New battle for Scalpture.
After signing to Testimony Records, the band comprising Thorsten (vocals), Felix (guitar), Tobias (guitar), Niklas (bass) and Moritz N. (drums) unveil their fourth album, Landkrieg.
The band has chosen to get off to a gentle start with The Fall …, a melodious introduction which gradually becomes more and more disturbing, before finally turning violent on Into Catastrophe, where the band’s Old School Death Metal roots are perfectly exploited. The leads also take advantage of the contrast with the abrasive rhythm to stand out, taking over from the vocal parts, before Til Jeret Undergang hits us with a catchy groove and thick riffs. Violence remains the watchword of the track, but the band manages to give it a more majestic touch before setting off again at breakneck speed for Landsknecht, which only slows down to develop a layer of oppressive darkness as the vocalist howls. The solo brings the track that epic moment before rushing into Wallenstein, which offers us a moment’s respite before trapping our minds with its dissonant harmonics coupled with a heavy rhythm, creating an interesting and intoxicating contrast that rages on as the track accelerates. Den Mörka Nattens Lejon continues with jerky tones and rawer passages, but the leads remain present to enhance the fury before giving way to the melancholy of Of Siege And Besieged, which offers cooler riffs while remaining at times aggressive in approach. The dissonant passage in the middle of the track tinges the rest of the composition, which eventually gives way to Schwedentrunk, which speeds things up considerably but retains the airy melodies of the first part before focusing on brutality for a while. The ominous sample takes us back to the original sound, followed by Hell’s Choirs Chant, which takes on stunned influences to revive its heavy, sometimes savage roots, before becoming more mysterious on Bellum Se Ipsum Alet, again using its hazy guitars throughout the track to reach an intense final filled with despair, closing the album on a dark note.
Death Metal may hold no secrets for Scalpture, but the band doesn’t hold back when it comes to incorporating a wide range of nuances. Landkrieg can be ferocious when needed, but it can also mesmerize you with well-placed leads.
90/100