Intestinal-The Rottening

Intestinal are a five-piece straightforward Swedish death metal act, playing a rather plain Swedish death metal with a tinge of brutal death metal and a small measure of twists and turns. Admittedly, I haven't listened to any of their previous efforts though I must say that I'm pretty content with what I've heard from ''The Rottening''. They don't exactly perfect the OSSDM formula, though the stylings are still similar, with melodic passages and crushing riffs put all together. So as you may understand, the music is rather simplistic and straightforward though still quite entertaining.

The only thing that really ticks me off on this album is the vocal variations. They sometimes sound intimate to screamo shreiks, which throws me off and ruins the riffs everytime it occurs. Fortunately, the vocalist still sticks to the low, guttural delivery for the most part and that is all I can ask for. The riffs are quite hefty and although they're simplistic they can still be punishingly heavy and intense thoughout. The riffs are hard-pressed and almost never lose the efficiency and speed, which immedeately gives points to the album. The impact that the guitars create along with the drums are shrill in a dense and crushing way and they pierce and shatter bones like cutting butter with a knife-a savage way to devastate. Despite the riffs being so plain and basic, the sructures of the song egt more and more complex as the listener ventures deeper into the album. It feels as if hundreds of straightforward riffs strike and burst out in a single shot, managing to sound full and put the whole ''simplistic'' approach aside and create a thick sheet that insulates the simplicity of the riffs.

The production is pretty clear on the album, so you can say goodbye to traditional Swedeath buzzsaw guitar tone and brooming atmosphere right away. While this may be dissapointing, once you look at it in another way the album will be more entertaining listen for you. The clearness of the production actually emphasises the quality of the riffs as they often tend to be thrashy and stomping. There is absolutely nothing frail about the riffs due to their incredible solidness and I daresay that if the production was to be shattered or dark, the riffs would not have gone well with them. Sure, you may need nostalgia for great acts like Entombed, Dismember and Grave at times during this album and it may not be there, but that shows that ''The Rottening'' can still be reminscent of OSSDM not matter how different it may sound.

That pretty much covers the basic aspects of the album. ''The Rottening'' is not going to be awarded for a deft diplay of originality of old school sounding formula, but it still manages to attain a good amount of energy and make your head band vigorously and the tracks pass. The album is fun, plain, crushing and viscous. I may not peer upon this with queer rapture but it will stay as one of those album that will remain in my library for me to bang and mosh every once in a while, in times of depression or just sheer boredom and exhaustion. Some modern sounds may be involved, but they are outnumbered by the old school stylings so I almost don't hear them while I listen to the album because overall it was solid.

Highlights:
Flesh For Living
Torture
Sensation Of Death

Rating: 82,5%