There's Something Rotten... in the State of Denmark

The album's lengthy title, one shall assume, signifies an evolution, increase in complexity - Illdisposed's more primitive and raspy music prior to this one must have been raised into a completely different plane. And by starting with a reverse intro (an evident homage to Morbid Angel), the band invites the listener to embrace the hardening death beats again, but it is quite noticeable that their character has partially changed. Pompousness and sizzling malice have significantly reduced, their approach to the genre has become swaggering, unforgiving, defiant of prepositioned requirements.

The key word to describe the album as a whole is GROOVE. It is the saturation of dynamic, groovy riffs, that are keeping to bring you to the brink of stimulation even on slower parts - the signature style of "There's Something Rotten..." riffing, favorably distinguishing it from other albums of death'n'roll. Not by trying to force you to listen worn-out passages or trying to swallow a pill of technicality that's too big to fit, but just by pure and strict following of the inner rock'n'roll pulse, which also was the backbone of the other successful works of the genre - that's how Illdisposed ties all loose ends. It keeps its sound clear, dynamic and totally not boring. There are no particular complaints from me about the mixing, although sometimes it seems that the sound of the drums (featuring Rolf Rognvard-Hansen) is not as powerful ass I wish it to be. I would like to note how well the melodic half of presented guitar riffs, as well as a little bit bluesy solos from Tore Mogensen are incorporated, and how the music as a whole is structured, how it works as a well-oiled blade thrower. A singing duet, always debating and on the brink of complete breakdown, formed by Bo Sommer and his other, more screamy voice, adds a layer of captivating contrast for the songs, but the vocals, judging from the technical side, are not the sharpest tools from the fletcher's chest, though they don't feel too odd in the given musical context.

The band didn't just resort into death'n'roll out of boredom, being too fed up with more austere and diabolic death metal, or in blind pursuit of current trends - Illdisposed knew what they wanted to do with their music and how to squeeze the purest milk out of whatever is at their disposal. Not going too far with experiments - the songs are actually quite similar - allowed Illdisposed to produce more concentrated and essentially smoothier music. The only very unusual thing I've noticed here for myself is the "funky" part of the vocals in the track "Pimp". Nevertheless, the album is very predictable, but more in a good way, as in lacking of unwanted and unpleasant surprises. Oh, and the rather free interpretation of the well-known Megadeth classic "Wake Up Dead" - we can't ignore this one. This cover is one of the most controversial and unexpected moves in the whole career of Danish death gurus. Honestly speaking, whatever the unique "Illdisposed quirk" they've put in this loose adaptation was, it flew past me here. However, the opening track; "We Lie in the Snow" and "Days on the Floor" would be fine examples of more attention-grabbing music on this album that won't just get completely forgotten after only 1-2 listens.

Illdisposed's change of creative direction was quite successful starting from here, and the steady movement towards death'n'roll will not just stop on this album. Looking back, amongst all the records, most of which have been received favorably by the professional reviewers, it is "There's Something Rotten..." that I find most enchanting. If Gorefest's "Soul Survivor", heavily professional and almost silky in its pure blues beauty, can be compared to a pristine faceted diamond, then the death'n'roll of Illdisposed can be compared to sharp and reliable industrial diamond drill.

Originally written for https://www.darkside.ru/album/6075/

Back in the days when I had discovered the daring journeys of extreme bands like Carcass and Entombed when they went from the purest and heaviest death metal to combining rock n roll with gutturals, I have come across several bands that also tackled that change in their musical career. On the one hand there were those that emphasized the lyric and melody, on the other hand there were the bands that paid more attention to the rhythm, creating a kind of "groove death metal" that overflowed with attitude.

I can't forget the first time I discovered Illdisposed among recommendations of similar bands that explored these combinations, because although I discovered them with "Submit" which is a death metal album with certain catchy rhythms. But it was after I listened to their third album that I was left speechless. There's Something Rotten... it's not an album to be taken lightly, it's a true masterpiece and certainly timeless. It's been almost a decade since I heard it for the first time, it still sounds incredibly fresh, dynamic and never boring. Imagine even its importance knowing that this album is from 1997.

Illdisposed in this work no longer only concentrates on the groove but also on the melodic sound of melodic death metal, another subgenre that already had quite a reputation by then thanks to bands like In Flames or Hypocrisy, but here they take it further. I admit that today I still have a hard time choosing a favorite track on this album but "Psychic Cyclus I-III" gets all the applause for me, the riffs are simple but overwhelming, incredibly epic and not to mention the solo that literally makes you fly from amazement and it is only the introduction of this work, there is no more perfect way to start. In brief terms, the first three songs on the album irremediably hook you to the album, "Near the Gates" is the most epic song on the album and the arrangement of the solos is impressive, almost unmatched. And "We Lie in the Snow" is probably the most melodic track on the album, not only because of its excellent instrumentation with guitars that seem to cry in lament but also because of the lyrics.

Among the other pieces that stand out is the cover of Megadeh's hit called "Wake Up Dead" which is perfect, it doesn't sound exactly the same as the original song but has a touch more typical of the band. There is also the homonymous song that is spectacular, with immediate catchy riffs and an equally catchy and devastating rhythm. And the piece that concludes with this diamond in the rough entitled "Instrumentally Illdisposed" is a melancholic ballad that ends this work that has been immortalized forever in my memory. Of course, I am aware of that strange filler at the end with "Horsens Highway" but hey, I guess they added it as a joke.

I don't think I can say enough more about There's Something Rotten... in the State of Denmark to do it justice. It's one of those albums that literally doesn't come out every many years and leaves an indelible mark on the melodic metal music scene. And Illdisposed clearly couldn't top it and I highly doubt it can. As I wrote in the title, if I could I would tell those responsible for creating this album to their faces that they really did. They left a legendary album for the world.

The fourth album (counting Return from Tomorrow) from Illdisposed came out in 1997 and it was called There's Something Rotten...in the State of Denmark and in many ways it completed the band's evolution, building upon sounds that were hinted at in 1995's Submit and helping the band define their own sound. While the band had previously done well as a proper knuckle-dragging death metal outfit up to this point - it wasn't until this record that they truly tested their metal (*wink wink*) and truly stood out from the pack. Put simply, many, many (many many many many) death metal bands before them tried (and almost universally failed) to accomplish what Illdisposed did here...that being, simplifying their sound, retaining the brutality but letting the grooves "bounce" more while also introducing Gothenburg-styled melodeath riffing - arguably a more "commercial" release that was mindful of modern trends. While many of their peer's attempts at this kind of thing resulted in career-killing atrocities like Swallow the Snake or Millennium Ride...Illdisposed came out on top with not only the defining album of their career, but one of the best Danish metal albums ever released not to bear the Mercyful Fate logo.

The main reason this album works so well is obvious...the riffs. While the band does indeed spent much of this album grooving like no tomorrow, the riffwork has remained intact and it never feels lazy, plodding or boring. Even something as simple as the head-bobbing opening riff to title track "There's Something Rotten...", has a dash of creativity to it that keeps it fresh and exciting. Or the verse riff to "We Lie In the Snow"...so simple but goddamn, it's fucking catchy! One of the heaviest riffs on the album has got to be the one that opens "Days on the Floor"...a fitting title as by the end you'll be beaten to a bloody heap on the floor. All that said, there are also a ton of incredibly powerful melodies on display, like the chorus to "Near the Gates" which pairs brilliantly with the chorus riff - or "Life: an Evaluation" which raises the pace and ups the At the Gates influence, with some really catchy gothenburg riffing. The songwriting is also top notch, everything is concise and to-the-point, well-fleshed out but never feeling overlong - allowing everything to feel fresh and exciting consistently, even if there's not quite as much variety in terms of pace as previous albums (no blast beats at all).

This album was the first one to feature Tore Mogensen on lead guitar, and his addition is also a huge part of what makes this album so special, offering tons of incredible, melodic leadwork to these songs which adds a new dimension to the Illdisposed sound. Drummer Rolf Rognvard-Hansen is also a huge part of this record...as mentioned earlier, he doesn't do any blast beats on here, but you won't miss them because his drumming really adds a sense of energy and excitement to the music, a great example being the final, outro riff in opener "Psychic Cyclus I-III", where his drum beat provides the absolute perfect counterpoint to the riff - resulting in one of the best neck-snapping outros since Obituary's "The End Complete".

Bo Summer is also in top form, thankfully he doesn't water down his style into a bland "shout" and does the whole record with full-power, though clean vocals are implemented in parts of "Pimp" (as with on Submit, no one else is credited for them so I assume they're done by Summer himself). He sounds absolutely vicious on here, easily giving his best vocal performance yet - solidifying him as one of the best death vocalists in the entire scene. Lyrically, the emphasis is more on political/society problems, along with personal issues like drug addiction ("We Lie in the Snow") and depression (" Life: an Evaluation"), all with the band's signature style of snarky, bizarre humor. And speaking of humor...album closer "Horsens Highway" is...er, something else, for sure!

All in all, this album is a genuine classic and essential listening for people who don't mind the more melodic side of death metal. It's the best album Illdisposed will ever release and even today, stands tall as one of the best albums their country has ever produced...check it the fuck out!

This is another album that I got for $6 that's one of the best $6 I've ever spent in my life. 'There's Something Rotten In The State Of Denmark' is easily in the top five melodic death metal albums I've ever heard, because, like with most melodic death metal worth listening to, it never forgets the last two words in the genre descriptor: 'DEATH METAL'. Illdisposed is the Gothenburg antidote. 'There's Something Rotten In The State Of Denmark' is forty minutes of chugging and grooving and melody-ing riffs plus a bunch of fantastically '80s solos and if you don't like it you're stupid.

Admittedly, this is essentially Pantera playing melodic death metal. I don't consider that a bad thing, but a lot of people will, and those people are lame. There's a definite emphasis on attitude being used to cover up the more mediocre songwriting moments, but unlike most other bands, it actually works here. One of the important elements to this is vocalist Bo Summer, who has that delightfully silly and seemingly joking growl that a lot of Danish death metal bands have. Every word (of the alternatingly brilliant and completely retarded lyrics) is spewed with the most bombastic and sneering mid-range growl ever, like every stanza is coming between shots of whiskey and random-person-punching. The guitars carry the rest, and they have precisely two types of riffs: chug/groove ones, and melodic ones. They're both great. 'Psychic Cyclus I-III' is impossible not to love on the strength of its stupid groove riffs alone, and combined with the vocals, it just gets that much more ridiculous and delightful. Yes, delightful.

'Near The Gates' has what is officially the best melodic death metal riff of all time opening it up, rivaled only by the infamous main riff on Vehemence's 'We Are All Dying' when it comes to melodeath perfection. Actually, the whole song might be the best melodic death metal song ever made. Every note of it is pretty much perfect. The groove riffs are brilliant, the melodic riffs are brilliant, and the solos (more on those later) are brilliant also. So those two opening tracks wreck the opening two tracks of just about any other album ever made. Granted, the rest of the album isn't nearly as good, so as a result I often end up just listening to the first two on loop for nine hours while clutching a revolver and weeping. That being said, the rest of the songs are still painfully good, they just don't make me want to masturbate out of pure metal joy like the first two do.

So there are solos, a LOT of solos, generally about two per song, and they're really good ones as well. They're uniformly ultra-melodic (no Kerry King scribbling) and totally '80s. I'm not a particularly solo-focused person myself, but even I have to admit that they're pretty damned great here, particularly when accentuating the groove-oriented nature of the rest of the album. When you get down to it, all the riffing is super predictable, with mercilessly overused chord progressions that you've heard in every melodeath song ever, but they're just SO DAMNED GOOD that you can't help but love them. On another note, the lyrics are borderline incoherent with a lot of cool stanzas which have no relation to each other at all. But then again, it just adds to the attitude, as if the entire band just walked into a bar without pants and you're afraid to point it out because you'll be struck repeatedly.

'There's Something Rotten In The State Of Denmark' is an essentially endless progression of awesome riffs and awesome solos and awesome vocals and awesome lyrics coming together to make awesome songs. I personally don't understand how someone could actually not like this album unless Enbilulugugal is the most accessible thing they'll allow themselves to listen to. Even when it sucks, it rules. This album will be played in its entirety at my funeral, not because it has the appropriate themes or sound, but because I hope my death is as awesome as this album is.

Clearly, this band deserves more attention.

Illdisposed is not one of those super-technical bands. They have their own sound. Imagine a group of superb death metal musicians playing pop-rock with super heavy guitars, and a vocalist that probably is picked up by seismic scanners. Maybe like that.

There's "Something Rotten..." is infectious. It's a riff-tastic death metal album with amazing leads and solos. The riffs remind me of Bolt Thrower and Obituary, but with more of a groovy element. The disc has a nice old school sound, but with excellent production. Need to move some furniture? Just put this CD on, and turn up the volume!

Occasionally, they get pretty fast, but many of their songs have a mid-paced, almost danceable groove to them. No, not a hardcore or nu-metal groove, but an almost Celtic Frost groove. The kind that makes you smile and turn up the volume.

Leads and solos are just amazing. They remind me of some of the great 80's metal solos that are rarely heard these days.

Bass is deep, and blends with the guitars to create a warm, thick sound.

Drums are excellent. Not overly technical, but straight forward and pounding. There is some good double-base work to be found, and some great fills here.

The vocals are Suffocationish, but catchy, and growlier. "Ooh yeah!"

The band knows how to be heavy, and they know how to write good songs. They also have a since of humor, and don't take themselves too seriously. The little electronic drum solo at the end proves that!

Lyrically, they are truly unique. They cover a wide range of ideas, and even have a few love songs that are rather surprising.

This is a masterpiece of melodic death metal. Not the Gothenburg style, but an old-school style. There's even a humorous Megadeth cover. Fans of Carcass (Necroticism and Heartwork era), Obituary, Bolt Thrower, Entombed, Pestilence and Celtic Frost just need to check this out. It’s the kind of album to play to your nu-metal friends, to show the right way to groove!