Review: Wombbath - Choirs Of The Fallen

Wombbath have a rather interesting career. Their first full length, Internal Caustic Torments, is now considered an old school genre classic. Helping push forward Swedish death metal. Their follow-up EP departed that style a touch and added death n' roll styles (thanks Entombed). Not well received. The band stopped shortly after. Fast forward over 2 decades later and they're back.

2015's Downfall Rising was their first return album (with one original member in their songwriter and guitarist Hakan) and it was a doozy and quite welcomed. I'm forever a sucker for a sick riff filtered through the Swedish chainsaw. 2018's The Great Desolation saw them riffing similarly on another beefy, but refined full length release.

This brings us to this year's release, The Choirs of the Fallen. A slightly different lineup this time, still Hakan writing along with every busy man Jonny Pettersson on vocals and guitar. Rest being rounded out by newcomers, most notable being Thomas von Wachenfeldt (great lead work!). Immediately, it follows suit with the two prior reunion albums. Production isn't as polished (strong word for what they had), but still a beefy HM-2 sound rifling throughout.

While it is a very solid album and a fair addition to their history, I do have a main gripe, it doesn't need to be 50 minutes long. This album could have been trimmed down more, making it more concise and potent.

Definitely a lot of great moments on the release. The more I listen, the more I'm enjoying it.

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