Soilwork - Steel Bath Suicide

Critically acclaimed, I had been hearing about this release for quite some time before I finally got it for myself. Let me only say this, I've heard about 40 different albums in the last couple weeks, and this album is by far the best things I've heard in months! Steel Bath Suicide lived up to all my expectations, including the ones I built upon hearing the inevitable comparisons to personal favorites At the Gates, Arch Enemy, In Flames, etc... In fact, Soilwork do sound so much like those aforementioned bands it's obvious where the influences are, but with ATG gone forever, Arch Enemy exploring new directions, and In Flames plagued with personnel changes, Steel Bath Suicide is a godsend for those of us who never expected another melodic masterpiece from the land of frost. To describe the sounds (and compare), vocally, a perfect replica of Tompa's performance on Slaughter of the Soul. Musically, an amalgam of AE's Black Earth, The Jester Race, some old Priest, old Maiden, basically what defines the old "Gothenburg Sound". Not that you'll hear any complaints from me, for I just think this album kills! Along with Gardenian, Listenable Records has another excellent group on their roster, and with this being their first release, I see great things for Soilwork, for they are already masters at songwriting, creating melodic tracks of monster riffage interwoven with just the right amount of keyboards. Apparent, but not overpowering, the different layers intertwine to form the perfect combination of melody and punch. As I stated, one of the better albums to come out in quite some time. Trust me on this one, if the influential bands are in your collection, you can't pass this one up!