Customer Reviews

Left Hand Path

5 star:		(19)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Nihilist, the precursor to Entombed started by Nicke and Alex, had actually been doing a pretty good job of making waves during the late 80's in Sweden. Their first demo, which also coincidentally featured Morbid members L.G. and Uffe, impressed the head of Earache Records so much that Nihilist looked to be on a promising road to being signed with them. However, due to inner-band turmoil they soon called it quits, although three days later Nicke, Alex, Uffe, and L.G. decided to get together for good under the name Entombed. In no time at all the three track "But Life Goes On" demo was bashed out and shipped to Earache. And to once again use the tired, old cliché - the rest is history. The Swedish counterpart to the American Death Metal movement had begun.
"Left Hand Path" was recorded in about one week in December of 1989. It was an intriguing time in Sweden, where handfuls of bands were experimenting with heavier sounds that were heard in the rest of the world. American Death Metal had broken wide open years before with Death and Possessed (among a few notable others). What made Entombed a special affair was the band's insistence on not relying solely on the strict American Death Metal palette for inspiration. They were more intent on fusing some of the defiant aesthetics of punk/hardcore as well as keeping it heavy (really, really heavy...) by writing memorable riffs rather than relying on sheer speed at every turn to make a name for themselves. Also important is the fact that "Left Hand Path" was one of the earliest Swedish albums to defined the revered and coveted "Sunlight Studio" sound that permeated most Death Metal albums released throughout the 90's in that country. Yes, it really was that influential.
What made Entombed's debut an essential listen when it was released in early 1990, and what made it an immortal classic in Metal thereafter, was the eerily sadistic atmosphere it presented. The way that each track was written put such focus and emphasis on the value of great riffs and how they could be arranged to sound vaguely familiar, yet completely fresh. Hence, a listener might be able to fleetingly point out one of Entombed's influences, but barely comprehend just how they'd drag SO MANY influences from so many different genres and styles and blend and stitch them seamlessly. And on top of all that, tuning down their guitars added to the immense weight and jarring intensity of every sadistic cut. For example, in the title track alone there are allusions to sludge-infested Death Metal somewhere between early Death (the band), Carcass, and Autopsy, and then emotionally crushing Doom Metal that would rival any Sabbath-inspired acts to this day. Nicke's insanely precise pounding and L.G.'s gravelly guttural throat finish off any doubts or petty concerns about the validity of Swedish Death. Obviously, since this album wouldn't still be so well-respected to this day if this weren't the case, the aforementioned vicious brilliance doesn't just begin and end with the first track - each of the cuts that follow brandish an immediacy and hunger that's just as antagonistic and hostile as the last.
Simply put, "Left Hand Path" was the beginning of an era - especially in Entombed's homeland, where this was the likely text that tons of bands heavily and eagerly studied to learn how Death Metal should sound. Ironically, Entombed's promising start was not necessarily a prediction of their own "left hand path" so to speak. L.G. did not appear on the band's very successful follow-up "Clandestine", although he would return soon after. Yet by "Wolverine Blues", their third album, they had definitely taken a very different direction. While Entombed has since released some extremely amazing and brilliant "death-n-roll" (as it's often called...) albums, such as "Morning Star", "Uprising", and the aforementioned "Wolverine Blues", they never returned to the familiar territories of their classic genre-defining debut. Listen to it with a sense of nostalgia if you must - but make no mistake, "Left Hand Path" is still as vital, fresh, and commanding today as it was in 1990.

This album is proof that death metal dosen't have to be uber-technical to kick ass. This isn't as fast or fluid as say , Morbid Angel, Death, Anata, Arsis, or Theory In Practice, but it holds up well with any classic of the genre in terms of brutal intensity. This is also one of the most influencial albums to ever be released. Don't take my word for it, check out anything from Dismember, Edge Of Sanity, Carcass, At The Gates, Seance, The Haunted and you'll see what I mean. Almost all European extreme bands (especially ones from Sweden) have added some element of this album to their own works.

Brutality is what Entombed do best and is what this album will always be remebered for. The tormented growls spewing phrases of agression, pounding rhythm and buzzsaw riffs all come together for one heavy, adrenaline pumping expierence. If your looking for something that combines 27 different genres at the speed of light, look elsewhere. This is just pure, uncomprimising Death Metal and if that's what you want then you'd be hard pressed to find a better album.

Death Metal at it's absolute best. The defining moment of the Sunlight Studios production sound. A mass of lo-fi crust/hardcore inspired riffs set against a backdrop of brooding, explosive anger. The epic title-track is the greatest Death Metal song ever, but listen carefully as the rest of the album unfolds with unnerving subtly. Solos buried deep beneath crushing riffs, lurching bass sounds, the menacing snarls of a rabid dog being attacked by a swarm of hornets, not a single wasted beat. Entombed never came close to this again, neither will anyone else.

I used to have this CD on cassette(remember those?). Recently, I bought it again because I wore it out by listening to it too much. LEFT HAND PATH is raw aggression at its finest. From my understanding, the members of the band were extremely young when they recorded this one(some as young as 16). If that is true, then you can understand why the passion in the music is edgy and aggressive. This is one of those CD you can listen to from beginning to end. Unfornately, it is hard to find CD's like that today.

These guys belong in every collection that contains such bands as Carcass, Death, Pestilence, Obituary, Cannibal Corpse, Napalm Death, Deicide, Morbid Angel, etc... If you don't have this, your missing out. If you can't listen to this whole CD in one sitting, then this CD isn't for you. Go buy some of that corporate-sponsored wanna-be poseur metal that you hear on your radio everyday.

In my belief this is an often over looked classic of the genre.The music is powerful,raw,fast and has excellent guitar work.I just love the feel of the songs with the guitar detuned and good vocals by the singer.My favorite tracks are left hand path and revel in flesh.All the songs are good with some being obviously better than others.No death metal collection is complete without left hand path.I would highly recommend this to any fan of the genre.BUY THIS TODAY!!!

i got into death metal in early 1990. one of the albums i picked up was " left hand path ". this album is the definition of what death metal is all about, full of eerie, dark, and sick soundscapes. unfortuately for Entombed they have gone in a more rock oriented way much like failing legends Metallica. but LEFT HAND PATH will always be one of the best death metal albums ever recorded. a must for any death metal fan!!!!

The debut album from Entombed (Like 'Altars Of Madness') blew the minds of about aneone that was fortunate to hear it when it was released via the Earache ' Label in 1990 (Recorded In 1989) : I have it on Vinyl (Back then it was so cool to find the Dan Seagrave 'Signature' on the artwork) you can never see them on 'Little CD Booklets'.

It was one of the Forefather albums that was to gorge together what was to later beknown as the 'Swedish Sound'.
Tomas Skogsberg (The Producer) derserves a big pat on the back! - because under the low budget he just about acheives (Argubaly) the most evil sounding guitars of Studio Sunlight's very unsunny history.

Buy without compromise if u missed it first time.

Also, Take a look + a listen to the (Re)cently re-released & ravish looking 'CARNAGE - Dark Recollections' CD as well. Like, LeftHand it too was Groundbreaking & HEAVY!!

Both albums have Astonishing & Genre defining Album Artwork By The Then ( Very Young) Dan Seagrave.

Without out a doubt, Left Hand Path is the premier Swedish Death Metal album of all time! Lofty praise indeed, but listen to some other Swedish Death bands like Dismember, and see for yourself how Entombed has influenced the whole scene. Left Hand Path is an excellent collection of raw, heavy, brutal thrash influenced death metal that makes you listen to it again and again. Unlike many brutal bands that bore you to death with monotonous grindcore drumming and muddy guitar riffs, Left Hand Path remains interesting with great tempo changes and excellent guitar work. Songs like When Life Has Ceased, Left Hand Path, and Bitter Loss, are truly landmarks in the evolution of death metal. Check this album out!

dune666

4.5 Stars

To me, Entombed is a bit of an acquired taste, especially considering that their later albums sound very dissimilar to their debut (the album being reviewed here) and the fact that their sound is very unique (their guitars have a very loose distortion that is instantly recognizable, e.g.). That said, once it's acquired (which actually happens quicker than I'm probably leading one to believe), this band (specifically "Left Hand Path") is simply impossible to stop listening to. This album has been out for nearly eighteen years, and there are still very few that have had the intial impact that this one did; it basically created an entirely new sub-genre of death metal upon its release, and it's one that has rarely been emulated to this day. The title track of this album is simply beyond compare in terms of impact, positively due to its ferocity vocal-wise and the darkness of its tone; from there, the album is only more relentless, and it simply doesn't let up until the finale. All things considered, this is definitely one of the top ten death metal albums of all time, for all intents and purposes, and, not breaking from tradition when reviewing masterful albums, I will simply state that if you haven't, for some ungodly reason, heard this album, you simply must procure it now.

This is the first death metal title I ever bought and even now it still remains as my no. 1 favourtie. It's pure Swedish death metal with the heavy, crunchy distortion and brilliant vocals by Lars-Goran Petrov. If you're looking for something to compare it to, perhaps "Dark Recollections" by Carnage comes close. In my opinion this is Entombed's finest work and it's just pure, heavy old-school death metal. Stand-out songs for me are probably "Supposed to Rot" and "Abnormally Deceased", but it really is hard to pin down a favourite track when they're all so good. Highly recommended for death metal purists if you don't have it already !!