SPV
Once again Unleashed prove that sometimes only the old guard really know how to create inspired moving music. Grinding out their brand of guttural grim blast-beats and gurgling vocals for some 20 years Unleashed are credited as one of the originators of the Swedish death metal sound alongside the likes of Entombed. If one is even vaguely familiar with the sub-genre they will know what to expect from Hammer Battalion : low-end chugging emblazoned with searing guitar solos pounding double-bass drums et cetera. However it’s what Unleashed do with this solidified style that is so profound this time around. Thick and relentless while still dynamic and inventive tracks such as “Black Horizon” “Long Before Winter’s Call” and “Your Children Will Burn” revel in Viking mythology and the sinister nature of humanity while moving from pristine intricate interludes into Kreator-ish thrash attacks before upping the ante again into virtual grind territory. While cohorts Death Breath have been striving to reinvigorate what they see as the faltering world of classic Swedish death metal Unleashed have been going strong all along. With Hammer Battalion they prove it is as vital as ever.
