Artist: Paganizer
Title: Into the Catacombs
Type: Album
Label: Cyclone Empire

Sweden’s Paganizer are now on album number eight, and don’t really need any introduction to lovers of old school death metal right? You know, the band featuring multi-talented musician Rogga Johansson also featured in Demiurg, Ribspreader, The Grotesquery, Those Who Bring the Torture, Bone Gnawer etc etc…but this being album number eight, is there any change? Would you really expect anything different? Well in my mind no not really. This has the same wonderful production values of their previous effort ‘Scandinavian Warmachine’, but kicking the arse off what are considered classics of their formative years. The return of this war machine is a welcomed gift.

From the opening notes to the stunningly heavy ‘Vägråttor’, there is barely a moment to breathe from the barrage of constant battering of intense old school death metal, not forgetting a few grind moments here and there in the undertones. The artwork, handled by Axel Hermann (also responsible for the covers of bands like Asphyx, Grave, Iced Earth and Morgoth) compliments and represents the 12 tracks on offer with an unholy classic feel. Ok, retro aspects of death metal exist in abundance, however, remembering that Paganizer have been around 1997 (and formally known as Terminal Grip from 1994), there is heritage in abundance from these Swedish masters.

Paganizer continue to push the boundaries with ‘Panzer Truck’ in musical terms, the sound is so immense, and Rogga’s vocals never lose the ability to pulverize. Everything that guitarist/vocalist Rogga touches is literally turned to rotten gold, ‘Into the Catacombs’ is drenched in death metal genius and throughout this release there is not one moment of clarity, not a moment of rest bite, this is an enduring album and a continuation of the death metal greatness that I have come to love and expect from such a group.

http://www.myspace.com/paganizerband

Paul Maddison

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