Entombed - When In Sodom Review
Posted by Evocator Manes on 12.11.2006
The monster comes.
Entombed When In Sodom
2006
Candlelight
7.0
Someone is pissed and they're playing in a Swedish death metal band. X 4. With the loss of guitarist Uffe Cederlund, it seemed that the end days were drawing soon for Entombed. The band was doing bizarre and daffy things, like playing with a ballet troupe, which was surrealism at its finest, but was maybe not so death metal and if they weren't doing that, were following up best albums of their careers with muddy-sounding messes featuring songs about bodybuilding, of all things. Check out for the bassist and drummer and it was down to Alex Hellid on guitar and L-G Petrov on guitar and both of them sound very, very annoyed.
Sometimes difficulty can be a good thing. Take here, for example, when it clearly is motivating the band and kicking them right square in the ass. Petrov sounds like a deranged demon on the opening and title track and it's off to the races from there. There are lot of interesting touches which have been missing from Entombed albums of late and which add the factor of creep. In that very first song, there are overlaying sound effects and angelic choirs all singing the chorus line and title of the song and album, which Petrov gnashes and growls his way through the track. On the next song, he even strives for a high note or two and sounds completely possessed throughout.
Production is right on point. The band has also finally figured out how to sound heavy and thick without sounding muddy. Despite Cederlund's disappearing act, there has been little to no drop off in either the quality or the ferocity of the guitar riffs, which are as frenetic and pulse-hammering as ever. Hellid wasn't kidding when he said he was more than capable of taking over all the guitar duties and proves it throughout the entire EP. As mentioned, the excellent sound effect leads to a mood of menace and of outright eeriness towards the end of the EP, almost like a concept album with a vague, uneasy and entirely evil storyline, particularly on the last song. This EP also shows the band has lost none of their lust for experimentation.
The artwork here is nothing special, about par for the course for an EP. The band's logo is in gold on white on the front cover. The back cover is white type on a gold background. Inside, lyrics are fully reprinted, though not always coherent and the entire album is credited as being written by the band.
The 411: For some reason, this release was on a delayed release in the USA, supposing to replace the unfinished and forthcoming Serpent Saints on 06.06.06, then was pushed back until October. It was probably due to internal dissension in the band, but whatever the reason, the wait was worth it. The band sounds energized and very in control, even when drifting off into uncharted waters, such as light acoustic guitar and spoken word (Amen). If EPs are to generate excitement for an upcoming release, this one worked in spades. Highly recommended.
