Year: 2024
Total Time: 39:41
Label: Nuclear Blast

Since their formation in 2014 in Berlin and relocation to Stockholm, the highly prolific band led by the charismatic singer Johanna Platow Andersson has released four albums, the first on Rise Above Records and the rest on Century Media Records, as well as several stand-alone singles, all infused with 1970s hard rock, proto-heavy metal, doom and occult rock, with their main influences being, rather obviously, Black Sabbath, Pentagram, Alice Cooper and Blue Öyster Cult.

Now at the dawn of 2024 they release their fifth album with the simple title “V”, continuing the simple numbering they have preferred since the beginning of their career, a good trick probably, since they don’t need to think of complex titles and confuse their fans, after all their general style I cannot say that complexity or diversity is in their basic characteristics!

The album starts with the strong and short rocker “Fallen Angel”, to come after “At The Mortuary” to weigh down the atmosphere a bit, logically with such a title. The melodies on guitars and vocals in the chorus and its slow rhythm in the rest of the parts, already make it a candidate for the top hit of the record. After that’s over, get ready to dance in the dark like old times to ‘Riding Reaper’, a loose rhythmic chant drawn from America’s melodic past. Now, after all the dancing, you can sit back, relax, eh, have a drink, with low lights always, and enjoy the “Slow Dance in a Crypt”, if you have good company, even better…. I hope they have it on the playlist of their upcoming tour, which by the way also passes through Greece (you cannot afford to miss them) so that the would-be “lovers-fans” can find space to make whatever move they want, but quickly, they only have a little more from four minutes at their disposal. We go back to old school rock beats with ‘A Coffin Has No Silver Lining’ with the nice riffs on the guitars and the melody in the chorus giving it the extra something it needs to stand out. The following ‘Maculate Heart’, after a little classical guitar intro, proceeds emphatically and yes, it’s finally time for some headbanging thanks to its steady beat, with few cuts, nice guitars and of course Johanna giving it her all as she uses to anyway.

Then it’s time for the band to show us their more bluesy/rock side with “The Dead Don’t Speak” where the truth is it didn’t make any special sense to me, ok I don’t think you expected me to say anything else, knowing my preferations. So, we move towards the end with “Strange Sister”, a more direct, 80’s hard rock/metal track which is not bad but I don’t think it makes any special impact either. The disc will close with the five-minute slow-motion “Nothing Left To Lose But My Life”, another 70’s blues/rock piece, heavy and solid, this one here says goodbye in the best possible way.

So, the multi-talented Johanna Platow Andersson on vocals, Linus Björklund and Martin Nordin on guitars, Harald Göthblad on bass and Nicke Andersson on drums have prepared here a record of pure Heavy/Doom Metal, loyal to the glorious past they (we) adore, with fantastic vocals, great guitars, punchy bass and solid, chunky drums, just the way we want it to be. The compositions are given lots of work and attention, they are of high level and as they combine elements of all their previous albums, they are definitely ready to take their career a step further. It is no coincidence that they received numerous nominations for various music awards in the previous years, not to mention their excessive tours in all the places where this music is heard.

Those pf you faithful to their spirit, should definitely listen to it, get it and of course see them live at the first opportunity!

Rate: 6.5/10
Editor: Antonis Livanios
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