This is the first installment in our new/first feature series... We'll each month pick a Scandinavian metal album, which we mean is entitled to be called a classic. Either of being influential for today's music scene, or if it has meant a lot for the development of a particular style of metal or just is damn good and up to the standards, years after its release. The first albums, yes there are 2 here, due to them being released shortly after eachother, and while both had/have a major impact on the, in this case, death metal scene. The albums under the hammer are "Left Hand Path" and "Clandestine" by Entombed, the main review is written by Deek this time and commented by the rest.

 

DEEK: "Left Hand Path". "Clandestine". When these two albums were released in the early 1990's they changed the face of death metal from Europe. These two albums did more for death metal than Dismember, Carcass, and Carnage combined. Yes, Entombed changed rather drastically after these two releases to a simplistic style known as "death-rock" or "death-n'-roll", but people still remember them to this day as the band that released the legendary, unadulterated death metal classics "Left Hand Path" and "Clandestine". Yes, the Florida death metal scene is probably the biggest influence on the whole death metal genre, but Entombed became Europe's savior for the style.

1990 was the year of "Left Hand Path", and at the time the album was very unique. The crunchy sound was different than what the boys down in Florida were doing, and different than the releases from the grind-turned-death UK bands Carcass and Napalm Death ("Symphonies Of Sickness" and "Harmony Corruption" respectively). Carnage's lone album, "Dark Recollections", was also released in 1990, but it did follow the footsteps of Entombed's chosen path. And Dismember, Therion, Edge of Sanity and others didn't release their death metal classics for at least another year. So, although "Left Hand Path" and "Dark Recollections" were released the same year, the Entombed record was the one that gave Swedish death metal the light it needed in the metal world throughout the globe, especially in the US. Even the album cover was different than what was being released in death metal at the time. The album just stood out from everything else out at the time. "REST IN FESTERING SLIME" was the inscription on the tombstone that was the focal point of the cover and it just set the tone for the album. You saw that, you knew you were in for one harsh and dirty album. But "Left Hand Path" was what Sweden needed to save their death metal community in the metal world.

"Clandestine", released about 16 months after "Left Hand Path", was when song writing really took a hold on Entombed. With a sound that wasn't as overpowering as on "Left Hand Path" and songwriting that was much more focused than before, this album is much stronger and is the real classic in my mind. The sound changed to one that was crisp, but still have the crushing distorted sound that they became known for. Amazing classics as 'Evilyn' (my personal favorite), 'Crawl', 'Blessed Be', 'Chaos Breed', and 'Living Dead' graced this album. Closer 'Through The Collonades', with it's soft and eerie intro and driving-force ending, was the perfect closer for the album. The album was just a much stronger release than their debut. When all was said and done, Entombed had created a certified classic.

Love 'em or hate 'em, no one can deny the legendary status that Entombed gained with these early 1990's album and their influence on death metal to come. They epitomize the whole classic death metal style. Unfortunately, at least in many fans' eyes, they changed styles after becoming the elite in Swedish death metal to a more simplistic "death-n'-roll" style that they too started. But that didn't change the status of those first two classics. Some fans and elitists say that "Left Hand Path" is their best. Others say "Clandestine" is their best. No matter how you look at it, both releases are two of the most important death metal releases in history. And that can not be denied.

  Entombed

FIZD: Entombed are definetely one of the groundbreaking Death Metal debutants hailing from Scandinavian grounds with those two albums. The old school Death Metal which kind of set foot in the US, definetely hit Entombed in Europe. Because with "Left Hand Path" they introduced that well known sound, and added a Swedish trademark to it. That same trademark which so many bands these days..worldwide even, use as an element for their own music. "Clandestine" took that same approach, but progressed it even more. So what you can hear is well-structured riffs, a fantastic guitar sound. Bursting vocal work, powerblasting drums, and an sure as hell audible bass.

JOHELL: When "Left Hand Path" and "Clandestine" came out, it felt like a volcano had erupted. I remember that my brother and I,  just had this stupid smile while listening to what would become one of the best death metal albums to be out at that time and probably still today. The guitar tone was amazing, the tracks where good as hell. Both albums had something really evil. I will never forget when they came to play at l'Usine with Napalm Death, this is today, still one of the best gigs I have seen. Entombed rules, from the early days to nowadays...I have been following them since 1990 and will never leave them.

TORDAH: I've not heard any Entombed until recently but when I finally did it turned out to be pretty good stuff. The albums are heavy and dark there are plenty of good thrashing riffs to be found. Entombed sure knew how to make solid death metal. My favorite album of the two at this point is definately "Clandestine". Everything is a bit better compared to the debut, especially the vocals. Another thing that glad me is how fresh these albums still sound. Both production-wise and musically. They could easily stand up againt most death metal albums released today and still manage to beat them. It's never to late to check out Entombed if you haven't done so yet.

ANDERS: Entombed, the Swedish death metal combo that turned into death n' roll and more or less dictated/dictates that genre. My personal relations to the band aren’t that big, yes I do enjoy some of their music, especially the early albums, but the band has never been one of my favourite bands as such.

Starting out as Nihilist which delivered 3 deadly demos, which was the start of the Swedish death metal style as we know it, before turning into Entombed in 1989. Then in 1990 Entombed released their first album "Left Hand Path", and which album. Both the press and the fans were highly impressed by the heavy and very atmospheric death metal album the Swedes delivered. The album soon became a benchmark for Swedish death metal and the soon to be famous Sunlight sound.

Though my favourite of Entombed's albums is "Clandestine" their second full length release. Released in 1991 and displaying a couple of line up changes. Out was the original growler of Nihilist/Entombed (if you don't count the 2 days Johan Edlund (Treblinka/Tiamat) was fronting the band, or the short stint of Mattias "Buffa" Boström)) L.G. Petrov (ex-Morbid). And in came growler Johnny Bordevic and bassist Lars Rosenberg, though Bordevic didn't, of unknown reasons, handle the vocals on "Clandestine", the growls were done by drummer and founder Nicke Andersson. And Entombed's third album "Wolverine Blues" did also mark the comeback for Lars Göran Petrov.

Well, back to the music. The music on "Clandestine" was more varied, dark and atmospheric and technical, if you compare it to the debut. Though not as straight forward and catchy. Though it was still embraced by the fans of Entombed and is still this day, together with "Left Hand Path" an inspiration for many death metal bands. And I have to admit I blast both albums more or less each month.