Severe Torture - Sworn Vengeance Review
by Mark Hensch
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If there is one thing that sticks out about Severe Torture, it is their oldschool approach to death metal. Formed in 1997, the Dutch brutal death metal squad has slowly but surely kicked around the underground, developing an identity and slowly building up their level of talent. 2007's Sworn Vengeance sees Severe Torture reach a new apex of technicality and musicianship. But just how good is it really?
The answer, I think, lies in the middle. On the one hand, Sworn Vengeance is a mix of Entombed's gritty chug, Death's complex but memorable song structures, and the more modern power violence of acts like Krisiun or Behemoth. On the other hand, Sworn Vengeance does not reinvent the brutal death metal wheel in any way. Though solid and even at times powerful, I must note that this album has seen most of its key attributes done better by an infinite number of other bands.
Take opening cut "Dismal Perception." Gliding in on a swell of melodic chords, it soon launches into a blistering flurry of watered down Necrophagist worship before breaking out some oldschool Cannibal Corpse brutality. Brutal and frantic as it is, however, this is still run-of-the-mill brutal death metal and nothing else.
A song like "Serenity Torn Asunder" could almost change my mind. Pumped up with explosive riffs and ferocious grooves, "Asunder" slays like all proficient brutal death metal should. From the burning leads to the swirling breakdowns, everything thrown at the listener is delivered full-throttle and it shows.
"Fight Something," in contrast, still bangs some skulls but does so with a chugging technical groove recalling a modern day version of Death. The song is obviously complex with numerous off-kilter sweeps and angular chord progressions, but in a remarkable feat never sacrifices catchiness at the altar of intimacy.
The nail gun precision slam of "Repeat Offender" sounds like a rawer, more atavistic version of a Beneath the Massacre song, replete with mind-numbing note patterns. Though initial listens might paint it as a senseless hailstorm of musical bullets, there is one grounded gunner somewhere in this mix and it is the group's sense of pulverizing groove.
"Countless Villains" sadly marks the album's regression into less interesting portrayals of the death metal formula. The majority of the song is banal brutality, and its only attempts at originality are a rather half-hearted attempt at an open, organic chorus. The whole thing feels contrived and lacks spirit.
"Dogmasomatic Nausea," in direct opposition to this, blindsides listeners with an assault so crushing it almost seems like a new band. Inhuman speed picking interlocks with raging percussion and schizophrenic time changes for a technical barnstormer both gripping and musically impressive at the same time.
"Redefined Identity" carries a lot of weight in its sonic chug, but sadly it mixes generic conventions like blastbeats, controlled chaos, and squealing pinch harmonics to "been there, done that" effect.
"Buried Hatchet," meanwhile, spices things up a bit with some epic opening rhythms and guest roars from Misery Index bassist/vocalist Jason Netherthon and ex-Born from Pain vocalist Che Snelting. It might not sound like much on paper, but "Hatchet" is actually one of the more interesting and catchy songs on the album.
I wish the same could be said about the title track "Sworn Vengeance," but it cannot. No matter how one slices it, the track is the usual blastbeating and power riffing favored by 99.9% of death metal bands in the world right now.
Ending cut "Submerged in Grief," bucks this trend wildly however, throwing the listener a slowed down rendition of the opening chords from "Dismal Perception." Doomy, sinister, and entirely instrumental, it ends Sworn Vengeance on a forlorn and unfulfilled atmosphere the band does not tap into anywhere else.
My special edition of the album also contains two bonus cover tracks. The first, a cover of the Cro-Mags' "It's The Limit," thrashes with all the brief passion of the original and shows the band is capable of simplifying their technical sound into more hardcore realms. The other cover, a rendition of Entombed's "Eyemaster," also changes pace from the rest of the album, ripping with an unhindered sense of fun. It is worth noting that both covers show sides of Severe Torture that are not present elsewhere, and might be worth exploring in the future.
All-in-all, Sword Vengeance is a competent brutal death metal album that contains enough originality to make it enjoyable but not enough to make it classic. Put sarcastically, this is one album that is not wholly Severe but then again not quite Torture. You be the judge.
Severe Torture's Sworn Vengeance
1. Dismal Perception
2. Serenity Torn Asunder
3. Fight Something
4. Repeat Offender
5. Countless Villains
6. Dogmasomatic Nausea
7. Redefined Identity
8. Buried Hatchet
9. Sworn Vengeance
10. Submerged in Grief (Instrumental)
11. It's the Limit (Cro-Mags Cover)
12. Eyemaster (Entombed Cover)
CD Info and Links
Severe Torture - Sworn Vengeance Rating:7.0
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