Dig Me No Grave - Cosmic Cult (2014)

   Similar to Grond, Dig Me No Grave's lyrical concept also reflects their Lovecraft enthusiasm, and musically they also prefer mainly simple and basic themes, but they're more on the old school death metal field. And by implementation they also prefer great production and good sound quality.
   Compared to groove death metal, their songs are more complex and diverse of course, but on the side of the style or subgenre differences, some moderate experimental ambitions also making this complexity more evident. The band seemingly preferred various and unexpected switches not only by themes and tempo, but in forms of small surprises, like short, sometimes catchy, sometimes noisy solos. The song structures aren't unified either, cause they seemingly tried to come up with something slightly different each time. It did have an advantageous result, since their experimental endeavours getting clear pretty soon, and they never crossing through the imaginary border to turn too technical. The interesting factor comes mainly from their seemingly unusual solutions. Their main influences might have been rooted in bands whose music sounded more developed since the beginning than their fellow old school death metal coetaneous bands, like for instance Morbid Angel, Tiamat, or Paradise Lost. Even if Dig Me No Grave's musical toolbar could be still limited compared to capabilities of  the mentioned bands, their full-length debut might be quite enjoyable for the fans of old school death metal. 

Remains - Angels Burned (2014)

   If  someone's encounter an album design made by Mark Riddick, usually 2 things could be taken as granted: 1. it's most probably a death metal album, and 2. it's not going to disappoint. The same are correct about "Angel's Burned" by Remains.
   The band dedicated their music completely to old school death metal, and mainly to the Swedish scene. Grave and Unleashed should be mentioned in first line as their most possible influences. And it's definitely not weird from a Mexican band, since the audiences there are strongly into European bands. From the '10s the number of European metal inspired Mexican bands have increased, and even if most of them cannot offer any different or interesting perspective, they're quite good as fan-made projects, not to mention their impressive self-dedication. Also since the '10 Swedish death metal styled bands could be found literally in every country where's mentinable metal scene, if the nearly endless amount that Sweden keeps providing since the early '90s haven't been enough. If it's about themes, Remains' debut "Angel's Burned" definitely sounds like any death metal album from Sweden, except the typical "Swedish buzzsaw" sound was missing - at least on this album. But in the followings even this tiny "aesthetical issue" was avoided. 
   Strongly recommended for the fans of Swedish death metal!

Slaughtbbath - Hail to Fire (2013)

   Before their full-length debut Slaughtbbath have been around since a decade and pad plenty of demo and split-album appearances. Even though their music sounded very promising and impressive in this long lasting early period already, it was definitely worth to wait for "Hail to Fire".

    While traditional black metal themes had high role in their early music, it could have been continuously sensed that there's something more, some deviant intention in the background. And by "Hail o Fire" basically one of the most intense and devastating war metal albums was released. By focusing on the tiny differences the subgenre allows, it's possible to distinguish their style and sound from the American-Canadian classics. Slaughtbbath have a slightly more old school approach, that's more related to their local scene. The combination of insane intensity and the excellent sound might remind to Grave Desecrator. And this means enjoyability in the traditional way had the same importance for them as overwhelming brutality. Rehearsal sound quality might result raw impression, could build on making the music harder to go into, could let the atmosphere to gain role, and it's even able to hide performance failures. It's also possible to explain that the sound is bad cause it's intended to be like that, while in practice lower investment just led to higher profit as it has happened plenty of times in black metal. But if it's about the effectiveness of extremity, nothing could beat a sound that exposes the competence of the musicians and assists the style to show its best the same time. "Hail to Fire" is not only a black metal or war metal masterpiece, but an outstanding record in the extreme scene in general. 

Undead Creep - The Ever Burning Torch (2011)

   Undead Creep's impressing full lenght debut didn't only catch the New Wave of Old School Death Metal with the right tone and by the right timing, but also extended the possible sources of Swedish styled death metal.
   Both in sound and themes the influences of the well known classics of the Swedish scene are waving back, such as Grave, Unleashed, Entombed and especially Carnage. The same rough and unfriendly approach could be experienced, and the song structures are also strictly following the Swedish recipe. Productiveness is one of the main features of the album, since the main concept was covered as various ways as possible. However even if the main direction is quite determined and evident, in the form of short and fast solo themes and lead switches the influence of Death also could be discovered. The presence of this moderate Floridan touch on the side of some short typically early '90s rooted atmospheric effects seems briefly compared to the absolute overweight of the Swedish references, so they didn't have determining role. "The Ever Burning Torch" is like a  nostalgia album made by dedicated old school death metal fans, and by the demo songs included it's decent lenght couldn't be disappointing for the fans of the genre.

Puteraeon - The Esoteric Order (2011)

   Such as countless others, Puteraeon showed up determined to keep up the old school sound of Swedish death metal, making it sure that the fans of the scene could never could run out from related bands to listen to. 
   On the side of the slightly disturbing feeling (that might come up by listening after the 30th Swedish buzzsaw sounding band) that reminds to some well planned manufacturing process; there are some relaxing effects too if some individual/genuine features can be discovered in some bands, to help distinguishing them from the countless others. Puteraeon is one of those bands, and furtunately their numbers slowly increased - at least in Sweden, while in the rest of the world the exact copies of the Swedish sound became common to fill the "gap". On the side of the usual local influences like Entombed, Grave or Unleashed, and the traditional sound, lyrical concept and intense, rude approach, Puteraeon operated with groovier riffs. That made their music a bit different from the well known tendencies, and led to a more melodic impression. The difference is tiny, and still endlessly far from any popularity contest, but still suits "The Esoteric Order" well enough to give the album some catchy and identifiable character. This also made possible to build on the contrast of intense speed and chilled themes. In general it also drew more attention on the thrashy basics, so that small difference proved to be effective and advantageous the same time. This made "The Esoteric Order" a strong, well composed and enjoyable debut.

Torture Pulse - Plague Poetry (2010)

  It's not new that underground bands from Northern countries usually prefer to keep strictly the traditional sound and style features that have been formed in specific genres during the late '80s/early '90s. Therefore it's easy to distinguish them and it also serves as self-determination and denying to take compromises of the tendencies of the mainstream scene by taking smaller compromises on the field of the evergreen extreme scene.
   However there are some exceptions like Torture Pulse, who despite of their origins didn't start to play traditional Finnish styled death metal, but seemed to be more into the Swedish sound. The musical features of "Plague Poetry" are showing analogy with Swedish death metal on defining level. From the usual "buzzsaw sound" through the song compositions and the intense thrash influenced intense speed until the rude growling vocal style, everything sounds quite like bands of the neighbuor scene. If it's about exact band influences it would be difficult to pick up any, because the band payed attention to imitate the style without taking too much by certain band features. From early Entombed, Unleashed or Grave many classic names could be mentioned depending on the listener's personal impression. For the fans of old school Swedish death metal "Plague Poetry" might be a quite enjoyable album to listen to. 

Interment - Where Death Will Increase 1991-1994 (2010)

   During their short active period, Interment had 3 demo tapes, and after the band was reunited, these have been released as a compilation album.
   Their strongly Carnage and Grave influenced music sounds like a prototype of the traditional Swedish sound, mostly because demo songs could be heard on the album. But it has an unrepeateble feeling, coming from the probably remastered demo sound. It reflects the spirit of the early '90s underground scene perfectly. Similar to Carnage they also experimented with sound effects, but while listening to the album, with time it gets more similar to Desultory because of the intense thrashy basics and the strict drumming style. The compilation shows well the progress how a young band's style develops leaving behind the inspirational influences, and slowly more individual features are taking over. These features are of course not different from what's usual at any other Swedish death metal band. By their return Internment released another full-lenght album in the same year with new songs. Even though their style didn't change, it's notable that those songs were written by a well experienced band. 'Where Death Will Increase" is not only an enjoyable nostalgia record, but also like an example how of the Swedish death metal scene have risen. 

Grave Ritual - Euphoric Hymns from the Altar of Death (2010)

   Grave Ritual debuted with an obscure and strongly Incantation influenced album, that's similar to their main influental band, wasn't so easy to go into.
   Compared to Incantation, "Euphoric Hymns from the Altar of Death" focused more on the old school themes, and even though it's not so raw and complex, still the heavy sound and the rotting feeling makes it sure to keep it unfriendly. The guitar themes are quite Incantation-like, and speed switches are common enough to make it difficult to determine any preferences, so it's quite a unified mass. The way how they worked on simple leading melodies by pushing them though on various possibilites of disharmony, resulted a well composed album. The main themes are following and complying to the speed switches from slow, obscure heaviness to middle speed and to intense hammering. These solutions making main view quite diverse, even though the sound that makes suspect that the album was recorded in some dungeon deep underground, definitely took from the effectiveness of diversity. But still, it was also a rational intention, to keep the album unified and putrid sounding as possible. Exciting record provided by newbies of the New Wave of Old School Death Metal.

Graveyard - One with the Dead (2009)

   Graveyard debuted as a band with traditional old school Swedish death metal features, and they performed this style so well that nobody would suspect that they're not even from Sweden. 
   Like if the nearly endless amount of nearly the same sounding old school Swedish death metal bands were not enough, many newbies showed up at various locations to try themselves in the style of the well known classics of the genre. The names of these classics are waving back while listening as evident influences, such as Grave, Carnage, Entombed and Unleashed. Still, Graveyard's goal was not to simply copy this style and to create a schematic death metal album. Plenty of exciting musical solutions are waiting for the listener to pull it down to the hopeless rotten catacombs. For the band heaviness had a main importance on the side of the rough, dirty cold sound, and they managed it with sommon slow downs and sudden speed switches. Sometimes repetitive sick leading melodies are assisting to the intensiveness that's the main feature of the album. The temporary slow downs doesn't take anything from this intensity because of the diverse themes they've operated with. So even though the band's style is (tomb)stone carved Swedish death, "One with the Dead" is everything but monotonous. Similar to the late tendencies of Swedish death, occasionally some quite vintage sounding heavy and doom metal elements (the second in the form of a Candlemass cover) are also there to find. They've really tried everything possible that made this notorious. 

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. 

Blood Mortized - Blood Mortized (2009)

   Blood Mortized's debut might be a perfect example of the new sound of Swedish death metal, that at one hand includes the features of the well known old school direction, but also likes to try something else.

   The difference could be neglectable in general, because the result is definitely old school Swedish death, but still in a different way than 2 decades ago. The sound is the same unfriendly, the vocals are the same rude, the influence of bands like Entombed, Grave, or Unleashed is evident. The bigger amount of melodies are spectacular in the case of Blood Mortized. The band mostly prefers middle speed, that also supports the melodic assistance, hammerings are mostly temporary. The middle speed on the side of the common returning melodies softened the main view. Of course this wouldn't be enough for the band to nominate the album on a popularity contest, but it's definitely lighter than the ordinary old school direction. Maybe with a clearer sound and by putting the melodies more into focus their music might be close to melodic death, but in it's current form this danger isn't threathening. If the main themes would be faster and would sound heavier, more primitive, it wouldn be very similar to the Finnish style. The band definitely had various other influences, that's why their music kept staying somewhere in the middle, and leaving open different further possibilities. 

Eternal Grave - Arquitectura del horror (2009)

   Somehow it's always appreciating to find new bands who are playing in old Cannibal Corpse style. Partly because it's not easy to give back the same combination of heaviness and sickness, and partly because it's exaggerated effect could be addictive.
   Eternal Grave recalled that very familiar feeling with success. They've reached the same level of heaviness, brutality and intesity, even the deep growling vocal style is quite Chris Barnes-like. For direct comparsion the album reminds the most to "The Bleeding", except in the case of sick melodies. They experimented with some short ones, but they didn't become the essential part of the songs like at Cannibal Corpse, only showing up as some background melodies for a while. Some of them worked out well, others not that much, but sometimes they've shortened them to weird fripperies. Therefore the noisy brutality have absolute leading role, and this way the main impression is quite raw, but keeps staying enough enjoyable to keep the listener's attention. The band preferred common slow downs between the hammering parts. "Arquitectura del horror" might be fun to listen for the lovers of Cannibal Corpse nostalgia, and also for the fans of gory brutal death.

Hooded Menace - Fulfill the Curse (2008)

   The New Wave of Old School Death metal also opened a gate for related styles, so it could be found responsible for the Renaissance of death/doom metal. It was proven that the heavier, non-romantic and therefore less popular aspect of the subgenre can also offer diversity.
   If the characteristic deep growls of Hooded Menace might sound familiar, it's not a coincedence. It's the band of Lasse Pyykkö, whose voice was widely introduced previously in Acid Witch. Hooded Menace counts as a related band by it's completely horror addicted concept, but in style preferred to stay at the early roots of death/doom. Therefore their music might be harder to go into, but the old school references could help to guide the listener amongst the slow, heavy riffings (for instance "The Love Song of Gotho" is strongly reminding to "Chlidren of the Grave" by Black Sabbath). The album sounds a bit raw, like if it was still in experimenting/pathfinding form in some way. Similar to Finnish death metal in general, they also involved frequently returning catchy leading melodies, and when they turn to middle speed, their music has a nearly groovy feeling. However, even though their described toolbar sounds like an absolute win, all of these didn't removed their music from rawness, the combination of the noisy heaviness and the melodies stayed as a case at issue. "Fulfill the Curse" can be an enjoyable album for the fans of the heaviest musical aspect of horror.

Son of Earth - Son of Earth (2008)

   If there was a direct gate portal somewhere in the North to a hellpit, Son of Earth probably would came from there to this world with their one and only album. Not much is known about the band, but the most important thing is that they've created the most effective Swedish death metal album since a very long time.
   Their music is like the mix of the old school style of the local scene with further influences, and embedded into modern, but quite noisy sound. The themes are simple and heavy, early Grave and Carnage could be mentioned as possible direct influences. A strong echo effect assists to create an obscure and cold atmosphere and gives the short and noisy solo parts to a Netherworldish impression. By slow, occasional melodies new depths are getting opened, but not for long, soon the noisy destruction continues. The album is quite diverse, not stucked at constant hammering, not too raw and not unifacial either, but still not one of the easy ones to go into. They frequently switch to a combination of very fast themes and blast beats, that are not quite usual in the local scene, but more common to hear at American bands like Immolation, or in black metal. The vocal style also reminds to Immolation's, and to the unique growls of Marc Grewe in Morgoth. The main view is heavy and endlessly sick the same time, strongly recommended material.

Darkcreed - Dark Regions (2008)

   Darkcreed was formed in the early '90s, and they kind of missed the late '80s/early '90s death metal wave, since their few demos came out later. But after a long break, with their debut EP they had excellent timing by catching up the New Wave of Old School Death Metal.
   Their music recalled the sound of old school Swedish death metal. The same simple but catchy themes, intensity and heavy load of primitiveness are waiting for the listener. The similarity is impressing, even the song structures, lyrics and vocal style are referring to the Northern classics. The mix of blasphemous, morbid obscure topics about death and torment should be expected in the already well known style. If the band's origin wasn't known, the listener could easily believe that an old, long time forgotten record from the early '90s was newly found. The earliest period of bands like Unleashed, Grave, and Entombed are getting summoned while listening "Dark Regions". The short, melodic, but ominous solo parts are reminding to the deviant sound of Carnage. It's an excellent nostalgia material for the fans of the Swedish death scene if they might desire some "fresh blood" in the same style.

Grave Desecrator - Sign of Doom (2008)

   Since the mid '90s have been passed, it's quite rare to find references from new bands to the once so unique old school South American scene. New or less known names appearing from time to time in the form of bands who didn't have much attention in their times, but newer formations are another thing. Grave Desecrator is one of the rare exceptions, who have been formed with similar concept.
   The band was mainly influenced by Sarcófago and old Sepultura, and recalls the mixed style of the old scene authentically. The aggressive and compromise-less attitute of "Sign of Doom" matches not only with the tendencies of past times, but it's also not far from war metal. Similar to war metal bands and in analogy with the local traditions, they avoided atmospheric sound, and instead of dark aesthetics, their effectiveness lies in the raw sound and the heaviness of the themes. The main impression is still enough old school to not cross a certain border, and the thrash metal basics are quite evident. This is the source of their never ending intensity, while the ancient black/death metal features are responsible for the heaviness and the brutality. "Sign of Doom" is not only an excellent nostalgia album, but also had refreshing role in the recent extreme underground scene. 

From Beyond - Sounds of the Grave (2007)

   From Beyond was formed in the early '90s, but such as many other bands who were not able to make it further that time than a few demo tapes, they've debutet in the early '00s.
   Their first album was kind of raw by ideas that sounded like awaiting for some elaboration, but the band have managed this progress at their return and showed development. Their themes are reminding to classic doom metal that might be not surprising from a death/doom band, but the main tendency of the style was different. The better known and popular bands of the style (at bands where the death metal reference is quite questionable) had similar features in their music, but because of the massive overload of melodies and emotional atmosphere their effect was minimal. And in the case of the rough direction (that was really death metal influenced too) most themes were more like the slow version of death metal. At From Beyond the ominous feeling of the '80s doom metal can be easily identified, only they sound more rough and noisier. And it's possible to find themes that are strongly remindig to '70s, and leading back to the very roots of the genre. This counts as uncommon in death/doom, cause not many have tried anything similar, even though it might be quite evident. Probably it's because death/doom used to be somthing heavier and more depressing than ordinary doom, and classical themes might sound too "bright" for the down-pulling, noisy sound. But there are modern features to find on the album on side of the old school nostalgia, so though it's simplicity "Sounds of the Grave" offers diverse entertainment.

Spiritual Decay - Closer to the Grave (2006)

    During it's short existence, Spiritual Decay evoked the old school style of death metal of the early '90s.
   "Closer to the Grave" was almost nearly perfect, but the band also showed some genuine ambitions that didn't let to sort the album to the ordinary '90s nostalgia records. The common switchings between middle speed and fast hammering made their music quite intense, and the deep growling female vocals were also effective, as they sound aggressive and insane the same time. But the atmospheric effects (both musical and vocal) functioned as a strong braking force and took a lot from the effectiveness of their harsh sound. Like throwing a shovel of dirt on fire. The atmospheric and floating parts probably used to give some spiritual impression, but as their appearances getting more frequent, the album sounds more tired with time, and it's able to serve as a lullaby for the listener. That's a very strong contrast compared to how intense the album starts. No matter the heavy sound and lyrics of war and violence, it's like death metal after a peace pipe that was filled with some strong hallucinogenic material. This main view reminds to Fear of God somehow, inner struggles under the influence of self-destruction are easier to expect, than brutality in real life. But except these the themes are well composed and album could be interesting for old school death metal fans.

Funebrarum - Beneath the Columns of Abandoned Gods (2001)

   Until the early '00s the newer styles of death metal almost completely wiped out the existence of the old school sound from the memory of the main audience. But occasionally some bands showed up to refresh the memory of those who were not so satisfied with the progressive, brutal, technical or melodic directions.
   Funebrarum was one of the few bands who played excellent cryptic stenched death metal in the early '00s. Their debut was an all-round high quality record, similar music was extremely rare to find in those times. Even though the putrid sound had absolute role in their music, it was also a little bit more than old school death metal. Their slower and middle speed themes presumed some doom inflences too. And by checking the line-up, it's not surprising, since two of their members played in Evoken too meanwhile. If it's about influences, their music reminding of Autopsy and the Swedish style of death metal. The simple but catchy themes of Carnage, old Entombed and Grave waving back from the forgotten past, commonly interrupted by intense and noisy hammering parts. The lyrics also returned to the classic topics of death and torment just like in the "good old times". "Beneath the Columns of Abandoned Gods" wasn't only some nostalgia album, but an authentic proof that death still walks among us.

Eternal Solstice - Horrible Within (1995)

   Eternal Solstice is a less known, but old band existing since the beginning of the golden age of death metal, straight from the hellpit of the Dutch scene. They debuted with a rude sounded, mostly Swedish death metal influenced album. For their second coming their music showed some further development.
   Grave, Unleashed and Entombed should be mentioned in first line if it's about their assumed influences. The ant-religious lyrics are like some strongly related references too. The basics stayed the same, but in themes they showed some plus diversity. "Horrible Within" is still an angry album that represents the simple, primitive brutality of the Swedish scene but some involved melodies, the creative composing of themes, and the solo parts with very old school touch telling about progression. That resulted more mature sound and increased the effectiveness of their hammering rampage. These features may shoo off any chance of disappointment for the fans of the unfriendly, cold sound of the Swedish death metal classics.