Review by Vladimir on August 13, 2024.

Earlier this year, I came across the German death metal band Denomination. Then I checked out their debut album They Burn As One which came out in 2022, as well as their split Tales From The Crypt with Swedish band Abscession from 2023, but after a while, I had completely moved on due to a lack of further interest. However, things would change once I saw that their second full-length album The Last Companion is scheduled to be released on September 13th, 2024 via the recently signed label F.D.A. Records. Out of curiosity, I decided to give this band another chance despite my previous experience which was sort of a "hit or miss" thing, so feel free to stick around if you want to dive deep into this monstrosity.

As The Last Companion sets sail through the river Styx, we witness some wicked death metal massacre unfolding before our eyes, rocking out in pure Swedish death metal buzzsaw fashion which has been a crucial part of Denomination's sound. Once again you will hear some old-school Boss HM-2 guitar pedal-driven guitar riffs that rot 'n roll with putridity and disgust, amped up by the guttural growling vocals and maniacal drumming, very much reminiscent of some exemplary works by bands such as Carnage, Entombed/Nihilist, Dismember and Grave, providing plenty of intense headbanging mania that leaves no room for bullshit or pretentiousness. Although it is pretty clear in Denomination's output where the inspiration comes from, you can still hear plenty of fresh and solid songwriting material that still has plenty of creativity, as opposed to copying the works of their influences beat for beat as one would expect. This time they have taken on a much more menacing and darker approach in comparison to their previous album They Burn As One from 2022, which was still good but a bit lacking in terms of its delivery, however, they managed to compensate for it on this album by displaying this testosterone-based performance with a malicious atmosphere that flows throughout every song. The Last Companion has some great examples of badass death metal delivery with a lot of flesh-grinding violence, but some of the strongest competitors is 'Cremation Ground' that really sets the fire to a funeral ceremony with its riffs hitting harder than a jackhammer to the face.

The songwriting is pretty standard and straightforward death metal approach when it comes to the overall song structures, showcasing frequent tempo changes and easy patterns to follow along. Despite the stylistic consistency and strong sense of familiarity that play a big role in Denomination's music, the good thing is that you will always be engaged in this journey from start to finish, especially when you sink deep into this album's grotesque nature. What stands out about this album is that it always stays on track with its death-ripping action, without ever slowing down or becoming too sterile halfway through, because it keeps your attention high at all times and curious to hear what will come next, and then successfully delivering what you were looking for. Sure, it may seem like another typical or generic Swedish death metal tribute/gimmick/clone type of output to anyone who is generally familiar with this style, but it certainly doesn't mean that it's trying desperately to replicate that magic, because on its own it still manages to capture its essence thanks to the savage riffwork on here that you just can't enough of. When I first checked out Denomination's first album They Burn As One, I really felt like something was missing in that whole ingredient which could have made it more enjoyable or attention-worthy, but I think that The Last Companion completely erases that because its non-stop excitement all throughout its entirety.

In the end, I personally really enjoyed The Last Companion for its highly solid and effective output that makes you go crazy from start to finish, especially if you are a big fan of 90's Swedish death metal bands. Like I said before, Denomination obviously wants to keep things simple yet effective when it comes to their overall death metal delivery, and this time they really managed to hit the right note by keeping things heavy and mean. Be sure to check out this bad boy when it's released and see what horrific delights it has to offer.

Rating: 8.5 out of 10