Reviewed - 09/05/04

Inferno w/ Averno
[Candlelight Music]

First, a warning: this is the first time I have ever heard Entombed. I have been aware of their existence for years, and have always known they were an important band in the scope of Scandinavian metal. But I never got around to picking up one of their albums. So while my review of "Inferno," the band's eighth studio album, should be enough to determine whether or not this is a release worth getting, be aware that I lack knowledge of the band's extensive history, save what I have read about them.

Entombed's "Inferno" is one of those albums that exists in the gray area between rock and death metal. It's an area paved by Carcass in the latter part of their career, especially on "Swansong." But that's not to say that Entombed sound like Carcass. In fact, near as I can tell, this is a remarkably unique-sounding piece of music. "Inferno" features the simplistic (not a negative term) rock riffs and an emphasis on mid-tempo rhythms. It is very heavy, but not especially brutal. Vocally, LG Petrov sounds more like Rob Zombie than Jeff Walker – not clean, not growled, but definitely metal. This is also a very guitar-oriented album, with Alex Hellid and Uffe Cederlund supplying a surprisingly varied assortment of crunch, melody, fuzz, and harmony.

Entombed have been around since 1987, making them one of the oldest still-playing extreme metal bands in Europe. But then again, this isn't really the sort of album that I would describe as "extreme." It's not catchy or accessible like most pop music, but it is easier to consume than your average Swedish metal album. And while "Inferno" is more rock than death metal, I would still consider it to be metal. There is rapid double-bass on more than one occasion, a lyrical preoccupation with the dark side of the emotional spectrum, and the general emphasis on musical weight (as in heaviness).

Included with the United States version of "Inferno" is a bonus disc, entitled "Averno." There are five songs here, two of which are 'video edits.' In general, there isn't much about "Averno" that sounds different than "Inferno." But it's a nice way to include bonus material with the album – I know a lot of people who dislike 'bonus tracks' at the end of albums, so perhaps they will like the two-disc format. Nonetheless, while this is a good selection of music, I don't see myself listening to "Averno" nearly as much as "Inferno."

Are metalheads going to like this album? Depends on the metalhead. If you like your music heavy but not necessarily extreme, then you might enjoy "Inferno" quite a bit. If you're in the mood for something a little different from the usual aggressive music that you listen to, consider giving Entombed's latest a try. I might not know how it compares to the band's earlier material, but it's certainly a worthy album in its own right.