Well, it’s no surprise to those of us of an extreme metal persuasion that a lot (and I mean A LOT) of great bands have come from Sweden. Imperishable look to join the ranks of our illustrious Scandinavian cousins, and in fact feature members from such great bands as the Suicidal-Tendencies-like thrashers Dr.Living Dead, and Mercyful Fateists Portrait. So what kind of extremity are we facing here? Well, dear listener, it’s old-school Swedish Death Metal time again…
No, wait! Don’t run off! I’m not talking about that kind of Old School Death Metal band that essentially plays the riffs from Left Hand Path backwards (albeit I have to say I kind of like that too), but on this release really do take the path less travelled. Why? Well, that’s because they’re taking their influences from the masters of morbid melody, Dismember rather than Entombed. If you’re sufficiently young not to know what these trademark sound is, it harnesses the gnarly chainsaw guitar tone and then overlays that with ear-worm riffs and excellent lead guitar work.
“Come, Sweet Death” does a little bit of everything and in many respects gets things just right. Principally, it does this by doing a quite old fashioned thing of having good songs and an even rarer art, that of having interesting arrangements. Take, for example, second track, “Infernal Lust”, which has a raging opening, a mid-section riff that is just delightfully NWOBHM inspired, and some absolutely ripping guitar solos to end. It’s everything you’d want in one handy, bite sized package.
They’re no stranger to atmosphere either – “The Perennial Desire” has that sickening opening riff that you would get in death metal 1989-1991, and a vocal attack that’s as deranged as it is powerful, with a blend of gritty growls and clear attack. Likewise, throughout the drumming is from the Mikkey Dee school of hit them hard, but keep it interesting. Combined with a bass sound so punchy it could give Tyson Fury a run for his money, and you’ve got an embarrassment of riches.
Simply put, the song writing is really on point here. Fantastic ears for melody that always seem to add to rather than detract from the utter heavy brutality, and a production that manages to produce some of that modern gut-punch impact without losing the filthy, dirty sawing sound that characterises the best of the genre. If Entrails are essentially the Entombed of the modern age, then I have to say that Imperishable are the Dismember of the now. I haven’t had as much goddamn fun (remember that?) listening to a death metal album in months.
It’s June, and I tell you that “Come, Sweet Death” will definitely – without a shadow of a doubt be in my albums of the year. Old school, old attitude, new approach, balls-out fun. Get it.
(9/10 Chris Davison)
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