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Band Name: Dismember
Album Name: The God That Never Was
Rating: 4.5 / 5 User Rating: 4.1 / 5
Label: Candlelight Records
Buy Album: Amazon.com
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Tracklist
01. The God That Never Was
02. Shadows of the Mutilated
03. Time Has Nothing
04. Autopsy
05. Never Forget, Never Forgive
06. Trail of the Dead
07. Phantoms (Of the Oath)
08. Into the Temple of Humiliation
09. Blood for Paradise
10. Feel the Darkness
11. Where No Ghost Is Holy
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Few bands in the realm of death metal have maintained the consistency of Stockholm, Sweden's Dismember. Often times, bands of this genre will release groundbreaking albums and forsaken that notoriety for a more commercially friendly sound or experiment with other disparate styles. Dismember has never deviated too much from their initial sound, and 'The God That Never Was' is no exception.
All the elements that made this band a fan favorite since its inception 17 years ago are still here. The misanthropic, psychopathic lyrics found on such classics as 'Like an Everflowing Stream' still echo from Matti Kärki's mouth with murderous rage. Lyric enthusiasts will not find love songs on TGTNW. Even though recorded in Dug Out Studios (Dark Funeral, Meshuggah), the bone sawing tones that these musical morticians perfected at the renown Studio Sunlight is still intact. Rich melodic solos and the NWOBHM guitar heroics are apparent throughout this album, too.
The chronology of Dismember does not show a sharp deviation in style, but followers of this band's career will say there are key facets of each album that made it unique. With TGTNW, Dismember has taken a close look at what makes each album special, and has taken a little bit from each to create a masterpiece. TGTNW is somewhat of a compilation of the best moments of Dismember's discography but with an upgrade. For instance, the tones of guitarists David Blomqvist and Martin Persson have never been so drenched in harmony. Just listen to the solos in 'Time has Nothing' or the lead rhythm on 'Autopsy' (they had to use this song title eventually).
Dismember has always voiced their admiration for the vastly influential Autopsy, and their music shows this influence with knee-cap-smashing rhythms and grotesquely slow paces. With different tones and higher pitch chords, the colossal doom bridge on 'Never Forget, Never Forgive' is a prime example of how Dismember has expertly mixed the style of Autopsy with their own blend of psychosis to make something genuinely Dismember.
The perfect balance between ultra-low tunings and a clear production, so each guitar note standouts has always been a key factor for making this band so appealing. This balance is something many novice death metal bands could never figure out. Many of the bands that littered the U.S. metal fests of the 1990s tuned too low or didn't have the proper mix, which resulted in memorable guitar riffs being lost in mud. The proper production has always afforded Dismember the ideal dose of brutality and catchiness. The galloping grind of the instrumental track, 'Into the Temple of Humiliation' has a harsh enough sound to draw the attention of the most hardcore gore fans while alluring traditional headbangers with its fist-pumping rhythm.
Dismember is proof that a band need not water down its sound to remain a powerhouse in their scene. Dismember has never compromised its sound and remains on a great independent label, Candlelight Records. When these guys started melting together melody with brutality in the early nineties, they must have been onto something. Never has there been a time when this band has proved so important. If this is your introduction to this band, affix the name Dismember firmly into your brain.
Review by: Darren Cowan
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