This Ending Dead Harvest
by Matthew Hoffman
Staff Writer
This Ending is a Swedish melodic death metal band and were formed in 2005. Their new album Dead Harvest, the band’s second full length CD is out now on Metal Blade records.
This record is the perfect party or road trip record that a head banger can simply put in and not have to concentrate on, but still be incredibly entertained. The CD is very cohesive and has such a nice flow that u wonder why so many bands don’t follow the established metal formula. That mix is a straight forward four minute song with hard charging riffs cool hooks and a guitar solo 2:30 minutes in (see Dio’s Holy Diver for the exact formula). Now surely we jest but the point is serious, k.i.s.s (keep it simple stupid) works in all kinds of professions from sales engineering to deep water oil rig emergency medical work. In modern metal sadly many are trying to recreate a wheel that already has dozens of spokes. This solid traditional death metal delivery is the true strength of the Swedish band.
The core of the music is made up of hard charging guitars from axemen Linus Nirbrant and Leo Pignon that yield killer riffs and nicely layered leads and solos throughout. The cool lead 3:30 minutes into “Tools of Demise,” is the perfect example of this measured excellence. Yet the boys can “bring it” new school if necessary, like the sick ass solo on “Machinery.”
Mårten Hansen’s vocals are fantastic as they are sinister, eerie and wicked but also completely discernable, quite the rarity within the world of modern metal extreme vocals.
The drums of Fredrik Andersson range from American Revolutionary War drummer boy in “Army of the Dying Sun” to rocket fast double bass death metal beats on several of the other tracks like on “Machinery” and “Deathtrade”.
Folks this is a kick ass metal record no more, no less and should be purchased with much haste. Great job once again Metal Blade.
Label: Metal Blade
Band Members
Mårten Hansen -Vocals
Linus Nirbrant -Guitars
Leo Pignon -Guitars
Jesper Löfgren -Bass
Fredrik Andersson -Drums
Track Listing
1. Trace of Sin
2. Parasites
3. Machinery
4. Instigator of Dead Flesh
5. Dellusionists
6. Army of the Dying Sun
7. Dead Harvest
8. Tools of Demise
9. Deathtrade
10. The Asylum
HRH Rating: 7.9/10