The mercury has dropped far lower on our North American thermometers than that of our Scandinavian brothers far too often these last few months. Meteorological theories aside, it is a no-brainer to find cause in all the hotter than hell thrash’n’speed bulldozing its way out of the Northern metal scene. A subtle variance of style between each, the skull-masked and well loved four-piece Dr. Living Dead standout first, not least due to their comic book skeletons-in-a-crossover-band image. Hailing from Stockholm, they sound resolutely more in line with the US crossover and party-thrash covering the east to west coast spectrum. Fun-loving and 110% beer bong pit-centric, they’ve already proven their dedication and drive with a Brazilian tour and support slot with Slayer already checked off their bucket list. Their 3rd full length, Crush the Sublime Gods saw a March 3rd US release courtesy of Century Media. Staying in the same Baltic locality, within the the same crossover foundations AND formed by former Dr. Living Dead drummer/vocalist Andreas Sandberg is the S/T LP by Negative Self (High Roller Records). If Dr. Living Dead fill the DRI-to-S.O.D. boots, then Negative Self’s melody-friendly mix of crossover, hardcore and heavy metal makes them Stockholm’s answer to Suicidal Tendencies.
Now, before we take the figurative Sweden to Finland party cruise for a healthy overdose of raging speed metal and ominous proto-deathrash, High Roller Records strike yet again with Bulldozing Bastard’s sophomore LP Under the Ram. A rip-roaring assault of blackened speed, it is sure to stand its own alongside the pantheon of Germany’s evil metal tradition. As would Belgium’s gloriously fast, high-pitched and presumably whisky, if not gasoline fueled Evil Invaders, whose debut full length Pulses of Pleasure (Napalm Records) is easily the greatest shred-metal homage to an age of tight jeans and leather jackets this side of the eighties. Over in Santiago, Chile (Oh Chile, where would we be without your ever-stellar contribution to underground extreme metal?) brutality is the order of the day for Invincible Force. Thanks to the continually evil and obscure releases by way of Dark Descent Records, Satan Rebellion Metal marks I.F’s first full length following a catalog of demos and splits that has seen the band grow from straight-up and raw thrash to an ugly amalgamation of blackened deathrash.
Finland’s Ranger, on the other hand, sit hand-in-hand with Evil Invaders as part of the resurgence of speed metal, and shall also be enjoying the release of their debut LP Where Evil Dwells via Spinefarm. The time is nigh to sport a dodgy moustache, fringed mullet and leather waistcoat. Finally, traveling far back to the latter years of thrash’s heyday, we shall depart with the humungously awesome news of Xtreem Record’s re-release of Oppression’s 1988-90 demos, entitled Scars. Ever so slightly idiosyncratic, these Finnish thrashers succumbed to the vaults of obscurity, but their mid-paced deathly thrash (sometimes doomy, sometimes techy) is way too good not to be heard!
