Death Metal
Non Serviam Records
Release Date – March 17th 2023
Line Up:
Johnny Lehto – Vocals
Christer Bergqvist – Guitar
Robert Babic – Guitar
Robert Axelsson – Bass
Jonas Blom – Drums
Tracklist:
1 – Disharmony
2 – World War
3 – In Serpents Skin
4 – Dissimulation
5 – Hysteria
6 – Oblivion
7 – Suffocation
8 – Fall Of Kings
9 – Vermin
10 – Atrocity
11 – The Death Of The Peace Of Westphalia
Swedish death metal mongers Death Reich was formed in 2018 by drummer Jonas Blom, who played guitar at the time. The original drummer left, and it was easier to find another guitarist than another drummer, so he got behind the kit. They started out playing old-school US death metal but soon hit their straps when they started to write together and found that the music they created was far more brutal. With two previous EPs released this is their debut full-length album.
The title track has military beats that are joined by an ominous bell, some string synths, and Gregorian chant – then shit gets real when ‘World War’ literally is the soundtrack to Armageddon. If it goes off then I’m going to get to the highest peak I can find set up my camp chair break open a bottle of decent single malt, play this and watch the world go to hell. Perfect music for going to war! ‘In Serpents Skin’ is pure brutal death metal of the highest order where Blom just obliterates his kit and the guitars are like flame throwers.
Singer Johnny Lehto might sing with a gruff voice, but you still hear his vitriolic diatribe and boy does this fella mean every vinegar-tasting word. ‘Dissimulation’ continues the relentless brutality and you can imagine the biggest and bloodiest pit going bat shit crazy. ‘Hysteria’ is not the Def Leppard smooth and polished pop rock, this is as rough as a badger’s arse and heavy as fuck and let me tell you it ain’t about love either. ‘Oblivion’ gets even crazier with Blom upping the stakes along with the nastiest bastard of a riff – what those instruments must have been through doesn’t bear thinking about. ‘Suffocation’ comes down a bit but it’s no less heavy than ‘Fall Of Kings’ starts in the same vein before they let rip into another death metal crusher before the full force wrecking machine of ‘Vermin’. ‘Atrocity’ rips it up for over five minutes with a mid-paced breather halfway through and some glorious axe work they ease down at the end before ‘The Death Peace Of Westphalian’ offers some respite with some synths and acoustics to bring down the blood pressure.
Holy crap this is relentless and nasty. True death metal. Fast, frantic, heavy, and raw but played with such precision that it’s frightening. Beautifully violent and barbaric – how the hell are they going to top this? Difficult second album syndrome – let’s hope not. Even so, this is going to head toward classic debut album status very soon – it’s that good!
Score: 10/10
Reviewed by: Smudge
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