Some bands are so far ahead of their time that their potential audience has yet to catch up with them. Extreme metal throws up a relatively high number of these bands. Extremity has always been one aspect of experimentation. These bands push the envelope as far as they can, beyond the bounds of more conventional forms of music. Extreme metal provides the perfect training ground for untutored musicians to take musical risks. This is one of the things I love most about the different forms of extreme metal. It often sounds ‘out there’ without really trying. Sometimes this happens by accident, like the unfettered, game-changing extremity of Parabellum and (early) Sarcófago. Elsewhere, it happens by design, with consciously progressive bands sailing deep into uncharted waters (e.g., Voivod or Traumatic Voyage).
...and then there are bands like Goddefied, the antithesis of everything I’ve just described. These guys play some of the most regressive music imaginable. There is nothing original about this band whatsoever. Their “Abysmal Grief” EP is a carbon copy of the Swedish ‘HM2’ death metal sound that was pioneered by Entombed, Dismember and Nirvana 2002. To Goddefied’s credit, they sound like a perfect blend of those three bands. This EP emerged a couple of years after the sound had been defined. Goddefied managed to find the sweet spot between them all. This EP has the raging punk speed of Dismember, the richness and thickness of Entombed, and a vocalist that sounds like the child of Orvar Säfström and LG Petrov. These are great influences, and Goddefied’s result is as awesome as it is generic.
Sure, we could bash Goddefied for their lack of originality. Listening to this EP often feels like a game of 'name that riff'. Most of these six songs can be traced back to an Entombed or a Dismember song (or two). "Spiritually Deceased" is a cross between "But Life Goes On" and "Skin Her Alive". "Left to Die" sounds like a medley of "Bitter Loss" and "Blessed Be". I’m sure there are other examples too. Goddefied keeps the intensity and urgency of both bands. They tend to emphasise the straight-ahead, fast, punky side of those bands, not the more melodically expressive side. There are some solos, but this is more “Bleed for Me” than “Override of the Overture” in approach. The Sunlight studio production sounds amazing, Tomas Skogsberg was a death metal veteran by this point (it was recorded in 1992). The production sounds much better than the flat, over-ripe sound of "Clandestine". I actually prefer this EP to the second albums by Entombed and Dismember, though it doesn’t compete with the monumental debuts.
There isn't much else to say. Goddefied lack some of the catchiness of their idols. The songs on this EP are not as memorable as those that inspired them. Still, there is certainly a demand for bands that sound like this, then as now. This EP should be near the top of your list if you are exploring this particular sound, assuming you have already heard the likes of Nirvana 2002, God Macabre, Desultory and Utumno. Anyone who likes this stuff will like “Abysmal Grief”, which sounds as rampant and ruthless as you might expect. I wish they had kept the (accidental) name of 'Goddified' though, which appeared on the spine of the original release. It was a better name.
Hell, I can’t imagine someone, who’s into the old Swedish death metal scene not knowing and adoring Goddefied. Sure, the band didn’t have a big impact on the scene, mainly due to the fact that their debut MLP has been released in 1993, when the scene was already well developed and the best bands have had several albums recorded and with many similar bands Goddefied could have been called nothing more, but yet another similar kind of band. But it’s the quality of their only release from the 90’s, which is for their advantage and thus I can say that this band stands in the same league as the other legends like Gorement, God Macabre, Epitaph, Excruciate or Nirvana 2002.
Lack of originality may be the only real problem some of you will have when listening to “Abysmal Grief”. I’ve actually heard many opinions that this band is decent, but too much they remind Entombed and so they’re not good enough. Phhuuufff, what a bullshit. Yes, they do remind me the likes of Nirvana 2002, Desultory and especially Entombed also and I mean “Crawl” EP and “Clandestine” LP, with very similar production, riffing and basically everything, including the vocals, which are close to those from “Crawl” EP (where Orvar Säfström sang). In few cases, like in “Left to Die” and “Inhumation of Shreds” it almost comes as close as a déjà vu feeling (in this case I though it’s “But Life Goes On” for a second he, he) but all those resemblances don’t mean Goddefied is useless. No, I still think that despite that “Abysmal Grief” is just great. I like the riffing here a lot, with this classic blend of melody and aggression, with many hooks and great potential for headbanging. I love the songs, they’re Swedish death metal taken to perfection and finally I love this classic Sunlight production.
Six songs in total and well, I can’t imagine someone, who’s into Entombed and other bands I mentioned not to like this. Unfortunately Goddefied never went anywhere further with this recording and soon after its release they’ve split up, but the more cult such recordings become then. You may need some luck if you wanna buy it though, as the original CD pressing is hard to get and just bloody expensive, while the 10” vinyl version from Blood Harvest (which I listen to now and which sounds brilliant, although the whole release lacks the lyrics and anything else, which other labels like The Crypt do to make their vinyl releases so bloody cherished) is also sold out long time ago, but if you’re ever going to spot a copy somewhere, get it! Sell your kidney, sell your mom, but buy it, as this is awesome recording, with the quality equal to Entombed.
Final rate: 85/100 (I do take some points off for the too obvious resemblances to Entombed; otherwise it would probably be 95!)
I’ll be honest - I liked the band name better when Richard C fooled me into believing that it was “Goddified.” I mean, Goddefied (or God Defied as it would be pronounced) is OK, but anyone can defy god. Now Goddified, that sounds like a cool synonym for deification, which ultimately carries a lot more weight. And, given the music, it would be much more appropriate of a name in that these Swedes were obviously attempting to become gods of Death Metal through the blatant imitation of the twin deities, Entombed and Dismember. It’s actually almost embarrassing how much this is cast in the mold of the aforementioned greats. It’s probably a good thing Wild Rags bands never made a profit because these guys would certainly have some royalties due their idols. At times, you feel you know exactly what’s coming next and, more often than not, your expectations are spot on.
“Blaspheme In Blood” kicks off the ep with a quick progression that sounds like a mesh of the opening riffs from Dismember’s “Skin Her Alive” and the title track from “Left Hand Path.” From there it quickly becomes apparent things are turning into a Nicke Andersen lovefest of the highest order. Everything is here from the metalli-punk rhythms to the distant lead tone accentuated by lots of bends and dives fading into the darkened depths. There are even flourishes here and there that just sound like you’ve heard them before - like the vocal cry at the close of the song that sounds so familiar I had to scan through all of Left Hand Path just to find out if it was sampled directly from the disc. This goes beyond clone status and reaches full on worship.
The trilling riff that opens track two, “Zephaniah Dwells,” establishes a stronger Dismember feel, but the results are the same. And the shocking thing is that these are not simply upstarts trying to find their musical path by emulating the current crop of luminaries, these guys really know their chops. The musicians, especially the guitarists, are wholly competent. The lead work is startlingly good – maybe not Uffe-caliber, but it holds its own with Blomqvist and co.
Rather than go on with a track by track analysis, let’s just say that the pattern is repeated early and often. And, if you had to guess as to where this was recorded, you’d probably need a single try. I wonder how much déjà vu Tomas Skogsberg experienced during this session? He did the rudimentary job and gave Goddefied “the sound” and we shouldn’t be the least surprised in that it works.
In an odd way, the complete lack of ingenuity and originality does work because, with a formula this strict, any deviation from the core would sound completely out of whack. But, like when you switch from Coke to Diet Coke, you know they might taste roughly the same, but you feel that you’re missing out on some key ingredient that essentially makes the whole package. Considering that the longest of the six tracks clocks in at 3:21, you can’t expect the true breadth of Entombed and Dismember’s vision. There is no Left Hand Path and no Override the Overture, just abbreviated clippings from photocopied albums. And, still, I can’t bring myself to lower this score below 80 because, damn, I love me some Swedish Death Metal. Were this General Surgery we would be able to revel in the accurate parody-as-tribute because that was always the intended agenda. With Goddefied, there is no such disclaimer, but the sentiments are clearly the same. Not something to play in lieu of the masters, but certainly a fun companion piece.