Year: 2021
Total Time: 47:03
Label: Century Media

The Swedish band UNANIMATED is unique! However, besides the huge impact at the Melodic Death/Black Metal sound, this band didn’t manage to build a very strong reputation through the years. This might be caused due to the fact that in their country, at the same time, many other unique bands were born, including the great DISSECTION who released their masterpieces during those years! Additionally, it should be noted that UNANIMATED had big intermission during their career, in 1995 after the amazing album “Ancient God of Evil” they were dissolved to return in 2009 with “In the Light of Darkness” record and then it took them another nine years to release the “Annihilation” EP.

So, the fact that this new album comes only three years after UNANIMATED’s latest EP, might be a sign that the Swedes are entering a new rebirth phase! A rebirth which we can hear in those twelve songs of high-quality Melodic Death/ Black Metal which are also an emphatic statement that “we are here to destroy everything in our path and claim the throne of this genre”!

The album shows its aggressive character from the first awesome title song, whose melody in the chorus is magical, while “Seven Mouths Of Madness” and “The Devil Rides Out” brought me to mind the early AT THE GATES. “The Devil Rides Out” and “Demon Pact (Mysterium Tremendum)” are two excellent arrangements of Melodic Black Metal, while in “XIII” UNANIMATED sounds more epic, having some IMMORTAL influences. The rest of the album continues in these music paths, with the exception being some short songs, in which the Swedes use acoustic guitars, breaking the constant aggression. The production is of high quality, clear, without losing the old school feeling with its modern approach, while the beautiful black/red album’s cover completes the dynamic re-appearance of the band.

UNANIMATED returns after eleven years with a really good release delivering Melodic Death/ Black Metal lessons to all those who have simply regurgitated the sound of “Storm of the Light’s Bane” in the recent years. “Victory In Blood” is extreme and melodic at the same time, while its atmosphere takes us to the golden years of this sound in the 90’s, truthful to the roots and musical heritage of a band that already counts thirty years of existence. Concluding, all the fans of Melodic Death/Black just put aside all those “copy bands” of the past and listen to a great record from the Kings of this genre!

Rating: 8/10
Label: Nikos Manousis
Related Link: UNANIMATED – Facebook Page