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By JEFF MAKI
The ninth full-length album, and the first in four years, from Sweden's death n' rollers Entombed is their best since 1993's Wolverine Blues. Let's face it—long gone are the days of Left Hand Path and Clandestine, both of which are considered groundbreaking death metal classics. The band abandoned that sound years ago due to personal preference and numerous lineup changes.
With Wolverine Blues, Entombed introduced its fans to their new sound, which they dubbed “death n' roll.” The style shift has been criticized by fans, but to Entombed's credit, they have stuck with it for more than a decade. Think Entombed's trademark buzzsaw guitars, Motorhead's energy and attitude with vocalist Lars Göran Petrov's distinctive death growl leading the attack. While Entombed haven't gone commercial by any means, Serpent Saints has a certain accessibility not present in their later recordings. This is a must-have for fans of Wolverine Blues and other metal albums of that same era (Chaos A.D., Covenant, etc.). No new ground is broken here, but with a band as badass as Entombed, who gives a fuck?
Standout tracks: “Amok,” “In the Blood,” “When in Sodom”
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