UNLEASHED – Sworn Allegiance

From Sweden comes the Death Metal quartet Unleashed, with a new album – their ninth full-length release – dealing with Vikings, fantasy, and necrophilia. Yes, the song “Only the Dead” (a very cool track, by the way) gives an in-depth description of sex with the dead, and works as a nice ironic nudge towards the traditional Death Metal style of lyrics. There’s nothing better than self-irony, and this track is very much that. It’s also a very good track musically, and there are more of those on this album.

The speedy “Destruction (Of The Race Of Men),” “Attack,” and “Praised Be The Lord,” and the mid-tempo “The Longships Are Coming,” “CEO,” and “One Night in Nazareth” (the natural sequel to “One Night in Bangkok” from the musical Chess?) are strong tracks, which shows off the different sides of the band. The album’s true gem, though, is the band’s ode to their fans, appropriately entitled “Metalheads.” This tune grooves like very few I’ve heard this year, and is a must-have for any true Metalhead.

The band’s style is not all that brutal, there are few blast beats here, and it’s possible to hear the lyrics without hiring a wild boar to translate. The album still has a solid punch to it, and for the long-haired out there, there’s plenty of headbangable material here. The production adds to this notion, as it’s neither too crisp nor too muddy, giving the songs just the right sound.

Playing-wise, I was actually pretty impressed, especially with the lead guitar. Songs like “I Bring You Death” showcase some neat axework from lead guitar player Fredrik (these guys only have first names, you see). The band, as such, is also both solid and tight, at times pretty much at breakneck speeds, but there’s nothing that extraordinary going on in the rhythm section. Still, they all help to contribute to what I consider a very fine offering of Death Metal.

“You open wide, prepare to receive/I hunger for sex obscene/You crave our penetration/and order me to come deep.” – Unleashed – “Only the Dead”