Review by Death8699 on August 22, 2019.

I liked this one from the first time I heard it. I knew that after the release of Clayman, In Flames was rearing towards these different styles/genres being that of melodic death/groove metal if you will. So, what's to be expected here is just different, it has its moments musically, it features heavy songs with screaming, but the style is more laid back, less aggressive than prior releases even though their guitars are still tuned down a lot to I think B or C, guitarists (current) would know what they tune to on here. It is definitely more aggressive than their latest.

Since the aggression is still somewhat there in the music, I'm not going to knock it down or off because it's not like they've been completely transformed (yet). The music is not too fast it's more keyed into this sort of concept they're trying to achieve with their nowadays tunes. But I wholly disagree with critics yet again because I think that the music is what made me like the album because IT IS different yet still heavy just not as intense as their earlier works such as The Jester Race, Whoracle, Colony and Clayman. The past is borrowed from and differentiated.

I enjoyed the guest female clean vocals, I think that it was right to do, to show this change as their music just transgresses into a thicker sound with melodic/groove laden styles which fits nicely into their discography, just not as well as I think Jesper would've agreed with. But he was on the album, so it wasn't like they totally gave up their established genre, they still come forth through to make good compositions and just diversify. I'm not justifying their wanting to change it up, I'm saying that it's just a sort of transgression to "happier" forms of metal.

This one is one I can listen to repeatedly and not get sick of because of its unique vibe. It's less dark as I pointed out, there are more clean vocals, slower musical tempos, not too many guitar solos, just good overall music to me at least. Other people can bash the album all they want and say they've totally sold out, but I don't think so. I think that they've just mellowed out and said basically that "we want to change things up as we're an older band and don't want to keep releasing the same stuff over and over". So yeah, they're into a whole different concept now.

Don't be swayed by naysayers spouting out things like "they're sell-outs", "their music sucks now", etc. Form your own conclusion because most of what they play on this album is a lot different than what they started with. A musical transformation. So, they really want to hold this concept and I think play what they want, even though Jesper their founding guitarist is no longer with the band. Their style is different, but the music on here is still good and quality. I'd think twice about what the common rating is overall and say try it on YouTube and then go with that. To me, they're still awesome and the music still is too!

Rating: 9 out of 10

Review by Felix on October 6, 2021.

Terrordome from Poland do not suffer from a lack of self-consciousness. Given this fact, they feel free to offer an album with 14 tracks and a playtime of more than 40 minutes. Okay, this is no bombastic configuration, but we have to take into account the style they play. Imagine Dr. Living Dead! without their occasional suicidal tendencies, add 5% of units such as Mucinipal Waste and you should have a pretty exact picture of the quartet from East Europe. Right from the beginning, the protagonists create a lot of pressure due to their overflowing energy. Sometimes it happens that the dudes cannot control their hyperactivity. As a result, a few parts of the album are very fast and wild, but they do not leave a long-lasting aroma. 'Your Personal Comfort Versus The Global Disaster' is one of the best titles I have ever heard, because it describes the secret dilemma of a young climate activist in a very precise way. Unfortunately, the song itself cannot keep the quality level of its title.

Of course, although Terrordome are not very interested in Mike Muir’s music, they have an affinity for some hardcore vibes. The straight and direct 'Into The Void' is an example of pure aggression. Yet I admit that I prefer the marginally more complex tracks like the slightly menacing yet still unbridled 'Money Kills'. This excellent acoustic cluster bomb delivers devastation with class and it is not the only song that deserves this description. I don't know exactly what Brazil and Poland have in common except, of course, that they met in the third-place match of the 1974 World Cup, but 'Desordem E Regresso' (one more brilliant name) marks another great outbreak of youthful anger, among other things due to its catchy chorus. But maybe it does not make much sense to highlight single tracks. Why? Well, I haven’t spoken about the first songs of the album and all of them are pure sonic adrenaline, too. Enjoy the flattening double bass of the extremely massive 'Worried Again' whose chorus also knows how to devastate. Or take 'Possessed By Blyat'. It throws you into an imaginary mosh pit as well and its first line (“1986, the time I was born”) builds a probably unintended bridge to one of their best previously released songs, the fantastic “Back to the ‘80s”.

It feels good to experience that Terrordome try to ignite a conflagration and they are mostly successful in doing so. The straight in your face production supports the musical approach excellently. I really do not know which kind of sound could be more appropriate for this type of thrash. So for me there is no doubt that Terrordome give the scene weighty impulses in view of their staggering velocity, their instinct for memorable parts and their authentic attitude. Probably we are brothers in spirit, because I was also born in 1986... What do you say? I was already born in 1968? Oh my God, didn’t know you’re such a picky grinch. But believe me, 'I Don't Care' - and this is nothing less than the title of another mind-blowing highlight of Straight Outta Smogtown.

Rating: 8.4 out of 10