DEGRADEAD – A World Destroyer

A large sum of the Melodic Death Metal bands, Gothenburg-style mostly, whether new or old can’t really be categorized as Death Metal anymore. As Hardcore stepped in and claimed quite a dosage of this type of extreme music and made it Metalcore, there was a feeling that this great (almost twenty year old) subgenre had lost its soul and manner. Even so, there are still bands out there that have the means and will to create this wonderful music. Their version of Melodic Death Metal might not be like what was encountered in the early ’90s, but at least it is in rather close in proximity.

Degradead (what do you know, they are from Sweden!) has been playing Death Metal music in the way that their countrymen In Flames and Soilwork had played back in the late ’90s and the beginning of the new millennium. Just for a heads up, think about Clayman, Reroute To Remain, Natural Born Chaos, and Figure Number Five. Those were great albums by two once-great Death Metal icons, but they chose to “evolve”. Well, not Degradead. With their new (and third) album, A World Destroyer, they will send you back to what this extreme genre is all about: fierceness combined by high output melodies and harmonies.

Essentially, most of the album consists of rather easy to comprehend material. Although it seemed quite clear that these guys invested a lot in their material’s structure, the album will pass you by pretty fast. That is a good thing. Unlike with past Swedish Death Metal, Degradead has enlisted catchy elements, like catchy and clean vocal choruses, some easy to spot riffages, and they incorporated a modern sound to easily capture one’s attention. In a way it was like infusing In Flames and Soilwork with the Canadian power of Into Eternity. It’s a kind of mixture that is very admirable. Bottom line, almost the entire release smells of easiness, but not in a way where it would sound too banal for Melodic Death Metal fans. Degradead’s material has that youthful touch. It seems as if they tried to reach older fans along with the younger generation. That is why it might sound catchy, yet, the music is still aggressive. This is not an Emocore or Metalcore release, and that is a promise.

As mentioned earlier, some of the more modern riffs might sound familiar, and it’s hard to shake that feeling.  Yet the rate of performance was indisputable, and it was superb. Furthermore, A World Destroyer is very different to what other so called Melodic Death Metal bands conspire to these days. Even if vocalist Mikael Sehlin didn’t quite growl all the way, his enriching clean voice was the cherry on top of this ice cream. Moreover, the duo of Szucs & Nystrom kicked in quite nicely with some great harmonies and great solos. It is so sad that many in their status forgot the importance of those ground shakers.  All of the tracks of the album are recommended, so you are bound to take a listen to the entire monstrosity.

A World Destroyer, released under Metalville, has many great affiliations to the modern side of Melodic Death Metal, yet it kept its loyalties to original attributes of the genre. Even with modernity, this band truly rocks and the atmosphere surrounding their music is plainly amazing.

Tracklist

1. Human Nature
2. A Taste Of Destiny
3. A False Hope
4. The Final Judgment
5. Broken
6. Part Of The System
7. No One Prevail
8. Cold Blood
9. Near The End
10. Kept In The Dark

Lineup

Mikael Sehlin – Vocals
David Szucs – Guitars
Anders Nystrom – Guitars
Kenneth Helgesson – Bass
Michel Barzen – Drums