and seem to have riffs to burn, I would check this lot out if they toured. 

Oh and song titles, the usual death/mayhem tomfoolery proliferate apart from the snigger making Bulldozer Frenzy, which, in my opinion, would be a great title for the One Man Army tribute band!!  (It’s not a ballad, surprised?) 

Oh and what subtle Cover art? NOT!

Let us know your views on '21st Century Killing Machine'

Track List

Killing Machine
Devil On The Red Carpet
Public Enemy No 1
No Apparent Motive
Hell Is For Heroes
When Hatred Comes To Life
So Grim So True So Real
Behind The Church
Branded By Iron
Bulldozer Frenzy
The Sweetness Of black
Mary’s Raising The Dead

Line Up

Johan Lindstrand - Vocals
Pekka Kiviaho - Guitars
Mikael Lagerblad - Guitars
Marek Dobrowolski - Drums
Robert Axelsson - Bass