UNLEASHED "Hell’s Unleashed" /Ltd. LP/

First re-release of the fifth full-length studio album by legendary Swedish Death Metal band.
We had already noticed how the Unleashed sound changed a bit in the recent past with the "Victory" album, and this time this band is again on the borderline between the old school style and some more modern elements. However, the more modern parts are never too massive and annoying, but always quite veiled and not that exposed. That’s a better thing also because a band like Unleashed is famous for not having changed its style during the career, always following the Death Metal path. That could be a risky thing because sometimes no innovation leads to always weaker songwriting. However, this band was always able to release quite good efforts. 
“Warmachine” is short, massive and the good point is for the vocals: they have returned to that rough and growlish tonality, forgetting the more Hardcore touch of the recent past. “In Hellfire” shows, like in the past, more Thrash Metal elements, especially on the guitars palm muting. The tempo is quite slow but massive and epic. The refrain is well-stuck and recognizable, while the following “Mediawhore” is definitely faster. The power of the guitars is far more present and a second guitarist was needed in order to be stronger. The up tempo parts are flowing and the riffs are incredibly heavy, while we can find a quite good solo too. “Down Under the Ground” is slow, groovish but these elements do not add boredom to the sound and the epic elements are this time more present. “Death Metal Victory” is a true hymn by Unleashed and soon it destroys the mid-paced “My Life For You”. The tempo increase in speed and the chorus is epic enough to make scream an entire horde of warrior. Some Celtic Frost influences can be found on the slow and again epic “Hero of the Land” and this is actually very good. “Löngt Nid” is not spectacular on its slow march but it’s convincing once more and at least it’s epic and battling. The following “Born Deranged” is definitely faster with a long series of up tempo and tremolo pickings. The refrain is always well-audible and the riffs are catchy. The break by the middle displays and excellent, if not that technical or complex, work by the lead guitar in order to create a dark and utterly dramatic atmosphere. “I Have Returned” s probably the most boring and derivative track on this album. It’s lame and without ideas. The slow progression is continued with the darker “Ragnarök”. This time the lead guitar is better and the atmosphere is definitely black with some arpeggios too. “Your Pain Is My Gain” shows more dynamic structures to return to speed. The riffs are more Thrash Metal oriented and the modern elements are far more present here. The stop and go riffs by the guitars are not the best but it’s quite convincing. The same can be found on the last “The End”. This song has more or those stop and go riffs and the vocals show also more melodic passages.
All of Unleashed's albums are like that – they all sound more or less the same. Which on the one hand means they never progress, but on the other means they are always a reliable band for a decent Death Metal album!
This is definitely a better work by Unleashed and musthave for all oldschool Death Metal worshipers!!
Limited to 200 copies 180 gram black vinyl.
Century Media Records/Supreme Chaos Records, 1997/2017 (SCR-VL042-1). Made in Germany. Pressed in Czech.


Tracklist:

Side A
1. Warmachine 01:58
2. In Hellfire 02:35
3. Mediawhore 03:27
4. Down Under Ground 02:51
5. My Life for You 02:08
6. Death Metal Victory 02:14
7. Hero of the Land 03:13

Side B
8. Löngt Nid 05:22
9. Born Deranged 03:01
10. I Have Returned 03:26
11. Ragnarök 05:00
12. Your Pain My Gain 01:36
13. The End 04:12

Total playing time: 41:03 min.

The fourteenth full-length studio album by legendary Swedish Death Metal band.
Death Metal legends are back to defend their throne!
Formed back in 1989 by Johnny Hedlund, Unleashed have been delivering supreme Death Metal in the sign of their Viking ancestors from day one! The Einherjar legions of Asgard transfer Viking values and traditions into modernity and forge another uncompromising musical weapon.
With the release of "No Sign Of Life", the Death Metal pioneers, that influenced a whole musical genre, deliver another work of sheer brutality.
The rage paves its way straight from the first notes of the album opener “The King Lost His Crown” and leaves no time to breathe during the entire playing time. The album unfolds as an unstoppable war battalion and builds up on Unleashed’s well established trademark sounds and lyrics. Accompanied by shouts hailing Odin, heavy guitar riffs take no prisoners on “The Highest Ideal”, until the album finds a glorious end on “Here at the End of the World”.
The Chief Vikings of Swedish Death Metal manage to play modern sounding Old-School Death Metal and leave no doubt that they are still true to their roots after 32 years of existence. Unleashed are and stay the unchallenged leaders of Sweden’s Death Metal forefathers. Hail Odin!
Strictly limited to 300 copies, Red Vinyl in Gatefold Cover.
Napalm Records Handels GmbH, 2021 (NPR1050VINYL). Made in Austria. First press. 


Tracklist:

Side A
1. The King Lost His Crown 3:37
2. The Shepherd Has Left The Flock 4:07
3. Where Can You Flee? 3:06
4. You Are The Warrior! 4:26
5. No Sign Of Life 3:26
6. The Highest Ideal 3:04

Side B
7. Midgard Warriors For Life 3:46
8. Did You Struggle With God? 2:41
9. Tyr Wields The Sword 2:37
10. It Is Finished 3:19
11. Here At The End Of The World 5:04

Total playing time: 39:13 min.

The debut EP and the first full-length studio album by legendary Swedish Death Metal band.
Back in the late 80s, a Swedish Underground Death Metal band named Nihilist turned into the breeding ground from which two big players of the genre emerged: Entombed and Unleashed. Together with Grave and Dismember, these bands are crucial for turning the Punkish Scandinavian Death Metal sound into a global phenomenon, defining and refining its stylistics, and making it a successful genre to the very day.
Parallel to records by Asphyx, Tiamat, Grave and Morgoth, Unleashed’s debut album was one of many all-time-classics of Death Metal released in 1991. On "Where No Life Dwells", the Swedish outfit reveals a commitment to two kinds of Death Metal: fast and faster. The album is considered as a classic among Death Metal fans.
2001 re-issue contains 7 bonus tracks and 2 bonus videos. This is a perfect opportunity to bring back this timeless and gloomy masterpiece. Pure and enthusiastic, this disc plays like an audio textbook for those interested in the state and design of early-90s Death Metal excess. A total of 7 songs were recorded in 1990. Two of them made it onto "And the Laughter Has Died...." 7" Single (1991), three made onto "In The Eyes Of Death" compilation (1991), and two remained unmixed, available on this reissue. Now packaged with additional tracks, "Where No Life Dwells" remains a landmark album by the long-running Swedes.
Century Media Records Ltd./Rawforce Records, 1991/2001/2017 (RAWFORCE 100-59). Made in Chile.


Tracklist:
1. Where No Life Dwells 0:48
2. Dead Forever 3:01
3. Before The Creation Of Time 3:49
4. For They Shall Be Slain 3:20
5. If They Had Eyes 3:52
6. The Dark One 3:40
7. Into Glory Ride 3:21
8. And The Laughter Has Died 3:22
9. Unleashed 3:25
10. Violent Ecstasy 3:14
11. Where Life Ends 4:59
Rare Bonus Tracks:
12. The Dark One 3:48
13. If They Had Eyes 3:38
14. Dead Forever 3:06
15. Unleashed 3:23
16. Where Life Ends 4:52
17. The Utter Dark Revenge 3:43
18. Violent Ecstasy 3:18
Total playing time: 62:39 min.

19. Before The Creation Of Time (Video Clip)
20. The One Insane (Video Clip)

Tracks 1 - 11: "Where No Life Dwells" album 1991;
Tracks 12, 16: "And The Laughter Has Died…" 7" EP (1991);
Tracks 13 - 15: "In The Eyes Of Death" VA compilation (1991);
Tracks 17, 18: previously unreleased.


https://centurymedia.bandcamp.com/