Review of Ulcer - Grant Us Death

Despite hailing from Poland, Ulcer do not play ‘Polish’ styled death metal and simply ape Behemoth or Vader, instead choosing to ape another region- Stockholm. Yup- Ulcer is the latest (through they’ve been around since 2006 and have one album already under their belt) in the current old school Swedish death metal revival, and like other Eastern European bands I’ve encountered in Brutally Deceased and Morbider, they do it pretty damn well. Not surprising considering the band is hardly full of rookies but a Polish ‘all star’ band or sorts with ex and current members from respected, long running Polish acts like  Squash Bowels, Blaze of Perdition, Abusiveness, Parricide and Deivios.

Ulcer make no bones about their influence leaning heavily into the early Entombed/Nihilist and Dismember tones and song structures. The guitar tone is pure rough and ready, early Sunlight Studios and the riffs are all rooted in Left Hand Path, Clandestine and Like an Ever Flowing Stream. For example I initially though second track “Devilspeed” was a cover of the Carnage/Dismember track “Torn Apart” before it took  a different course.

And that feeling runs through most of Grant Us Death, as the songs all seem to have some sort of nod or moments that recalls some classic track or riff. Whether its the nice  mid song romp of “Bloodpainted Salvation”  and “Thanatoeuphoria” that seem pulled right from something on Clandestine  or enjoyable gallop of “The Love Song”  and “Godcremation’ which would be right at home on Indecent & Obscene. Then there is the opening canter of “The Pact” which really sounds like a lost track from Left Hand Path. But for a huge fan of the style such as me, that’s not a bad things, even when it’s pretty blatant, as the guitar tone and delivery is still pretty damn solid. “My Lord has Horns”  had a more melodic, latter Dismember while closer “When Horror Comes” recalls “In Deaths Sleep” complete with spoken word.

While not a spectacular example of the style on par with Entrails or Binah, Ulcer will certainly tide you over until the new Entrails, Revel In Flesh or Just Before Dawn albums drop later this year  but is yet another solid addition to the genre that keeps delivering despite the saturation.