In the Light of Darkness

I’m not going to pussyfoot about how I felt after witnessing Unanimated’s reformation: I knew it would rule regardless of what these nebulous Swedes produced, classic Gothenburg or not. Hell, I’ve been personally magnetized by Unanimated’s secluded slabs of melodic-based death/black metal that, if you excuse the opinion, rip overrated selections like “The Gallery” a new pooper, simply because the group’s original duo of full-lengths are dominant in melody and potency, balanced and brutal, nuff said. Those days have been gone for years now, but Unanimated makes a triumph return fourteen years after those pitch-black months with “In the Light of Darkness.” I must say, however, that there is nothing arduous about Unanimated’s latest expedition; purist black/death metal parallel to Dissection or Watain with dazzling touches of melody for good, clairvoyant measure…what else could you ask for?

The approach taken during “In the Light of Darkness” resembles a more retrogressive blitzkrieg equalizing the blueprints found on Unanimated’s early years as a rule, leaning towards an equally balanced perimeter of death and black metal with a melodic attitude avenging the likes of “The Ancient God of Evil.” I could rant about how original or intelligent “In the Light of Darkness” sounds, but in reality, it isn’t, and doesn’t need to be special in its own way. The name of the game is simple: nasty, sinful tremolo riffs summoned onto rapid percussion with tasty melodies for additional enchantments. Only in this situation, Unanimated delivers riffs and instrumental ideas that are cleverly powerful and remain true to the band’s habitual nature through qualities they themselves once mastered. Nothing technical or trendy; just stellar death/black metal surrounded by glorious melodies. In a spectacle sense, Unanimated never appears exhausted or outdated through their snazzy mayhem, but infinitely lost in a dark, hazy trance of nightmarish chaos. Really, this is the kind of thing Jon Nödtveidt should have achieved when “Reinkaos” was conceived, minus the mediocrity. I was tempted to make a gay joke, but that’ll do instead.

Interestingly, Unanimated’s ever-evolutionary situation progresses once more into groovy genetics à la Bolt Thrower, lumping towards the record’s illusive spinal column of blackened fissures, yet does not derail the faction’s ethereal spirit. While not overtly ambitious, Johan Bohlin’s colorful riffing animates the groove-laden sections into catchy, memorable bridges working wonderfully for choruses or verse structure for an open-ended display of instrumental mist, if you will. These mid-paced tendencies reveal stronger ideas despite simplicity, executing different textures unbeknownst to what usually is associated with Unanimated. Still, such formations are actually beneficial towards the extreme edge present on “In the Light of Darkness,” because once these waves settle the band can act intrinsic once applying groove or death/black metal, keeping both theories fresh between intervals of use.

Highlights? “Retribution in Blood” probably takes the cake right off the gun; those Dissection-orientated riffs are unstoppable, and the group’s overall performance is nothing short of admirable. I’d be crazy not to mention the stellar black metal riffing at the end of “Death to Life” as well, since that final section is musically flawless, no doubt about it. However, it would be incredibly ghastly to overshadow the album’s hyperborean conclusion “Strategia Luciferi,” as the tranquil exit showcases mellow acoustics tied by a depressive, unified epoch while a wintry riff howls in its solemn eclipse. Once again, something like a film’s final credits finds folkloric solitude between the emotional and the hateful; if there is one gift Unanimated has acquired over the years, this is the one, and perhaps the most important aspect of their infallible identity.

Obviously, the emerging form represents smoldering flames coexisting with layer upon layer of frozen madness, which in turn, creates an illusion in Unanimated’s murky, aesthetic shade that lingers in its opaque, awesome foundation through wind and blaze; it is too obvious few bands of past and future planes are this naturally charmed. There’s no disputing “In the Light of Darkness” fails to achieve the identical sum of its revolutionary elder of evil gods, yet one cannot plausibly argue Unanimated’s first opus in over fourteen years resembles that of a faction withered by modern bias or the steady flow of hours past. Indeed, this embodiment strikes the very core of death/black metal with awe-inspiring results, and was certainly worth the wait.

This review was written for: www.Thrashpit.com

The giants of Swedish metal past are returning, and Unanimated's return is as forceful as their exit. Unanimated hasn't released a new album since 1995, but their previous efforts are cult favorites among extreme metal audiences. Their return honors its roots, recapturing the sound of the Swedish death scene of the early 90s, and acknowledging the Gothenburg sound without submitting to it. In the Light of Darkness also emanates heavy black metal vibes, particularly in the raspy vocals, blast beats, and tremolo-picked guitars, much in line with Unanimated's previous efforts.

The production creates a slightly murky feel, enhancing the dark and heavy feel of the album, but not so much that the melody and texturing it lost. The bass is mixed very low, barely audible at times, but provides low-end support underneath the guitars. The toms and snare are easily audible (in particular the snare), but some of the cymbals and double-bass occasionally get lost in the fray of sounds. This isn't entirely negative, especially compared to the trigger-dominated metalcore acts such as The Black Dahlia Murder.

Dominating groove-oriented rhythms play with slicing, and often tremolo-picked, melodies and pound the listener into auditory submission to the raw power of the album. The riffs are powerful and dominant, but are controlled and even elegant when need be. Solos are present, but are tasteful and add to the texturing and landscape of the song. They don't ramble on longer than they should as filler content, but add a layer of melodic voicing and a powerful statement.

Micke Jansson delivers raspy vocals in a style that's as much black metal as it is death. Both powerful and chilling, the vocals are convey a dark and evil tone even beyond the guitar-work. While a not uncommon vocal style, they don't come off as cliche or stale, but fit perfectly into the style of the album.

The album beckons you in with the eerie and foreboding intro track "Ascend With The Stench Of Death" before dropping you into the tremendously powerful "Retribution in Blood." Unanimated don't leave you many places to hide from their dominating sound, aside of acoustic passages during "Enemy of the Sun," until the outro. Yet, despite it's brutality (yet never brutal for the sake of being brutal), the majesty of the album is never lost.

The sound is somewhat reminiscent of bands like Dissection and Dismember, and captures the feel of the Swedish death scene that has been missing for a while. While not a prime contender for album of the year, this is easily one of the best efforts of 2009 so far. It's time for all the little kids who've been playing around in the melodeath world to sit down because the big boys are back, and they're ready to blow you away.

I didn’t expect such a return from one of the true pioneers of melodic death/black metal from Sweden. So often we had to listen to horrible or at maximum decent efforts by bands with the classic rust of time, trying to bring the glory days back but this is a completely different thing. Unanimated are back after 15 years with a brand new, excellent album full of that old, nostalgic sound from the lands of north. In the Light of Darkness continues exactly where that Ancient God of Evil put the end to one of the most overlooked bands in history. However, seems to me that, looking at the comments that the various fanzine write about them, Unanimated were never forgotten.

This new album is the reflect of the mythical scene of the 90s in which lots of bands from the north of Europe were trying to put together black, death and the classic melodic touch coming from the heavy metal. In the Light of Darkness features the same glacial riffs, the classic shrieky vocals and the awesome dark atmosphere that we could find years ago. The influences came inevitably from Dissection and since then, lots of bands tried to imitate this style. Often those bands remained on the underground and just a few reached a good level of notoriety.
The introduction of “Ascend with the Stench of Death” already gives us the idea of how the album will be, thanks to those massive and epic riffs. There’s no light but somehow they manage to be damned catchy to start the album in a perfect way.

“Retribution in Blood” is the prosecution but this time we can find the very first up tempo sections that are always perfectly opposed to the lead lines for the more mid-paced parts. The riffs are cold as ice and the overall atmosphere is pitch black, reaching its climax when the vocals enter. They are clearly influenced by Jon Nödtveidt and this is normal. The quite epic progression of a few mid-paced moments is just exalting. “The Endless Beyond” goes on with the perfect blend of lead and rhythmic riffs to give the right heaviness and the helpful dark touch. The tempo quickly switches from the doomy to the fast up one. “Diabolic Voices” is even darker thanks to those arpeggios, as the bass drums work on this track is just massive.

The grooving introduction to the title track soon fades away to leave the place to the melodies. The lead lines are perfect and I bet anyone who listens to bands like Divine Souls and The Duskfall to find any resemblance. Here the only difference is the dark touch that is far more present and the various more black metal oriented overtures. “The Unconquered One” is the true highlight here for the melodies that come along with the classic frozen touch of the black metal elements to result yes catchy but not commercial. “Enemy of the Sun” is a return to darker atmospheres but the combination of the arpeggios and the lead lines often show some folk influences too, as the singer shouts all his hate towards the sun, invoking the moon’s light (the only one he could stand).

“Serpent's Curse” and “Death to Life” are two black monoliths. The tempo is often fast on the first song, sustaining the frozen tremolo of the guitars, without forgetting the epic/doom long sections. The second track is I think a bit average even if by the refrain the things get better and also the solo contributes in giving a bit more of variety, before that the final “Strategia Luciferi” and its slow arpeggios with the winds on the background put the end to this great return by a too underrated band.

It seems the forgotten Swedish titans of the 90s continue to crawl forth from the woodwork of their celebrated scene to rekindle the early fires of black/death metal and show the new blood just how it's done. This was the case with Seance and is now also so for Unanimated. Though the band's previous albums In the Forest of the Dreaming Dead and Ancient God of Evil were cult classics of aggressive melodic death metal, they never garnered the success of a band like Dissection and fell by the wayside as the genre shifted more towards the modern crop of highly melodic death (In Flames, Dark Tranquillity) or flag-waving At the Gates clones (early Soilwork, etc). After 14 years the band returns with their third opus, and it's more than a match for either of its predecessors.

In the Light of Darkness sounds devastating, a crushing effort which offers both yearning melodies and pure Swedish death metal bordering on some blackish tendencies. The haunting instrumental intro "Ascend with the Stench of Death" serves as but a teaser for the spider weblike opening riffs and dense atmospherics that precurse "Retribution in Blood". Winding verse melodies, and a bridge riff shimmering with evil as it bears the weight of its six-string archways, declare WE HAVE RETURNED. "The Endless Beyond" opens with a creepy and beautiful melodic picking while the chords crash in like a bleak abandoned vessel upon a churning sea. "Diabolic Voices" nails the coffin with a mid-pace, explosive snarls erupt over driving blast beats and daemonic chords. The title track plods methodically forward through an array of excellent melodies to cap off the chugging mutes and slowly grinding chrods. Other tracks of note include the glorious "Enemy of the Sun", the ghastly tones of "Serpent's Curse" and the closing acoustics of "Strategia Luciferi".

The album sounds quite incredible, the chords attain molten depths while the acoustics and leads simmer and soar through the bombastic strides. The band is out in full force yet emphasis is focused solely on the crafting of atmospheric rhythms and bloodsoaked, simple aggression. In short, it's not a far cry from their previous efforts. Just resurrected and re-invigorated for the 21st century. Unanimated prove once more that they're worth your time, and this album is a no-brainer for fans of Swedish black/death metal ala Dissection, Sacramentum, etc.

-autothrall
http://www.fromthedustreturned.com