DISMEMBER - DEATH METAL (1997) vinyl & MISANTHROPIC mcd (1997)

The fourth and excellent Dismember album Death Metal on a first print Nuclear Blast LP and the must have EP Misanthropic on a MCD. These were the last releases recorded with the classic Dismember lineup: Matti Kärki (vocals), Fred Estby (drums), David Blomqvist (lead guitar), Robert Sennebäck (rhythm guitar) and Richard Cabeza (bass). I consider Dismember to be the best Swedish Death Metal band of all time maybe even my favorite band in the entire genre.

The 5-song Misanthropic MCD was released in June of 1997 on Nuclear Blast. The excellent title track Misanthropic is the only song that's also featured on the Death Metal album. The 4 other songs are also amazing, one being a cover of Pagan Saviour by Autopsy from their classic 1989 debut album Severed Survival.

The Misanthropic EP has never been released on a standalone vinyl so the MCD will do for me. I'm aware it's on some 2-LP reissue of Death Metal not to sound like a "pretentious record collector asshole" but I only collect and own first print vinyls of Dismember albums.

The 3 other songs on the MCD Shadowlands sounds like classic Dismember and those great guitar leads are amazing. The entirely Fred Estby composed Afterimage starts heavy as hell and it reminds me of Indecent & Obscene in some parts a totally awesome song. Last out Shapeshifter and it's another great one. These songs are so fucking great it's strange that they didn't make it onto the album.

Although Death Metal has 12 songs so I can see why they didn't include them. Anyway this is how a EP is done! 5 songs that are all amazing and gets one hyped for the record. Misanthropic is one of my favorite EP's in the Death Metal genre of all time.

When Death Metal was being released in August of 1997 I remember thinking that the album title was a bit pretentious at the time. But after the massive letdown Massive Killing Capacity (1995) album had been, actually don't think it's terrible I learned to like it after MANY listens to it. But after Dismember releases like Like An Everflowing Stream; Skin Her Alive 7" single; Pieces EP and Indecent & Obscene expectations were huge. The 3-song EP Casket Garden (1995) had been a warning on what was coming, but I'm getting off-topic. I'll write more about those 2 in another post...

Dismember probably wanted to make a statement with the album title. That they were a pure Death Metal band and not part of the disgusting Death N' Roll trend. The first song I heard from the Death Metal album was on a CD compilation that was included in the Swedish metal magazine Close-Up I think it was the song Misanthropic and I thought it sounded great.

But I hadn't bought any Death Metal CD's since 1995 because I was totally into the Black Metal scene since 1995-99 after discovering the genre in 1994. Okay I bought Elegy by Amorphis in 1996 but in 1997 I also was out drinking every weekend with my friends. Being 17 years I could "only" afford 2 to 4 Black Metal albums each month. Also money was prioritized for beer and snus (Swedish tobacco). It wasn't until 1999 when I bought these two Dismember releases on CD because I found a new interest in Death Metal again. It completely blew me away how amazing they both were. 

Me and my friends saw Dismember live in my midsize Swedish hometown when they played at a club in October of 1997. That was a legendary night among our friends except for all drunken craziness that went down, for me it was very special for a specific reason. I was underage to visit the club Dismember played at by 1 year I usually was aloud inside anyway because they never checked for my ID. This night I was drunk as hell on moonshine so the bouncers wouldn't let me in. 

But then I saw Fred Estby and Matti Kärki outside the venue who went out for a smoke me being drunk as fuck stumbled over to them and wanted to discuss their amazing debut album Like An Everflowing Stream (1991). Fred was such a nice guy and I told him that I wasn't getting inside the club so he said come with us. Fred told the bouncers I worked for the band I can't believe it worked haha. Because they recognized me at the club being there every Friday and Saturday but at least I got in and for free. It was beyond amazing and I should have bought the record as a thank you to Fred and Matti in 1997.

Anyway the Death Metal album is a timeless classic. Once again they recorded in the Sunlight Studio but this time with Fred Estby engineering, mixing and producing the album. Their previous producer Tomas Skogsberg and the one everyone associate with Sunlight Studios and the early Swedish Death Metal scene only gets drum engineer credits on the album.

Fred Estby didn't just record the album and EP he has writing credits to 13 of the 15 new songs. On 3 of them he's the sole composer both for the music and lyrics. I also want to highlight the songs that bassist Richard Cabeza contributed music to Of Fire; Misanthropic; When Hatred Killed The Light and Silent Are The Watchers are some of the best on these two releases. David Blomqvist was involved in the songwriting for great 8 songs. Matti Kärki wrote lyrics to 10 of the 15 songs and Robert Sennebäck was involved in the songwriting to 3 of the songs.  

It starts out strong with the very fast and brilliant Of Fire with music composed by Blomqvist and Cabeza. It continues with the equally amazing Trendkiller. Then the brilliant Misanthropic it's great to hear that classic Dismember guitar sound but progressed 7 years since the epic debut Like An Everflowing Stream (1991).

Actually some small parts on the Death Metal album reminds just a little of Slaughter Of The Soul (1995) by At The Gates. I'm not saying that they copy them it still sounds like the classic Dismember sound but new and updated.

The tempo slows down a little bit in Let The Napalm Rain but they keep it heavy as fuck. Also use a sample from the epic and one of my favorite movies of all time Apocalypse Now! (1979). Continuing with the song Live For The Fear (Of Pain) and I don't miss the sound of the Massive Killing Capacity album at all! The slow and heavy Stillborn Ways is entirely written by drummer Fred Estby another great song.

Killing Compassion is the shortest song 1:49 on the album another fast one to start the B-side of the record and it gets you perfectly into the album again. Next Bred for War it's one of my favorites on the album and one they used to play live often. Then the Estby/Cabeza written When Hatred Killed The Light another favorite of mine on Death Metal.

Ceremonial Comedy starts off immediately and one doesn't get time to breathe amazing. Blomqvist / Cabeza written Silent Are The Watchers starts with the Iron Maiden influenced guitars and continues throughout the song, top-5 song on the album for me classic Dismember. Last out is Mistweaver it starts with a cello intro very unusual, but it fits perfectly in the song that's slow and heavy. Brilliant lead guitar playing by David Blomqvist the song ends abruptly and what a great ending.

After 40 minutes of great Dismember Death Metal I am extremely satisfied. The classic lineup I wrote about in the beginning of this post truly made an outstanding last album together. On the followup Hate Campaign 3 years later Richard Cabeza and Robert Sennebäck wasn't in the band anymore and was replaced by Magnus Sahlgren (ex. Tiamat, Lake of Tears etc.) on guitar and bassist Sharlee D'Angelo (King Diamond, Mercyful Fate, Witchery etc.). The band continued for 14 year more after this one and released 4 albums, 2 DVD's and a demo compilation record. Even if Dismember didn't reach as high as this one all are essential to own if you're into the finest sort of Death Metal.

If it wasn't already obvious enough I recommend getting the EP and album instead of reading my text. I would rank the Death Metal record as the 3rd best Dismember release ever. Fucking brilliant!