Review by Krys on January 25, 2001.

Does anyone in Sweden have a regular job or all the guys just sit around, play their instruments and form new bands? It seems like there are 10 bands on one street block! What amazes me is that most of them are damn good ones. If you thought that melodic-death-trash bands like In Flames, Arch Enemy or Dark Tranquillity are safe on the top of this genre then think again. Here comes Soilwork.

These 6 young thrashers are ready to take over. After their impressive 1998 debut album "Steel Bath Suicide" which brought a lot of attention to this band, they come back with their sophomore installation "The Chainheart Machine."

And… I’m speechless. It’s a jaw-dropping, adrenaline-pumping masterpiece that will blow your mind with a force compared to a close range blast from the shotgun. What they did on this album is just un-frickin'-believable. Sharp and precise guitar harmonies, unbelievable dynamics and great sense of melody combined with force and harshness of Death metal will satisfy everyone who ever listened to anything harder than George Michael. They just showed that the Gothenburg Sound can be played with even more excitement and at higher level than the rest of their peers do.

The masterful production by Fredric Nordstrom and Studio Fredman cooks up an intelligent and intense potion that will put these guys in a spotlight of their own.

Are you still reading this review? It’s a masterpiece! Go get it, now!!! At the pace they are progressing, I’m beginning to fear the intensity and musical genius of a third release!

Rating: 10 out of 10

Review by Adam M on July 12, 2025.

This is an interesting earlier album of the band that is perhaps their best early work and an influence on later great albums. It is a storming album and plenty aggressive enough to make an impression. It is a very raw and abrasive album that has the right amount of kick to make an impact.

The musicianship on the album is strong and a sign of even better performances in the future. It is a strong and tight and well-conceived. The album has a reasonable production job for some punch and also a really hardcore vibe to it.

The flaws of the album lie in the manner it is not as revolutionary as other albums like The Satanist or as powerful as Evangelion. This means it takes a backseat to those works and is just another reasonable album in their history. Fans of those albums will also like this.

All in all, this was a solid album and very worthy for the band. It is not as immortal as Evangelion, but still a very rocking and enjoyable work. Fans of outfits like Immolation will find a lot to like here. It is a well-rounded and fun release.

Rating: 7.5/10

Review by Aaron on December 18, 2004.

Simply put, Demigod is one of the best Death Metal albums put out this year. Song for song, Nergal and Co. unleash a darker, more stark assault on the listener than was experienced before, even with the mighty Zos Ka Cultus. In Demigod, Nergal's wide interest in mythology touches down up on Egyptian myth with songs such as the opener “Sculpting the Throne ov Seth” and “The Reign ov Shemshu-hor.” While it would be easy to make a quick assumption they’re aspiring to be the new Nile and despite the fact that Nile’s own Karl Sanders plays on “Xul,” the album maintains Behemoth’s signature sound, combining militant roars with surgically precise riffs and blast beats they’ve become known for. An interesting addition to Behemoth’s musical repertoire is the utlilization of acoustic classical-style guitar throughout the album; it hasn’t really been used since the Grom album and provides an atmospheric counterpoint to the utter brutality of the album. Nergal’s vocals are much more enraged, much thicker than in previous recordings and while it may detract somewhat from trying to make out some of the most beautiful and savage lyrics written it does not detract from the delivery. The production on the album is noteworthy as well, a clear, atmospheric treatment of practically every note of every song by the hand of Daniel Bergstrand, who has worked with bands such as In Flames, Strapping Young Lad and Soilwork to name only a few. From every aspect of the album, Demigod is incredible.

In terms of standout songs on the album, there aren’t any; all ten tracks of the album are sheer epic Death Metal at its finest and to pick one that rises above the others would require wallowing in technical trivialities that would take too much away from the complete enjoyment of the album. Any fans of Behemoth, those who love solid brutal Death Metal in general and those who have a loose tooth that needs to come out will not be disappointed in this album. Demigod is an exemplary piece of work.

Categorical Rating Breakdown

Musicianship: 9
Atmosphere: 9
Production: 9
Originality: 8
Overall: 9

Rating: 8.8 out of 10

Review by Adam M on July 12, 2025.

This is an interesting earlier album of the band that is perhaps their best early work and an influence on later great albums. It is a storming album and plenty aggressive enough to make an impression. It is a very raw and abrasive album that has the right amount of kick to make an impact.

The musicianship on the album is strong and a sign of even better performances in the future. It is a strong and tight and well-conceived. The album has a reasonable production job for some punch and also a really hardcore vibe to it.

The flaws of the album lie in the manner it is not as revolutionary as other albums like The Satanist or as powerful as Evangelion. This means it takes a backseat to those works and is just another reasonable album in their history. Fans of those albums will also like this.

All in all, this was a solid album and very worthy for the band. It is not as immortal as Evangelion, but still a very rocking and enjoyable work. Fans of outfits like Immolation will find a lot to like here. It is a well-rounded and fun release.

Rating: 7.5/10

Review by Aaron on December 18, 2004.

Simply put, Demigod is one of the best Death Metal albums put out this year. Song for song, Nergal and Co. unleash a darker, more stark assault on the listener than was experienced before, even with the mighty Zos Ka Cultus. In Demigod, Nergal's wide interest in mythology touches down up on Egyptian myth with songs such as the opener “Sculpting the Throne ov Seth” and “The Reign ov Shemshu-hor.” While it would be easy to make a quick assumption they’re aspiring to be the new Nile and despite the fact that Nile’s own Karl Sanders plays on “Xul,” the album maintains Behemoth’s signature sound, combining militant roars with surgically precise riffs and blast beats they’ve become known for. An interesting addition to Behemoth’s musical repertoire is the utlilization of acoustic classical-style guitar throughout the album; it hasn’t really been used since the Grom album and provides an atmospheric counterpoint to the utter brutality of the album. Nergal’s vocals are much more enraged, much thicker than in previous recordings and while it may detract somewhat from trying to make out some of the most beautiful and savage lyrics written it does not detract from the delivery. The production on the album is noteworthy as well, a clear, atmospheric treatment of practically every note of every song by the hand of Daniel Bergstrand, who has worked with bands such as In Flames, Strapping Young Lad and Soilwork to name only a few. From every aspect of the album, Demigod is incredible.

In terms of standout songs on the album, there aren’t any; all ten tracks of the album are sheer epic Death Metal at its finest and to pick one that rises above the others would require wallowing in technical trivialities that would take too much away from the complete enjoyment of the album. Any fans of Behemoth, those who love solid brutal Death Metal in general and those who have a loose tooth that needs to come out will not be disappointed in this album. Demigod is an exemplary piece of work.

Categorical Rating Breakdown

Musicianship: 9
Atmosphere: 9
Production: 9
Originality: 8
Overall: 9

Rating: 8.8 out of 10