Released by Nuclear Blast Records
Release Date: July 13, 2010 (USA)
Genre: Melodic Death Metal
Running Time: 47:46
Links: http://www.nuclearblast.de/
Links: http://www.myspace.com/soilwork
Line Up:
Björn “Speed” Strid – vocals
Peter Wichers – electric guitar/lead guitar
Ola Flink – bass guitar
Sven Karlsson – electronic keyboard
Dirk Verbeuren – drum kit
Sylvain Coudret – electric guitar/rhythm guitar
Tracklist:
1. Late For The Kill, Early For The Slaughter
2. 2 Lives Worth Of Reckoning
3 The Thrill
4. Deliverance Is Mine
5. Night Comes Clean
6. King Of The Threshold
7. Let This River Flow
8. Epitome
9. The Akuma Afterglow
10. Enter Dog Of Pavlov
Sweden’s native sons of Melodic Death Metal return with their 8th studio album titled “The Panic Broadcast” and it follows the same nu-metalcore death metal style that the bands ha been introducing in the past releases of “Stabbing The Drama” and “Sworn To A Great Divide”. For hard core metal deathheads fans of the band the suspicion has been that the new style doesn’t have as much distinction as some of their earlier work, which to a certain degree is true. I mean the growls of Bjorn Strid have become less and less but instead the more newer approach has alot of clean vocal parts and more straight ahead metal core simulations.
The band stated they wanted focus more on a new more technical approach on this record, and the riffs and crunchier guitar solos are more evident on tracks like “Two Lives Worth of Reckoning” and “The Thrill” who’s melodic chorus stands out as one of the best tracks on the record. The more edgier “Night Comes Clean” emphasis on harmonics comes clean with that new approach they band’s was talking about as the style here is evident of the new musical direction the band’s is taking. I guess is a matter of preference, the clean sound makes you focus more on each individual instruments as opposed to the overly aggressive growls from earlier works. I was bouncing on “King Of The Threshold” as it does a great job of keeping the pace uneven and with the sharp shredding riff fest the band dwells back into a more aggressive method.
I think the re-addition of original member guitarist Peter Wichers certainly added not only to the production but the stronger guitar presence. If you have follow the band’s since they’re early inception, you will not recognize the band now, they have completely rearranged their sound and style, call it maturity or progression, the fact the band managed to stay relevant and still retain a huge following in the death metal world is worth some attention. I think they successfully deliver on the promise of harder more guitar laden and technical approach. I wouldn’t go as far as to consider their latest effort a masterpiece as they’re earlier works still marks ground as classics of the genre, but if you consider how many new metal core bands follow the same formula you will find that Soilwork has evolved yes, but as musicians you actually hear that evolution for the better.
Written by Denys
Ratings Denys 7/10
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