A couple of years back I slotted Gods Forsaken’s debut album “In A Pitch Black Grave” into my end of year top 20. It was a classic claw-hammer to the skull of a Swedish death metal album. Pure, undiluted and …… and I hate this saying “no-frills”. As good as anything Entrails have done…and they’re a magnificent band… Gods Forsaken utterly nailed it.

Now here we have their follow up “Smells Of Death” and FUCK ME have they’ve taken all the best bits of their debut and turned it up to eleven and the result has to be the Swedish death metal album to beat this year….and YES motherfucker…… it IS that good!

Getting past the brilliantly spooky cover artwork from Patrik Tegnander we’re treated to an eerie intro to the title track with a sample lifted from the classic 1981 horror “Burial Ground” and then BOOM! Kaleidoscopic chainsaw guitars from Anders & Gustav churning out riff after addictive riff supported by the brilliant drumming by Brynjar Helgetun and the frankly terrifying vocals of Jonny Pettersson roaring over the top like some kind of unholy sasquatch! Seriously…. If you’ve ever heard Henry Kane or Wombbath (and if you haven’t then stop what you’re doing and buy them NOW) you know the guy can “go” on a mic but on this album he has taken it to a whole new level.

The one-two punch of the title track and the thrashing, d-beat driven “They Crawl” has to be the perfect set up for the rest of the album which contains absolutely zero filler!

The more straightforward blast of “From The Inside They Came” is up next leading with a perfect sample of the one and only Joe Pilato (RIP) from Day Of The Dead then it’s the heavy churning maelstrom of “Into The Pit We Shall Gather” and yes we bloody will lads as this is a total banger of a tune and possibly my favourite on the record! Heavier than a skip full of anvils.

The rest of the album is all equally as good with plenty of variety in the songwriting whether it’s the hair-dryer to the face lunacy of “The Process Of Death” or the anthemic march of “Dead And Buried” you will NOT be disappointed.

I cannot recommend this album highly enough. If you like your Swedish DM or just death metal in general then stump up the readies and BUY this album….I guarantee you’ll dig it.

PLUS….. spooky bonus for all fans of Zombie Flesheaters on track 9!

Top work lads!

(10/10 Mark Eve)

https://www.facebook.com/godsforsakenSWE

https://soulsellerrecords.bandcamp.com/album/smells-of-death