Swedish death metal band Mordbrand sounds a lot like a death metal band from Sweden, but as we’ve learned over the decades, things are never quite so simple. A more accurate statement would be to say they really enjoy the entire career of Entombed. They offer material influenced by both the early 90s (minus any Sunlight Studios buzzsaw treatment) and the death’n’roll that the Stockholm stalwarts later pioneered. Small touches – bits of Poland or some Frostian riffage– help to separate the band a tad, while also making EP Necropsychotic a helluva fun way to blast away a half hour.
Mordbrand begins in full death’n’roll mode with “Eaters of the Void” and “Graveyard Revisited,” both of which offer thick simplistic riffs, quality gruff vocals, controlled chaos soloing, and that patented Celtic Frost shuffle. (The latter even tosses in a decidedly Vader vibe in the sections surrounding the solo.) The next few songs then begin to slowly shift back in time until “Deathbound” goes full-on Left Hand Path. As stated, the production is different, but the combination of riffs, speed, and in-your-face aggression just bleeds early Stockholm. Despite this shift, the EP never loses focus because 1. the suitably modern production gives everything a cohesive (and concrete-heavy) build, and 2. Mordbrand’s charisma as a band permeates about every note they play.
The only thing holding Necrospychotic back is the absence of a couple of huge standout tracks to really anchor the affair. Everything here is a rollicking good time, but none of it is exactly classic. Adding a few straight barnburners would transform this from a promising EP into a full length to be reckoned with. Still, it is quite promising and engaging, and Mordbrand appears to have a special knack for whichever side the death metal coin lands on, never losing their blunt attack or the sense that they really enjoy what they’re playing.
