I must say, I have mixed feelings about this whole Entombed saga. For a start my prediction of a reformation of Nihilist for a few gigs has yet to come into fruition, but in less selfish terms, generally these whole band disputes over names never end pleasantly. Anyhow, a little backstory for those unaware – ‘Back to the Front’ was meant to be released as a straight up Entombed album last year, but due to LG Petrov only being the sole surviving member (after Alex Hellid left the band), a dispute was raised and a decision was made that the Entombed name could not be used for the foreseeable future as it is owned equally by the 4 original members. Thus, LG and co. decided that one quick add of an ‘A.D’ to the name later, a new (pretty childishly drawn) logo and then finally 2014 gets to see the release of the debut(!) of Entombed A.D…
So, I know what you’re all thinking. “What does the A.D. stand for?”. Well, it could’ve gone either way depending on the quality of the album. If the album was shit, it’s ‘Entombed (Appeal Diminished)’, whereas if it’s great, it’s ‘Entombed (Added Definition)’. For me, it’s just a couple of letters to stop a lawsuit – you load of numpties. Anyway; less crap talking and onto the music. Obviously there is a large Entombed influence on the sound here, and being a huge fan of all eras of the band (yes, I even like ‘Same Difference’) I really like a lot of it. However, it does seem to be missing something at times. For me? Those Hellid riffs. Yes, the distorted guitars sound like Entombed, but with LG as the only original member, the riffage is not Hellid’s, and for me that is the major shame. That guy could shit killer riffage, but here it’s just missing his touch I feel. That’s not to say this is a crap album, because not only do I love the hell out of LG’s voice, but there is still some killer songs and plenty of neck snapping to be done throughout.
Opener ‘Kill To Live’ starts with a gentle, horror film score style intro, making way for the recognisable Entombed sound, wailing guitar solos and ever building mid-paced riffage and pounding drum work. ‘Bedlam Attack’ sees Entombed A.D. at their finest, pounding with d-beat drums, that filthy guitar tone chugging like a diesel spewing chainsaw gnashing at your speakers. ‘Second to None’ sounds like an out-take from the ‘Uprising’ album, chugging a simple but very effective riff to its very limits, before drilling firmly into a rigid chorus which stands firm and square of jaw. ‘Bait & Bleed’, whilst sounding like a Slipknot song title, starts out with a winding yet eerie guitar intro, before the usual mid-paced trademark riffage sets hold once more, breaking loose every now again into punkish spikes of speed. ‘Waiting For Death’ is one of the faster songs on the album, whilst being uptempo doesn’t really break much of a sweat in sheer speed terms, but makes up for it with some ripping solos. Album closer ‘Soldier of No Fortune’ begins with a gentle acoustic intro before swaggering with a great grooving riff the size of Europe, pounding the last life out of your exhausted speakers.
As a whole, I’d probably say this album most closely resembles a cross between ‘Morning Star’ and ‘Serpent Saints’, so for those expecting a return to their pre-‘Wolverine Blues’ days – stop holding your breath. It’s a worthwhile album which is worth any Entombed fans attention, but if you’re a casual listener to their works, this isn’t going to do much to suddenly have you swooning at their feet. For me as a long term fan, this is as good as I expected after the 7 year hiatus after ‘Serpent Saints’. Worth a look!
(7/10 Lars Christiansen)
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