Seance

Awakening of the Gods

Pulverized 2009

Another of the old school death metal legions from the early Swedish scene has had its corpse reanimated, and this time it is Seance.  The album kicks of in formidable fashion with Wanted as it weaves Floridian blasts and sawing guitars fused with the flesh flaying vocals of Johan Larsson.  an atmospheric clean guitar passage is quickly followed by a slowly unwinding guitar solo.  The second track, They, delivers powerful body blows from its huge meaty fists.  Chugging riffs and skillful tempo changes whip me into a death metal froth.  Invocation shreds all humanity before its frenzied guitar work.  Speedy riffs bring to mind an aura from Slayer though with a much deadlier and deathly intent.  More Slayer-isms raise their ugly head with Choose your Eternity.  I hate the riffing though on this song as it has an undercurrent of nu-metal groove in it.  They get back on track though with Forever Haunted and its melodic main riff that gives way to more demonic Floridian death metal speed.  Seance does a good job melding these two disparate styles.  Tranquil clean guitar melodies serve to give pause to the listener on Revel in Death which is a welcome breather.  The instrumental reminds me of Crystal Ann from Annihilator's Alice in Hell album.  Burn Me ends the album typical violent fashion with thick groove-laden riffs and frenzied beats that of course open up to reveal some more laid back soloing courtesy of Rille.  Seance was never one of my favorite of the old legends but they always delivered solid death metal that was brawny and brutal.  Awakening of the Gods is no exception to their well deserved reputation but at the same time it fails to truly blow me away.  So basically I enjoy the album but I also wouldn't be upset if I had missed it either.