Customer Reviews

He Who Shall Not Bleed

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After a 4-year absence, Gothenburg melodic death metal masters Dimension Zero came back in 2008 with He Who Shall Not Bleed, their third full-length album. Dimension Zero is, of course, the side project of Jesper Stromblad (actually, this may be his only band now that he's left In Flames), Jocke Gothborg (Marduk) and other veterans of the Gothenburg melodic death metal scene.

The original Gotheburg melodic death metal bands may have grown up and moved on to more experimental territory, but at least Dimension Zero is still here to help us relive the glory days. As soon as opening thrasher "He Who Does Not Bleed" kicks in it's like a trip back to those early In Flames, At the Gates and Hypocrisy discs, only played by veterans who have become really good at their craft. It's fairly melodic stuff, but melody definitely takes a back seat to blast beats and vicious thrash riffing. Like previous Dimension Zero releases, the album is over almost as soon as it starts, but that just means it's (mostly) free of filler.

They're not offering anything new with this release, but I don't think many of us are buying a Dimension Zero album looking for cutting edge music. This is an album for those who are nostalgic for old school melodic death metal, and at that they succeed brilliantly.

Edition Notes: There are a couple of different versions of He Who Shall Not Bleed out there. The version I have is on Candlelight, comes in a jewel case, and features a pair of very interesting bonus tracks. The first is a cover of the Bee Gee's hit "Stayin' Alive." (I'll pause here so that can sink in) Yes, it's a disco cover, and believe it or not Dimension Zero makes it into a pretty convincing death metal song. It's one you have to hear to believe. The other bonus track is a short (but blistering) number called "Rovarvisan" that's by far the most brutal song on the album.

As a fan of Dimension Zero's first album, Silent Night Fever, I was quite disappointed by the follow-up release, This is Hell. The songs just didn't hold my attention as on the debut, the musicianship was simply average, and the production was a mess to my ears. I still prefer to buy CDs rather than download, so it was quite a while before their third album became available in the US. I'm glad I bought it, though, as He Who Shall Not Bleed is a giant step in the right direction for a band that I feared might be destined for has-been status.

For me, Dimension Zero's greatest strength lies in that elusive ability to balance aggression and melody. This is Hell was perhaps too heavy-handed with the thrash elements, but He Who Shall Not Bleed sets things right. Comparisons with In Flames are inevitable, mostly with respect to the melodic passages, but there are quite a few dual-guitar riffs that DZ's better-known peers haven't dished out in many years. Frankly, it was At the Gates' excellent Terminal Spirit Disease that immediately came to mind numerous times during my first few listens to this disc, combined with a sense of urgency that many melodic death metal bands have cast aside over the years.

Dimension Zero is the type of band that sounds best with a less polished production that still gives each instrument the right amount of separation in the mix, and He Who Shall Not Bleed achieves that. It's sonically much better than its predecessor, not bloated with annoying electronic elements (ala In Flames) and still interesting after repeated listens. Not every song is a "classic" and some are quite short - maybe not fully developed enough to really stick with you - but none are bad. This stripped down approach sounds good. A number of DZ's fellow Scandinavians could learn a thing or two by getting back to the basics like this.

DIMENSON ZERO features IN FLAMES mastermind Jesper Stromblad on guitar, SOILWORK guitar player Daniel Antonsson and ex MARDUK singer Jocke Gothberg and LUCEFERION / CRYSTAL AGE drummer Hans Nilsson. The brand new album 'He Who Shall Not Bleed' contains 11 tracks of aggressive, fast and melodic Gothenburg metal. Less thrashier then their previous albums and more melodic and sounding like the old IN FLAMES. Recorded at the IN FLAMES Studios (former Studio Fredman) in Gothenburg, Sweden. Guest guitar leads by ANNIHILATOR's Jeff Waters.

Very good album. I really enjoyed it myself. If you've liked the other releases. Then you'll like this one! I personaly don't like In Flames but I do like Dimension Zero! If you like bands like Defleshed, God Dethroned and Coldworker. You could possibly like this release!

I can hear the dark, can you? Dimension Zero writes music as if the dark is personal friend of theirs, composing rhythms with a deadly anthropomorphic hammer-blow. The band is a side project of In Flames guitarist Jesper Stomblad and features the brain-splattering vocals of Jocke Gothburg. The departure of sounds from his main band is obvious as Jesper's Dimension Zero pulverize you with ripping, fast pace melodic death metal that frankly, puts the newer In Flames songs to shame. Song such as "Deny" and "Hell Is Within" cut you open with furious fervor, while more mid-paced tunes like "I Can Hear The Dark" cauterize the wound with molten steel. Hell Is Within....reminds me of something I found written in my 9th grade health book: "The Devil is inside of your reproductive system". I remember that freaking me out when I was 15, now it just makes me chortle. Okay, all adolescent anecdotes aside "He Who Shall Not Bleed" should appeal to fans of At The Gates, The Crown, Carnal Forge, Naglfar, Dimmu Borgir or Nightrage. Definitely an amazing find if you enjoy this melodic, yet brutally heavy type of thrash metal.

Alright...
I have read too many comparisons of DZ to other bands such as At the Gates/ The Crown/ The Absence etc;. So I bought and listened to the afor mentioned band's albums (glad I only paid $3 a piece here on Amazon) and can honestly tell you that nothing compares to the energy of Dimension Zero. If you enjoy death/thrash intensity, then give this CD a spin. The opener "He who shall not bleed" gets right the point with some thrashy badness. The first seven songs rip (thats saying alot for a death metal album).

And yes, for all you Melodic Renaissance Festival music lovers, there is plenty of melody scattered throughout their brutal sound... But not overly done. Alot of Death metal reviewers here on amazon love melodies mixed in with their devil music, for some reason. I feel that if it is melodic metal you want - then go listen to Savatage and wear some tights, and give yourself a nice grab to the crotch and let out a nice hig pitched howl, while signing the "Dio" horns into the mirror........

This music cuts the fat and delivers what it promises. The speed is a little faster than the "normal fast" blast beat standard of the thrash world, but not ridiculous like Nile, or Diecide. I personally dont enjoy the superfast "Doompa-doompa" beats that many bands are adopting these days - it sounds un-natural and contrived. DZ is naturally aspirated evil goodness. Nothing has topped it yet. This is the music that Witches f**k to!! Haaa! Hope this review helps.

Peace,
Choush