Feral - 'Where Dead Dreams Dwell' (Album Review)

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 29/05/2015

Label: Cyclone Empire

‘Where Dead Dreams Dwell’ CD//DD//LP track listing:  

1.  Swallowed by Darkness
2.  Creatures Among The Coffins
3.  As The Feast Begins
4.  Suffering Torment
5.  Carving The Blood Eagle
6.  Inhumation Ceremony
7.  The Crawler
8.  Overwhelmed
9.  Mass Resurrection
10.Succumb To Terror

Feral is:

David Nilsson | Vocals
Viktor Eriksson | Bass
Markus Lindahl | Guitar
Roger Markström | Drums

Review:

Feral play death metal. That's right: death metal with a chainsaw running through the amps and a bass that is strung with rusty barbed wire that has ripped a hole in the speakers to make that bass sound that sandpapers your ears.

It is Swedish death metal, nothing more and certainly nothing less. The fact that harbingers of talent Cyclone Empire Records have signed these guys speaks volumes. Cyclone Empire usually know a winner when they hear one (I still play Icons of Brutality's “Between Glory and Despair” on a regular basis) and they are not wrong here. Opener “Swallowed by Darkness” lets you know how this one is going to go and that early inkling is consolidated by “Creatures Among The Coffins”- a heavy, immediate and neck snapping track that just stomps out of the speakers.

“As The Feast Begins” is atmospheric of intro and brutal of main body, while bringing the tempo down to Asphyx speed for a while. It is thrashing and barely restrained stuff, played with conviction. The band do not stray from the Swedish death metal template too much; the songs are either flat out thrash workouts with some melodies thrown in or they are slightly more expansive with tempo changes and atmosphere creeping in here and there. “Suffering The Torment” and “Craving The Blood Eagle” sum up the record neatly, to be quite honest. It is rage filled and honest death metal of a superlative nature.

With this album and Entrails forthcoming effort “Obliteration” landing in my possession the same week, I didn't know which one to listen to more. “Inhumation Ceremony” is furious in delivery and features demonic leads to go with the brutally stomping verse and chorus sections. As the record progresses through “The Crawler” and “Overwhelmed” you will notice that there is no let up and no dip in quality. It is common these days for albums to outstay their welcome, but this mob keep things focused over ten tracks. There is no filler and no fat, just riff after riff and strong refrain after strong refrain. Some tracks such as “Mass Resurrection” may be longer than others, but the focus is not lost and the longer playign time just means more twists and turns, but not too many. Maelstrom finisher “Succumb to Terror” is a suitably brutal end to this very strong album. If you are a fan of the Swe-death genre, this record is a must. It's relentlessly beautiful in its own grotesque and noisy way.

Words by: Richard Maw

‘Where Dead Dreams Dwell’ is available here

For more information:

Like: www.facebook.com/feralswe | Official: www.feral.se