VOMITORY
All Heads Are Gonna Roll
METAL BLADE
8
DIDN’T MISS A STEP: A band like Vomitory doesn’t necessarily need to release an album every year (or every couple of years) to remain in the death metal conversation. The Swedish band’s relevancy was first cemented back in the late 90s and early millennium, with efforts like Raped in Their Own Blood, Blood Rapture, and Revelation Nausea showcasing their old school intent.
As a result, a new Vomitory album is an excuse for excess, to celebrate the band’s Swedish death metal heritage that’s molded with brutal, American influences. All Heads Are Gonna Roll is the first new Vomitory full-length in over a decade, but this sound still fits like a glove. The Massacre, Slayer, and Entombed influences are still worn proudly on the band’s sleeve, while the production makes the most of Vomitory’s natural heaviness. It’s Darkane singer Lawrence Mackrory who twists the engineering nobs on this one, although liner notes maintain that the actual instruments were self-produced by the members of Vomitory.
Still, the mix here is clear as a bell, allowing the album’s riffs to take center stage. Guitarist Peter Östlund melds together inspiration from crust punk and rock to create licks that are fresher than your average metal session. It’s not quite death ’n’ roll levels, but it’s a nice break from the norm. Meanwhile, bassist and vocalist Erik Rundqvist growls out vocal patterns that, while not mind-blowing, keep All Heads Are Gonna Roll from ever sounding stale. Additionally, there are plenty of sections that are crunchy as fuck, breaking things down to a place where Vomitory is clearly having tons of fun.
Death metal is a crowded creative sandbox, but All Heads Are Gonna Roll still manages to stand out. This is no mean feat, and fans of this style should most definitely take note of this most welcome return. ~ Metal George
