ALBUM REVIEW: Grisly – Salting The Earth

The Swedish Death Metal juggernaut GRISLY returns with their 2nd album, set for release via Xtreem Music on August 3rd.

HM-2 guitars grind into life with the full chainsaw might alongside soulful melodies and powerful, hammering drums. Immediately the potent Swedish Death Metal charge springs to life with a filthily vitriolic instrumental array that meets snarling vocals to triumphant effect. The instantly infectious groove of the album is cutting and conveys the tasteful hooks and aforementioned melodic flourishes beautifully. Aside from the unrelenting rhythmic battery we see some enviably skilful soloing that adds even more flamboyance to the maniacal Death Metal onslaught. With a momentum that rises before dipping then to unleash total annihilation, this is a glorious encapsulation of what made 90s Swedish Death Metal so marvellous while it still has plenty of personality in its own right.

Straight out of the gate this record was going to be a glorious offering of violent head-banging Death Metal mania, Grisly know how to deliver hooks with masterful precision, which should come as no surprise to anyone familiar with the powerhouse that is axeman Rogga, who is joined here by Henke on drums and Dennis on bass to solidify this power trio of macabre madmen. While obvious comparisons to Dismember, Carnage, Entombed etc are redundant on a Swedish Death Metal record, we do get these injections of melody more akin to Desultory, Edge Of Sanity and the more intricate metallers of death. It is due to this Grisly have bridged the gap by making something brutal enough for Death Metal purists but with enough catchiness and soul to satisfy those with a penchant for the more euphonious side of extremity. Whichever side of the fence you fall on, this album is a victorious and bold return that will infect all crypt dwellers with ease.

This towering monolith of morbidity is a pure slice of top tier Swedish Death Metal that lovers of chainsaw-grinding extremity must not miss out on. Blistering through 10 tracks in 30 minutes, there is no time wasted as the record lurches from banger to banger without remorse.