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When Swedish metal first sounded it’s longhorn the world simply had to listen; from the blistering black metal of Bathory, to the buzzsaw death of Entombed, and the poly-math metal of Meshuggah, the musical output of our Scandinavian neighbours has remained of a consistently high standard. Insert comparison with a certain car manufacturer / furniture store here…
Hoping to reach those monumental snow-capped peaks is Joakim Antman; although still in his twenties, Antman has already dipped his toes in varying musical fjords, from the Scando-death of Decadence and Overtorture, to the black metal of The Ugly (whose Decreation opus landed earlier this year).
Diatonic is his latest venture, and though ably supported by Ugly drummer (aren’t they all? etc) Fredrik Widigs, ‘Hidden Pieces’ is ostensibly a solo effort, Antman providing all guitars, bass, vocals and occasional keys on the album.
Opener ‘Dimensions’ is a deceptively simple mid paced grinder, driven with military precision by Widigs behind Antman’s crunching rhythm guitar, and sets the tempo which much of the album follows. The influence of his fellow countrymen is obvious; shades of Scar Symmetry here, sprinkles of The Project Hate here, but there is enough originality to suggest Antman isn’t simply an imitator. Stand out track ‘Led By the Mind’ for example, is a folk-tinged death march; ‘Only I’ hypnotises with quiet menace, while ‘Fear Us’ punishes the listener as only the best death can, sounding not too dissimilar to a dense slab of prime In Flames.
The album never accelerates into hyperdrive, but it’s always a groove, never a dirge. Indeed the pacing of the album gives it a grandeur which may have been lost amongst one too many blast-beats, adding to the sense of dramatic scale. Antman is confident enough not to compromise on his mantra; instead much of the album’s musical strength comes from the spaces in between; from the notes left subtly hanging, from the detailed but unflashy drum work; from what Antman cleverly omits. His guttural growl instils yet more atmospherics, conveying a sense of threat and indeed passion often missing from many a death metal throat.
Closing with the epic ‘Left to Rot’ (the coda of which if I’m not mistaken features a diatonic piano melody as per the band name), the urge to hit play and immerse yourself once more is overwhelming, surely the mark of any good album regardless of genre. It’s upon the second, and third, and fourth spin that the album’s title makes more and more sense. ‘Hidden Pieces’ indeed.
Thoroughly recommended.
Review Rivethead
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