Review by Felix on June 4, 2024.

Here we already have the fourth full-length of Barbarian Swords and I admit that I think their band name is pretty dubious. Anyway, these swordtails hail from Spain and they love unmistakable titles. (Feel free to check out the name of the predecessor of the here reviewed album.) The good thing is that their music also leaves no doubt what they want to present. The title “Anti-Dogma Megaforce” does not promise too much. What we get is the feeling of nuclear insanity that Impaled Nazarene once transported. But the dudes of Barbarian Swords are no copycats and not interested in slavish imitations. They wallow in their own atomic, absolutely merciless approach that intends to pulverize everything. Due to whatever reason, especially Barcelona is on their list (“Nuke Barcelona”). But okay, do what needs to be done.

For the ears of a mainstream music listener, the album sounds disgusting, ugly, and absurdly brutal. But you, the admins of M-A and me know it better. Uttermost ferocity can be great fun and the two to three minute anthems to dilapidation are completely free from any details one could describe with stupid words like “melodic” or “harmonious”. Even the integration of keyboards, for example in “Glorious Deicide”, does not change this state. Barbarian Swords have better things in mind. Everything is dominated by totally vicious vocals, harsh and fast drumming and two guitar players who try to bring world’s end to life on their six strings. By the way, they are pretty successful in doing so.

Variety is written in very small letters here. The band models the listener’s face eight times with a baseball bat and the never ending rage of the Catalan’s is remarkable. The apocalypse comes too late, its soundtrack has already been written. Always close to chaos, collapse and corrosion, the band strikes with high velocity outbursts, pounding mid-tempo parts and omnipresent cruelty. The amok run with extreme killers like, well, „Killer of All Hope“, ends after 23 minutes, but even the monumental closer does not offer many options to take a deep breath. It’s amazing, Barbarian Swords have found a way that combines total underground metal with a professional production, bloodlust with musical competence and stubbornness with excitement. I recommend to give songs like “Immoral Ritualistic Abomination” a chance – or any other of the remaining eight pieces. And if you really believe that the eight short torpedos suffer from interchangeability, then please recognize that their newest work „Fetid“ surprises with a completely different configuration. Six songs, 47 minutes – but hopefully a comparable massacre. Anyway, „Anti-Dogma Megaforce“ is worth its money.

Rating: 8.4 out of 10