Demonical - Hellsworn (2009)

   One thing seems certain while listening to Demonical: these guys have been into death metal since a while, and this isn't their spare time high school band project. And the intuition proves to be correct after checking on the line up, because all the band members played on various other bands before or still they do. 
   Probably the best way to describe Demonical's "Hellsworn" is: Swedish death metal at it's best. The wider possibilites of recording were definitely advantageous for the style, because higher sound quality can make wonders with the basicaly rough and unfriendly Swedish sound. It's colder and more effective than how ever it was in the early '90s, and it had positive effect on all other it's features too. The album is nostalgic and refreshing the same time, and the high sound quality having an important role in that. The main impression is quite aggressive and dark as it shoud be expected. Nearly the whole local old school scene could be mentioned as possible musical influences, but it sounds like Grave  have to be mentioned first of all, because the tone that Demonical reached is the most similar to them. The title song of the album quite reminds to Moondark, but that's not surprising, since their guitarist played in that band too. The other members are known from bands like Centinex, Diabloical (their drummer also played in Grave), and they're not joking, they all are on the level and they know their job well. Great and diverse themes are leading the listener into the depths of musical obscureness. "Helsworn" is an excellent album that represents well the compromiseless cruelty of old school Swedish death metal.