Skeletonwitch - Beyond the Permafrost
Prosthetic Records - 10048-2 - October 2, 2007
By George Grant
I was skeptical of the description of
Skeletonwitch’s newest release
Beyond the Permafrost. There were many claims of the band’s “bay area” sound, and how they are bringing back the spirit of the 80s. However, the band has recently been signed to Prosthetic Records, a label well known for its metalcore leanings. It seems that my apprehension towards
Skeletonwitch was correct.
While there certainly are traces of the thrash subgenre in the music, especially the rhythm guitars of the opening
‘Upon Wings of Black,' the majority of
Skeletonwitch’s influences seem to come from the Gothenburg scene. The melodic lines and rhythmic pacing of
‘Baptized In Flames’ could have been lifted from any second rate
At the Gates cover band, and
Skeletonwitch continues this style throughout the album. Many times it reminded me of the earlier works of Finland’s
Kalmah. To mix it up,
Skeletonwitch does slow down the tempo a bit on
‘Cast into the Open Sea’ and the effect really does show a heavy
Iron Maiden influence. However, the majority of the playing follows strongly with the tremolo melodic lines.
The guitar playing, despite not being the most original, is very tight. The leads are well applied and fit the sections perfectly. They are certainly a strong point on the album. It’s too bad the same can’t be said about the vocals, and I believe this mostly has to do with where they sit in the mix. On
Beyond the Permafrost both high and low grim vocals are performed, with a preference towards the high. However, the vocals are mixed a bit below the music and they don’t have as much of an impact as I would have liked. Over the course of the album they get a bit monotonous.
Beyond the Permafrost is certainly for fans of the Gothenburg style of melodic death metal. Also, fans of the newly rising retro-thrash craze might want to look at what
Skeletonwitch has to offer. Yet, they seem to follow more with the spiritless bands like
Bonded by Blood and
Merciless Death than the other noteworthy groups.
Official Skeletonwitch Website
Official Prosthetic Records Website
