The Skeletal - The Plague Rituals (2011)

   The Skeletal was formed as an international project of musicians from 4 countries (United States, Sweden, Finland and Norway) that included Kam Lee (Massacre), Rogga Johansson (Pagainzer, Revolting and countless other bands), Lasse Pyykkö (Hooded Menace, Acid Witch), Brynjar Helgetun (Gods Forsaken) and Johan Berglund (Ribspreader).
  The line-up might sound enough promising to not expect any disappointment, because the names already can guarantee great quality and good production. And that's exactly what happened. Their music is like the mix of old school American and Swedish death metal, and it might be enjoyable for OSDM fans. Catchy diverse themes, common speed switches with often groovy touch and dynamic thrash based intensity. And of course Kam Lee's well known charismatic style. But the other quite predictable outcome that seems inevitable to occur if big names playing together is that it always ends up as something pretty generic. If "The Plague Rituals" was introduced as the new Massacre or The Grotesquery album, both could have been believable. And except herra Pyykkö all members played in The Grotesquery too, so the similarities are definitely not accidental. Not to mention that the differences and distinguishing musical features between both of Kam Lee's and Rogga Johansson's numerous pojects are quite difficut to find. Even though they keep producing good music, in most bands in which they're playing their specific style gets taken on a level that makes every band sound nearly the same. Things aren't different in case of The Skeletal either. Even though it's like some great hybrid of the old American and Swedish death metal scenes, it lacks real characteristics, that could make it more than a generic old school death metal album. However, for those who might prefer to listen this exact style endlessly, "The Plague Rituals" could become a potential favorite.