I had the pleasure of doing press for Swedish thrashers Denata ‘Deathtrain’ and ‘Art Of The Insane’ a few years back. However they split up a year or so ago but I doubted that this would be the last I heard of them. Sure enough, rising from the ashes come Freevil composing of two of the former group Tomas Andersson - Guitars/Backing Vocals and Roger Blomberg – Bass. Completing the trio sees Mique Flesh - Vocals/Drums, an ex member of some heavy calibre bands Witchery, Séance and Satanic Slaughter. Now if this doesn’t wet your appetite feel free to leave the room and stick your head down the toilet!
This is no straightforward exercise in thrash by numbers, first the horror imagery of the taboo busting bird with blood on boobs and the fact that the groups name cunningly has the word evil in it (but you noticed that right?) Yep the ‘Death Train’ has turned into a ‘Ghost Train,’ question is, are you ready for the ride?
‘Deathblow’ blows in and the first thing you notice are the adrenaline hi-energy keyboards at full steam and high in the mix. This is going to put some people off and they are to a certain extent overbearing as they add a hurdy-gurdy carnival fuel to the thrashfair making you somewhat sick as if you have stuffed too much candyfloss. Ah but then again once you get used to this they are unique and enjoyable as they flow round the flailing guitars and rasping vocals. Also if you like things fast and furious this provides the goods and reminds of Cradle Of Filth in a brawl with latter day Samael and indeed Witchery. Slowing down and adding a dash of baroque romanticism to things ‘Killing Spree’ sets about evisceration with a persuasively cutting melody running though it like blood down a darkened alley. Damned cries and ghostly chorals atmospherically sum this neat efficient butchery up.
A 60s B movie weave flows through ‘Live The Lie’. The unexpected accordion solo at the end of the track has you reaching for the rum, glugging, shivering and proclaiming “ooooharrrr!” Perhaps due to the vocal rasp and the horror fuelled theme here I am also reminded of the likes of WASP, Twisted Sister and of course King Diamond. This should appeal to lovers of all these bands as well as those with more modern yearnings, certainly Dani Filth is given a right good run for his money on ‘Morbid December, a ‘Ghost In The Fog’ shrouded Goblinesque nightmare of a number. Then again ‘Hate’ sounds like it could be an early Sigh number with its guitar riffs and slayin vokills and offers a bit of a keyboard respite. ‘Try listening to ‘Toxicated’ without thinking of Close Encounters Of The Third Kind, it utilises that famous five note alien greeting rather cheekily.
Last track ‘Infected World’ closes things on a bit of a whimper rather than a bang, think they should have injected things with a faster gallop to the finish line and it is almost as though the album has run out of steam before the closing ‘amen’. Small complaint though as on the whole this is strong stuff.
http://www.freevil.se
www.myspace.com/freevil
