Oulu has done it again. The city spit out a feral entity called BLÅÅDPALT, a promising death metal act. The band is set to release their debut effort, “Sliced To Perfection,” on 28 February 2020 through Inverse Records. We at Tuonela Magazine picked up on this and gave the record a spin. Let’s find out if this debut indeed is “perfectly cut”.
One glance at the tracklist, and you have a pretty good idea of what you are in for. The gorefest starts off with “Corpse,” which is a solid paced track with explosive, thundering drums and equally brutal riffage. Sami Kärkkäinen’s voice comes at you with no mercy, not quite that guttural but brimming with delightful high-pitched evilness. I have to admit, when I heard the first track, I thought this would be “yet another stereotypical death metal album”, but from “Eradication” onwards I realized I was too quick to judge. The rhythm shifts sparked my interest, and this ended up only a prelude to more savage experiments.
“God Of Razorblade,” the first single has a music video you can watch if you have the stomach for it. I think this was a great choice to introduce the album because it displays the versatility that sets BLÅÅDPALT apart from similar death metal acts. The groove present throughout this track lifts it to a whole other level, and this is a recurring theme on ”Sliced To Perfection.” “Firewalker” kicks it up a notch speed-wise, and the drums here are simply insane. How drummer Panu Lyytikäinen manages to pull this off without an extra set of arms and legs is beyond me. Follow-up “The Final Nail” has an epic symphonic-inspired intermezzo, and “Red Shores” is another track that will quench your thirst for speed.
At the beginning of my favorite track, “Vlad” (obviously named after the bloodthirsty Wallachian prince), bassist Harri Finni rises up into the spotlight with some flawless licks. The atmosphere created at the beginning of this track sinks its teeth in your neck, and by the end, the groovy verses have bled you dry. The title track is up next, which throws in some catchy melodicity also present in the album’s previous half. “The Sculptor” closes the record with the most technical prowess up till now, and a final explosion of rage splattering blood on the wall.
“Sliced To Perfection” is reminiscent of the work of bands such as ENTOMBED and SIX FEET UNDER. Yet, what makes this album stand out is that it isn’t limited to senseless musical brutality. The brutality craved by Death Metal enthusiasts is definitely there, but there’s also an undeniable melodicity, a tight, refined structure to the rawness, and some delightful funky, groovy undertones. All of this makes BLÅÅDPALT a welcome addition to the scene, eager to make a change worth banging your head to.
Written by Jana De Boeck
Tracklist
1. Corpse
2. Eradication
3. God of Razorblade
4. Firewalker
5. The Final Nail
6. Red Shores
7. Vlad
8. Sliced to Perfection
9. Stay Down
10. The Sculptor
Lineup
Sami Kärkkäinen – Vocals
Tuomas Laurila – Guitar
Kimmo Viinamäki – Guitar
Harri Finni – Bass
Panu Lyytikäinen – Drums
Links
https://www.facebook.com/Bloodpaltband
https://www.instagram.com/bloodpalt
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