Paths of Possession - The End of the Hour (2007)

   Melodic death metal is somehow a paradox term, and even in practice it might be difficult to pull things together in this style. It's clear that a whole scene was formed for this subgenre in Göteborg Sweden, and after the (unfortunate) style change of Carcass, this scene had main influence in the development of melodic death metal.
   But fortunately a few bands didn't step into the line to play this style the same way, like leaving behind all death metal features except growling vocals, and to play something that hardly could be called as something death metal related. Paths of Possession belongs to those few bands who were able to create something that can fit to that paradox term. They've kept most death metal features and only frequent melodies making their music different from ordinary death metal. Unlike most other bands in this style, the song structures didn't simplified and led only by one catchy melody that determines the whole song. The proportion of heavy riffings stayed fixed on the side of catchy melodies, and theme changes are also common. By keeping this musical complexity the band showed an example how to not collapse into emotional masturbation or to how to not drift "accidentally" into mainstream in an audience friendlier subgenre. By the lyrics they also didn't turn away from the roots of death metal, and if it wasn't enough, the characteristic growling style of Mr. George "Corpsegrinder" Fisher (ex-Monstrosity, late Cannibal Corpse) also makes sure to keep it brutal. Their music can be enjoyable for melodic death fans and for ordinary death metal fans too.