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Bloodbath: Nightmares made flesh

12/08/04 || Lord K Philipson

Before I heard this album, I remember these short sentences from a recent phone-convo with Dan Swanö:

” Me : Dan, are you satisfied with the new album?
Dan : Yeah, but it turned out a bit more brutal than I wanted it to.”

That made my interest in this album rise to new levels. If it’s more brutal than Dan wanted it to be, it has to be good. I think there’s a reason he’s doing the sucky Nightingale-crap, you know. Dan is definitely a multi-talented mofo and all, but my opinion always was of the fact that he records his best stuff when he’s with other people instead of doing everything himself. Nightingale still suck though, not a million friends can assist Dan with getting that crap on track.

A few examples to prove my theory:

Edge of Sanity = Excellent for most parts. Lots of people included. Probably a 100 or so. Or 5. Hundred. Yadda yadda yadda.

Odyssey = Definitely excellent. I’m on it you know. Can’t fail with me onboard. Taxi.

Dan Swanö’s “Moontower” = See what I mean? He’s all alone on this one. I’m positive that if someone else was on that recording, the disgusting and annoying keyboard-sound wouldn’t have made it’s way onto the album. That might have made it a really good death metal album, but that sound destroys any chance of that happening.

Anyfuckencocksuckingmonstrositybassist…

Bloodbath are back. With new members. You all know who got kicked out/left and who plays what nowadays, right? If not, I’m not the one telling you. The switching of drummers seemed to be a huge improvement as we now get some longed-for semi-fast blastbeats mixed into the death metal displayed. Dan can’t blast, Martin Axenrot can. And it fits like a cock in a Nightwish-fans’ arse. I have no idea as for how much material Dan himself wrote for this album, but his riffing is very present here and there. You can pick out his shit any fucken time. And most of the time that’s nothing but a good thing. I blame Swanö for the more wussier parts, like the slow accoustic thing in “Eaten”. I have no idea if he wrote that particular song though, but it doesn’t matter. I blame it on him anyways, just becoz I can and becoz we have known each other for over some 10+ years.

You all know that Bloodbath is the all-star project that probably turned even more all-star with the addition of Peter Tägtgren on vocals. I knew I would make this a nice move-over to talk about Peters’ input. It’s nice to rule.

I don’t think I have ever heard Peter sing this good. I’m betting my death metal cock it’s Dan Swanö doing the low backing-vocals though. He has a good growl, with a lisp – sure, but it’s still a good growl. And if it’s not Dan, Peter just became an ever bigger hero. Either way, those vocals are great and far better than Mikes’ too effect-ladden vocals on “Resurrection through carnage”.

So…

What we have now is some good vocals and some killer-blasts. But that’s not all… We also have a clean and crunchy production and I bet Dan is to blame for that one too, though I have absolutely no idea. If it was, well… Congrats man. If it wasn’t… Well, congrats man anyways. For something else I guess. Like giving me this album instead of the new Nightingale-one. I appreciate it.

Just remind me if I’m kinda unclear about disliking Nightingale, ok?

Peter Forsberg is preparing for the World Cup of Hockey, in case you missed out on that. Now all of you other countries are fucked. If we don’t win this shit, I blame it on Swanö.

So, what’s the album actually like compared to the previous effort? On the downside:

1. The songs aren’t as memorable/catchy as they were on the fucken first full-length. This might change with time though, or if Dan gives me some royalties for the Odyssey-minialbum.
2. There’s not one single photo of me on the burnt CDR Dan gave me.
3. I still haven’t heard a riff I want to steal, I definitely did that on their debut. (Ok, I heard a few, hush now…)

On the upside:

1. It’s well-played as hell, ofcourse. Even more so this time around. These guys know their death metal, that’s for sure. And the album doesn’t sound nearly as “cut and paste” as the previous one did.
2. It’s more varied then “Resurrection through carnage”.
3. It’s holding a much better production, as mentioned before. I just couldn’t come up with a valid third point, so Sue Ellen. Or sue me..

It’s solid-as-hell detah (I wonder how many times I make that typo… This time I’m fucken leaving it. Bloe mw. Blow me, I mean. Can someone come here and type this shit for me? I’ll let staff-member Farlus suck yer cocks as a thanks. He’s that good) metal though. Where were we?

There’s plenty of melody and heavy riffing in here. But I think there’s a major problem though… Any death metal fan will praise this album like all-fuck based on who are in the band, letting the obvious non-catchiness pass by unnoticed. Tons of riffs are just… there… For the sole reason of being… there. I know Bloodbath is a tribute to the old death metal scene and all, and they do the tribute-thing better than most, I just wish they gave me the same chills as the old Grave-albums do. I know it’s asking for… yeah… kind of much… But please… Give me the riffs that puts hair on chicks’ chests, give me the riffs that make me wanna pick up my guitar and play along to it, or just give me fucken drugs at least!

To put it out nicely:

Bloodbath are no God Among Insects.
And we tune our guitars lower.

Therefore we fucken win.

Seriously chaps, you have done a good job for sure. I dig the album. And I’m sure it will grow even more on me after several more listens. As for the opening statement by Dan, the album IS more brutal than “Resurrection thru whatthefuckever”, and it’s faster as a whole. But it’s not as brutal as I thought it’d be.

It’s not God Among Insects-brutal.

Therefore we fucken win.
Again.

Ok, ok, ok… I’ll stop it now. My crack-dealer is here. Just one last thing. or 2…

If you dug the last album in particular and death metal in general, there’s no way you won’t dig this.

8 not enough downtuned guitars out of 10.

Information
Released: 2004
Label: Century Media
Website: www.bloodbath.biz
Band
Peter Tägtgren: vocals
Anders Nyström: guitars
Dan Swanö: guitars
Jonas Renkse: bass
Martin Axenrot: drums

Tracklist
01. Cancer Of The Soul
02. Brave New Hell
03. Soul Evisceration
04. Outnumbering The Day
05. Feeding The Undead
06. Eaten
07. Bastard Son Of God
08. Year Of The Cadaver Race
09. The Ascension
10. Draped In Disease
11. Stillborn Saviour
12. Blood Vortex

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