Ελληνικά
Genre: Death Metal
Country: Sweden
Label: Dark Descent Records
Year: 2015
I’m not sure if someone started the trend of old bands coming back to life, but there has been a lot of thing happening the recent years. The sound of the scene of the late 80’s – 90’s seems to prosper as well, especially because of newcomer bands playing death metal old school style and paying homage to their roots. Wombbath from Sweden were jamming between 1990 and 1995, broke up and reformed in 2014, with 2015 witnessing a split release and a full length album. “Downfall Rising” is actually their second full length, follower to 1993’s “Internal Caustic Torments”, which is an obscure, classic gem for fans of Swedish old school death metal.
As far as the line up goes, only one original member remains and that is Håkan Stuvemark at the guitars and bass. There is a new drummer and a new additional guitarist, while the album also includes singer Jonny Pettersson, whom you might know from Syn:drom and Just Before Dawn. “Downfall Rising” goes barely above half an hour with eight straightforward compositions (an intro and seven tracks), a totally different (and quite improved) entity than the band’s debut full length. It was only natural, since it has been more than twenty years and a new set of members.
After the short and stern, one minute introduction, one recognizes right away the famous Swedish death metal sound. Produced by the duo of Jeramie Kling (The Absence, Infernaeon) and James Murphy (ex-Death, ex-Testament, ex-Obituary), the record has a crystal clear and imposing production, like all the late produced likeminded albums of the country. Bands like Entrails and Revel In Flesh are in the same territory, in terms of the aural framework.
“Downfall Rising” features great guitar lines, with the riffs being very powerful and well placed in all of the tracks. Being a dominant part of the record, they form the stomping sound of Wombbath as a pure death metal band. There are also a couple of very nice solos here and there, often more virtuosic than average for this style. The record combines middle paced, groovy parts with faster, painful lines and it’s structure is more than solid, offering many moments of headbanging and feelings of euphoria. If the titanic melodies of “Underneath This Rotten Soil” and “Fall of the Weak” don’t give you the goosebumps, then you probably just don’t like death metal.
One of the aspects I mostly enjoyed in the record is the vocals of Petterson. I have listened to other albums he participates and he is just a hell of a vocalist, his voice is distinctive, deep, bestial and fits perfectly to the music. Above all, it sounds amazing. You can listen to “Paid in Blood”, “Underneath This Rotten Soil” and understand what his capabilities are.
Despite being relatively short in length, the album doesn’t limit itself to the typical patterns only. “I Am the Abyss” has a cool synth introduction (even though I didn’t like how abruptly it ends and the song starts), and “Fall of the Weak” also goes with a peculiar, clean guitar intro before the main, smashing part. Most importantly, I was surprised with the last number “Abandoned Furthermore”, a two minute track with a very atmospheric start and then a line that reminds a lot of gothic / doom / death metal. It also has pale, symphonic black metal keyboards in the background. It is done so well, it doesn’t feel like an outsider to the rest of the tracks and closes the record nicely.
All in all, “Downfall Rising” is a very strong comeback for the band. Despite a misstep back in 1994 with a death’n’roll EP, their discography consists of two albums that reflect the good side of the scene of their time accurately. The educated fans know this is a must for them, but still for people who haven’t have had a chance with Wombbath so far, I would say start with the latest record and then dig into the past.
