Review by Michael on November 10, 2022.

Something is rotten in the state of Denmark! The guys don't sound all that technical anymore like on their debut A Serenade Of Agony but more like old Edge Of Sanity. Well, for all of you who know some things about the band it wouldn't be much of a surprise that Dan Swanö (aka Day Disyraah) did the vocals on the debut album. The debut which became 30 this year in October. On It Never Ends… Dan did all the vocals and on the title track and on 'Tender Twigs Of Innocnece' you can also hear their regular vocalist Jan Bergmann Jepsenon. Dan told me that he wanted to do some more vocals again but I hadn't expected it that quick. It was a bit surprising but having him do it was a great choice I think.

Starting off with some blood-freezing piano sounds that don't let you expect anything good, the old school death metal inferno takes its relentless course. Buzzing, grinding guitars with thunderous drums that pummel down everything in its way blast the listener straight to the wall. Dan vocals sound as powerful and voluminous as 25 -30 years ago when Edge Of Sanity released their classics. I have to say that he sounds really pissed off and very aggressive and that this is one of the best vocal performances I have heard from him in the last few years. Of course Maceration isn't an EOS copy, the focus is much more on pure death metal without these experiments that EOS did. Melodies aren't in the foreground, it is much more sheer horror, brutality and heaviness that the Danes want to spread with their music. What is quite remarkable, too, is that there are only a few guitar solos which have a lot of old Morbid Angel vibes in the songs. The tracks show that Maceration is a well-oiled killing machine where everything works together very well. The tempo in all the tracks is pretty fast and only drops for some gloomy atmospheric parts.

Of course Maceration doesn't reinvent neither death metal nor do they have some innovations in their songs but that is not necessary. Driving HM-2 sound with a lot of blast beats keep hitting you straight in your face again and again. Songs like 'It Never Ends…' with one of these sick guitar solos and bonesawing riffing or the opener 'Lost In Depravity' with its uneasy atmosphere are brilliant old school death metal that won't leave any death metal maniac unsatisfied. 'Monolith Of The Cursed' is a worthy (short) closer of the album with all death metal trademarks you want to hear. The production, mastering and mixing was done by Dan Swanö himself at his Unisound Studio and when you know how he works you can be sure that this one is absolutely flawless.

Rating: 9 out of 10 Monoliths