Sweden’s Sarcasm returns with their fifth album Mourninghoul. Sarcasm plays a unique throwback style of classic Swedish Sound (Unanimated, Dawn, Early Gates of Ishtar, Early Desultory) mixed with moments of modern heaviness by bands like Morbid Angel.

“As Northern Gates Opens” opens the album and I was hooked right away by the coldness of the tremolo picked harmonies. Morninghoul was mixed and mastered by Lawrence Mackory, vocalist of Darkane. “Lifelike Sleep” comes up next and full of minor third harmony runs and pinch harmonics. I love the production. It sounds like this could have come out in the early nineties. The vocals of Heval Bozarslan pair well with the guitar work of Anders Eriksson and Peter Laitinen.

“Withered Souls We Mourn” is one of the heaviest songs on the album and then the marching feel of the verse is unique. “Dying Embers of Solitude” reminds me of a bit of Dissection before the song picks up tempo. “A Lucid Dream in The Paradigm Stream” is another notable example of mixing the traditional Swedish sound with heaviness and melody. This track has a nice female vocal break towards the end of the song. The drum work of Jesper Ojala rules throughout the whole album.

“No Solace from Above” opens with a piano instrumental that segues into the piano with an acoustic guitar. The way this song starts you would think Sarcasm was a doom band. “Absence of Reality’ is a nice fierce way to find up the album. The way the track ends reminds me a little bit of Hypocrisy Arrival.

For eight songs and forty-two minutes, these guys do an excellent job keeping the album flowing with their unique approach to Swedish Death. This album is fun to listen to. The contrast in Swedish sounding parts and the tinges of lower-end heaviness is a cool mix.  This one gets a big recommendation from yours truly. Enjoy.

[Visit the band's website]

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