A resurrected and reinforced In Battle has set out to conquer the world once again, this time by violent, fast and technical death metal with a thrashy edge.

Blasting double bass drums, the punishing snare drum and smashing guitar riffs, the highly effective first attack. Then the screaming growling vocals set in, and the world crumbles, but still no mercy shown. The composition of the tracks is highly skilled. The fast death metal attack is mixed with great leads and technical breaks. No matter how fast it goes, one are a never lost due to great and recognizable hooks.

The musicians are highly skilled and deliver very good playing. The vocals are a deep growling scream, which fits the war plagued theme of In Battle perfectly. The production supports the music the way it should. It has a good bottom and the instruments are to an extent separated, though they tend mud a bit together, when it goes really fast. Though the dirty edge it creates, fits the music and atmosphere greatly.

I have been somewhat surprised over this mini album. I didn’t expect such a highly skilled and hardhitting effort from In Battle anno 2003 (the material was recorded in 2003). “Soul Metamorphosis” is built of brutal, fast and quite technical death metal, with efforts out of the ordinary. This is what every fan of brutal and fast death metal should crave for.

[This review was first published on the now defunct scandinavianmetal.info webzine]