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4.0 out of 5 stars
First generation Swedish death metal, February 5, 2006
This review is from: World Declension (Audio CD)
Centinex is another great band from Sweden playing death metal. But unlike most of their contemporaries, they show little signs of following the somewhat oversaturated Gothenburg style of writing. Though I've never heard their earlier work, World Declension comes across as a solid first generation death metal meets classic American death metal riffery, all accented by killer drumming from new member Ronnie Bergerstahl.
On their latest release, the band combines the more melodic side of earlier Entombed with the heavier and vibrant aspects of At The Gates, but there are also obvious Morbid Angel and Death leanings, considering the darker and more atmospheric passages in some songs. After starting in very a traditional old school death metal vibe where thrashy guitars meet brutal screams (albeit a bit too one-dimensional) and fantastic double bass drums, with "As Legions Come", the band opts for a darker musical statement underscored with great rhythm guitars and impressive dual lead work. Much like this, "The Destroyer" features some killer textural guitar harmonies similar to Chuck Shuldiner's stuff on Control Denied. And it is these songs that lend World Declension an extra edge, since the band obviously has an ear for atmosphere and more toned down yet heavier compositions. The songs with doubled vocals, occasional classic heavy leads, and the slightly contrived stop-start breaks, while good in their own way, fail to make much of a lasting impact. That said, I am well aware that it is impossible to reinvent the wheel in genre populated with so many bands practically cloning each other. "Wretched Out", as its title may suggest, is the heaviest and sickest song on the album. First of all, the soloing is taken out of the first Morbid Angel disc, and is executed with perfect command. The bass and drums are thick and wild throughout here. Even Johan Jansson goes out of his way here, really pushing his limits with hateful screams and deep growls. Certainly one of the better songs on the album.
The production is great capturing a solid rhythm tandem and allowing sound separation. Based on the power and intricacy of this disc, I am inclined to check out their back catalog. If you've never heard any Centinex before, this seems like a good place to start.
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