Even though I’m a huge Death Metal fanatic I’m not actually all the mad on OSDM. I mean I like it for sure but it isn’t often my first choice. A lot of early Death Metal bands just bore me after one or two albums whereas Slam will keep me going all day. I don’t know what it is but I think because Death Metal has always pushed the envelope of extremity, I’m naturally drawn to its farthest reaches rather than a bunch of stuff inspired by Thrash (I know what a poser).
So what do we have today, oh yeah, OSDM, or OSSDM (old school Swedish Death Metal?). Anyway, today we talk about Eye Of Purgatory another one of Rogga Johansson’s innumerable projects. This band came onto the scene in 2018 with The Rotting Enigma debut and now in 2021 they follow it with another full-length release, The Lighthouse, this time through Transcending Obscurity Records. With so many bands under his belt though will this album sink or swim for Rogga?
And From The Fog… begins the album, instrumental, atypical but actually pretty enjoyable, it gives a lot of anticipation for the actual music to follow. The title track then kicks in with full Swedish Death might, like a combination of the melody of At The Gates and brutality of Entombed this is sure to please Swedeath purists. The keyboard elements are also a nice touch, they separate the band from others in the scene whilst still staying true to their roots, although they aren’t utilised enough in my opinion. Fornever To Awaken and Carved In A Stone Bleeding provide more Death Metal power but it all kind of blends together. With the exception of the odd riff or keyboard section there really isn’t all that much to shout about.
Bridging the gap of the album is Pieces Of A Fading World, again it’s nothing we haven’t already heard, good riffs, good gruff vocals but not much more to go too mad over. I like it, I would watch EOP live and likely enjoy it very much. However, am I drawn in? Not massively. Where Slowly Life Fades at least brings a melancholic edge, even this though is short lived and nothing greatly exciting. When the album closes with Rebirther I reflect and think, for an album under forty minutes it really does feel like a lot longer. I don’t mean that in a particularly good way either, what should be separated from the generic via keyboards etc slips quickly into mediocrity.
The start of this release was so promising and indeed I was invested for a time, however it soon became apparent that there is a drastic lack of variation. The Lighthouse is essentially an album that takes all your favourite things about Swedeath, blends them together and spits out something which is basically a ‘my first Swedish Death Metal album’. I’m not saying that it sucks or anything, in fact it’s well written and performed, all I’m saying is it isn’t anything you haven’t heard before and doesn’t really make me want to listen time and time again.
(6/10 George Caley)
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