So here is reunion album number 3 for Wombbath, one of the 90s Swedish death metal bands that reunited for another go. This time, lone original member Håkan Stuvemark and Johnny Petersson (Henry Kane, Ashcloud, Gods Forsaken, Ursinne, Just Before Dawn) has yet another set of different guys helping them out for this album by way of drummer Jon Rudin (Just Before Dawn) and guitarist Thomas von Wachenfeldt (Entombed, Wachenfeldt ).
But the end result is the same as both 2018s The Great Desolation and 2015s Downfall Rising: solid, if unremarkable old school Swedish death metal with a a sturdy, grizzled mid range buzz, throaty, growled vocals and a solid mix of classic Swedish blasts and gallops (“Fallen”, “We Shall Remain”, “A Vulgar Declaration”) and doomy dirges. (“A Sweet Taste of Death”- with some slight orchestration ).
I wish I had more to say, especially considering the line up involved (Petersson is turning into the next Rogga Johannson with all excellent projects), But when compared to some of last year’s (Revel in Flesh, Paganizer, Fleshcrawl, Sentient Horror) and this years crop of releases in the style (Ripped to Shreds, Sallow Moth, Fleshwolf, etc), it’s just a so-so release of solid, enjoyable, competent Swedish death metal. Nothing more nothing less.
That said, a couple of tracks like the more developed moody duo of “From the Beggar’s Hand” or “Void”, and trundling “Wings of Horror” and title track are certainly above average (in fact the whole last half of the album is decent) , but still nothing I’m blown away by or craving, especially with some other options out there later in the year.
