Megascavenger is back.
Led by the prolific Rogga Johansson (guitar, Dead Sun, Echelon, Furnace, Leper Colony, Paganizer…) and joined by Johan Berglund (bass, Echelon, Stass, ex-Ribspreader…) and Thomas Ohlsson (drums, Dead Sun, Stass, House by the Cemetery…), the project has decided to make a big splash with its return to Xtreem Music. Their sixth album, Toxic Noxious Undeath, is literally what you’d call an All-Star Death Metal album, featuring iconic vocalists from the Death Metal scene.
We kick things off with Graveyard Dreams and Bonehouse Screams, where Kam Lee (Massacre, ex-Death) growls over ultra-effective choppy riffs in Old School violence’s purest tradition, creating catchy jolts while the menacing leads rage on, lending the assault a dark edge. The vocalist hands the mic over to Felix Stass (Crematory, Stass), who joins the trio for Corpses Below, a fairly heavy track that doesn’t hesitate to slow down to reinforce the suffocating quality of its rhythm section while harmonics weave a mysterious soundscape. We then return, alongside Erik Rundqvist (Vomitory), to a very raw approach for Exploding Casket Syndrome, a track that doesn’t skimp on heaviness, yet allows the bass a certain heady freedom. Max Otero (Mercyless) takes over for Heading for the Furnace, a track with Death/Thrash undertones that perfectly suit him, pairing his gravelly vocals with the sometimes screeching guitars and jerky patterns that give way to trippy, slow passages, then Reverend Dave Ingram (ex-Benediction, ex-Bolt Thrower…) takes the helm for A World of Fire and Brimstone, where the band stays in familiar territory to play with darkness and anxiety. Next comes the arrival of Danish vocalist Michael H. Andersen (Thorium, Withering Surface…) on Fleshburner Yearner, offering a heavy sound perfect for near-constant headbanging, allowing the band to venture into Death/Doom territory just as they do when they welcome his compatriot Jan Bergmann Jepsen (Maceration) for As Purgatory Ascends, which shifts from moments of devastating fury where the chainsaw reigns supreme to thick, swampy passages. We return to a melodic touch that easily creates contrast when Silvester Koorevaar (Fondlecorpse) appears for Toxic Noxious Undeath, the eponymous track that is both the album’s most aggressive and the most suited for live performance (yes, I still have hope), but also the one that offers the most interesting technical touches, even given the direct nature of the compositions. The band then brings in Spain’s Dave Rotten (Avulsed, Christ Denied, Holycide…) to add a Brutal Death touch to Shallow Grave Overflow, a massive track where the roars effortlessly fill the atmosphere, casting it back into darkness, but the album already comes to a close with The Morbid Rides Again, where the Swedes are joined by Peter Svensson (Furnace, Catacomb, Cult of the Fox…) who helps them close this chapter in style – but also with brutality and abrasive melodies – once again striking the Old School chord at full power.
While Megascavenger and its creators already enjoyed an excellent reputation in the Death Metal scene, this tribute album stands out as a highlight in their discography! Over the course of a solid half-hour, Toxic Noxious Undeath showcases various facets of Death Metal, drawing freely from the styles of its guest artists to deliver some excellent surprises!
90/100