I remember vividly that once, before I was aware of this big Swedeath comeback, I searched relentlessly and tirelessly through the internet and through whatever useful sources I could find in order to exhume obscure Swedish death metal bands back to life, repeatedly listening to demos, EPs and numerous compilations with no real intention but to build myself up an abundant library of these Swedish doppelgangers that followed the same path as Dismember, Grave, Entombed, etc. Those were before I was acquainted with the gigantic Swedish death metal revival scene that started to dominate, and then plague the world ove rthe last three-four years. Don't get me wrong now, I still enjoy the buzz-laden guitar tone with copious chord hacks splintering the necks of many, but unlike my previous experiences, bands are now finding me, instead of me digging them out from the dust. And now, there so many bands that they almost seem impervious to kind of improvement, enhancement or distinction as the classic Swedish death metal overtone has settled deep in their hearts, solidified.
Mexico is definitely not the first place you think of when I say death metal, but bands like Toxodeth, Cenotaph and Mortuary were bands that I always had high regards for, and the current scene is also starting exploit better and better material, and yet, I still think Zombiefication is one of the most propitious bands I heard in the scene, not because they carve out utterly original distinct material but because they create some most accessible, heavy and well-balanced Swedish death metal. Zombiefication have been buttering their death metal for only three years, yet their quickness and productivity will affect their global success easily, it would seem. All the traits you'd want in your Swedeath ins pretty much, big, copious guitars with chunky, hefty tones overwhelming them, momentous chugs are eerie melodies bulging into the music at times, catchy chord progressions, and very slightly decrepit production quality, grasping a bit of that cavernous touch you'd always want in your sinister music. It's authentic in pretty much every way, but nuances still tend to be exploited every now and then, like the queer mid paced crunches and craving tremolo spams cutting through the dense, boxy production, as seen on the title track.
Besides its assorted offerings of subtle melodies, ''Reaper's Consecration'' is really not much a different listen than all the other Swedeath albums out there, but the good part is that it can at least keep the music fresh and spiky, vigorous and dynamic, yet the dark aura never leaves the metallic sphere that engulfs the EP. There are some brief moments where the album presents you some melancholic clean interludes, like the brusque breakdown on ''We Stand Alone'', which then alters right back into the aggressive form that it had taken two seconds ago. The drummer lays down some very intense and powerful beats as well, and the vocals have that monolithic, hollow edge to them, but again, this is stuff that I've heard many many times before. I can't really chide or doubt the formula of this EP, because everything is right there for you to see, yet, even though this is just another familiar ring in the ear, its blatancy is formidably enjoyable and the music crushing, so I think I'll just keep urging Zombiefication forward to produce some more for my pleasure.
Highlights:
Death Today, Dust Tomorrow
Necrohell
I Am The Reaper
Rating: 83%
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