DAWN OF DISEASE

Just when you think the Swedish death metal tank has run out of gas, along comes an album that takes the blueprint and delivers it passion, commend presence, and bloody good songwriting. Album title notwithstanding, "Crypts of the Unrotten" is not just another album that lifelessly emulates old-school Stockholm-worship. The decision of vocalist/co-founder Tomasz to revamp and reform DAWN OF DISEASE in 2009 after dissolving in 2007 with one MCD to its name (2004's "Through Bloodstained Eyes") has proven to be a wise one. "Crypts of the Unrotten" bruises and batters with Stockholm forcefulness, but does so with a character all its own; all the while keeping you nodding right along with memorable Gothenburg-derived songwriting that stops well short of the slickness that plagued the scene in later years.

Even then "Crypts of the Unrotten" offers more than just a Stockholm/Gothenburg split down the middle. For instance, "Knife vs Flesh" blasts and slashes like VOMITORY in a bar fight with GOD DETHRONED; offering a conventional shout-and-response chorus that sticks to the ribs and stays there. No matter the track in fact, the balls on this beast are elephant-sized; the guitars of Lukas Kerk and Oliver Kirchner blast out crunching riffs and penetrating leads, as though UNLEASHED was channeling AT THE GATES. Unwavering support for all that six-string firepower is provided by a rhythm section of Mathias Blässe (drums) and Michael Wächter (bass) that pummels without mercy. Vocalist/co-founder Tomasz Wisniewski beefs up even more the already muscular attack with a mighty, fairly intelligible roar; when he barks, you pay attention and that's all there is to it. Put simply, the German unit comes out swinging and authoritatively connects with each and every blow.

The difference-maker with "Crypts of the Unrotten" is the manner in which the album sets a high standard right from the start, and not just on the first proper track ("Alone with the Dead"),but with a minute-and-a-half instrumental intro — of all things — called "Descent into Another World". You can count two-minute instrumental "Devouring Obscurity" among the tracks that exist at that same high altitude. A bum track is nowhere to be found. And when the unholy trinity of "Enter the Gates", "Calcined Bones", and "Catacombs" arrives the impact can be likened to that of a freakishly large, nuclear powered jackhammer. "But it's not very original, is it?" comes a question from the peanut gallery. "But who really gives a shit when it's this good?" comes the answer from those that refuse to think so damn hard about it.

These days there just aren't that many bands putting out albums of this sort that kick your ass from one end of the experience to the other and keep you crawling back for more. Unmitigated violence is grand; unmitigated violence with catchy songwriting is just goddamned exquisite. That's the story of DAWN OF DISEASE's "Crypts of the Unrotten".