Intestine Baalism - Ultimate Instinct (2008)

   It's always appreciating to find a melodic death metal band that truely have death metal themes in it's music, and not playing simply heavy metal or some modern influenced melodic metal with growling vocals and over emotional background. Intestine Baalism's music is one of the few of the style who are fitting to the term for real.
   Their music is able to recall nostalgic feelings because of the old school touch of their main themes, but the same time returning melodies are taking over the lead temporarily. It's a well made combination based on a contrast of rough approach and softening '80s styled heavy metal themes mixed with blackened influences. Before the listener might get used to one of each, the direction is switching to the other side. The combination of black and heavy metal is based on a well discovered analogy that's quite operable, even though not many have experimented with that in similar context. The vocals are also conforming to this direction by switching to blackened styled cawing. The death metal parts are represented by brutal themes, fast speed both by blast beats and thrash styled drumming and deep growling vocal. The 2 sides are easy to distinguish, but together they creating an interesting and quite colorful main view. At the end of the album the heavy/black metal side gets dominant. "Ultimate Instinct" might be compatible with wide audience, but for those, who are expecting some Göteborg styled melodic death, that actually lacks death metal influences and reminds to bands like In Flames or Dark Tranquility, this album could be disappointing.