Album Review: "Back To The Front" by Entombed A.D.

Back To The Front

Entombed, wait, Entombed AD, welcome back, to the front as it were.

For some of us in the world, you'd never left the front of our consciousness. For a close friend of mine, their Wolverine Blues record is the be all and end all of death metal. Just even mentioning the genre and he spouts off that title.

There was a bit of an issue and now the band has changed up their name in order to continue, but the group has been at this a very long time.

When I had my first taste of extreme metal, Entombed were among the first I'd heard. I still think back to when my friend introduced me to death metal and I still see the Carcass, Napalm Death, Entombed, and Forbidden album covers in his room....oh to be 16 again right?

Entombed A.D. (2014)

Many of the old school death metal bands do not seem heavy to my ears in 2014. In 1993? Very much so, but when compared to computer enhanced extreme metal, it can seem a little second rate, though it's not.

Entombed A.D. has found their way out of this trap. They are not the heaviest, loudest, or most brutal band in the genre, but their riffs are still full of lead.

Retreating from the compressed, high gain riffs of Carcass, they take on a groovier and sludgier sound like Master. That's not to say that Entombed A.D. has much in common with either of them, aside from a long career.

The sludge sound makes for an interesting listening experience. This album is not so extreme to alienate longtime listeners, but it's not as toned down as say, Wolverine Blues. Back To The Front will not convert Pink Floyd fans, but it might bring in fans of Clutch.

The drums are different than those of other groups. Instead of thundering double bass blast beats all the time, it's a charge forward. There is no relenting, but he sounds more like John Bonham than Pete 'Commando' Sandoval.

The guitars are deftly played and expertly written. Like the rhythm playing, the solos are not over the top. There are no epic tracks on this disc which were given to let the guitarists take a long solos, but the shorter solos and even trade offs are there and they feel like a part of the song.

This is a team effort that's going to bring some exposure to the old bands while keeping pace with the younger bands.

Release: 8/5/14
Genre: Metal, Death Metal
Label: Century Media
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