Gore Brigade – Gore Brigade Review

Gore Brigade hides nothing. From the decomposed, hanging, and skin-stretched body on the cover art to song titles such as “Show Me the Gore” and “The Rot Becomes You,” the band’s first, self-titled EP keeps no secrets. As you might expect from members of Wombbath and Defiatory, Gore Brigade plays, surprise, death metal. And they play it well.

As riff heavy as this EP is – the leads are outstanding – the definitive elements of these Swedes’ sound are Jon Skäre’s drums and Jonny Pettersson’s vocals. There’s an OSDM feel but the kick and bite in Skäre’s drums give the EP an unexpected intensity. And the varied approach Pettersson takes to the vocals keeps things lively.

The production, though clean, does not lack for grit. Deliberate or not, Pettersson perhaps sounds more front and center than Skäre or Ludvig Johansson (guitars). Whatever the case, it’s effectively punchy.

The EP’s six tracks, or five tracks and an intro, are brief and never outstay their welcome. The intro track, “March of the Gore Brigade,” sounds like a theme song in name and is, as is appropriate for an intro, anthemic. “A Wretched Taste” kicks things into high gear – a gear Gore Brigade doesn’t really shift out of the rest of the way. Though all songs are quite good, the longest track, “An Army of the Re-animated,” and one of the shorter tracks, “Show Me the Gore” are standouts. Truth be told, Gore Brigade is best when catchy, and those tunes stick.

This little EP is a terrific intro to an apparently pretty great death metal band. I’d love to hear more leads and death thrash on a full-length but, minor gripes aside, I am encouraged by what I hear on Gore Brigade.