Rising from the moldy earth, the corpse of true Swedish death metal refuses to stay dead and buried. Its lust for blood can never be quenched and though it may sometimes slumber beneath the soil, it will always erupt from the grave and stalk human prey. In this present age of darkness, Bloodbath stands as the purest incarnation of this gruesome musical cadaver.

The pedigree of this band is without reproach. Vocals are handled by Mikael Akerfeldt of fast rising folk/death stars Opeth while drumming is provided by legendary Dan Swano of Edge of Sanity/Pan-Thy-Monium/Nightingale and too many other Swedish bands to name. Guitars and bass are belched forth by Anders and Jonas from gloomy metallers Katatonia. So talent is not a question here, but don't expect to hear music that sounds much like Bloodbath's "home bands". "Resurrection Through Carnage" is all about the classic Swedish death metal sound of the early 90's. The gut-churning mixture of super-heavy, buzzing guitars, mucus-dripping vocals and pounding drums with tasty but brutal riffs and strangely compelling melodies that bands like Entombed, Dismember and Grave issued during that period typified the term "death metal" like no other. American bands may have played a faster, more chaotic style but when it came to catchiness and sheer heaviness, the Swedes had everything nailed in. In recent years, the dominant Swedish death metal sound has become much more melodic and less brutal, as In Flames and Dark Tranquility show.

Honestly, Bloodbath ranks with the best of the classic Swedish bands. Akerfeldt's vocals are supremely guttural and morbid but still very clear. He is probably the best death vocalist currently active. Anders delivers the buzzy guitar sound of Sunlight studios brilliantly, but he also varies tones enough to make things interesting. Bloodbath is not just a recreation of the past; it amplifies and builds on it. Every track on "Resurrection Through Carnage" is distinct and yet remains completely true to that early 90's sound. The album is much cleverer than it would appear on first inspection and on repeated listenings, you can hear a lot of thoughtfulness in the arrangements. But when you pop this sick pup in the first time, just grab your neck brace and get ready to bang your head until it falls off because this record is a murderous assault from word one.

This review is available in book format (hardcover and paperback) in Music Street Journal: 2003 Year Book Volume 2 at https://garyhillauthor.com/Music-Street-Journal-2003-and-2004/.