Sweden’s Defleshed have returned to the land of the living after a nearly seventeen-year hiatus. The band broke up shortly after their last album, Reclaim the Beat, in 2005. The original core lineup runited just last year with the intention of recording just a few new tunes to be included in a vinyl box set. The group was more than satisfied with their efforts and decided to press forward and recorded an entire new album and Grind Over Matter (Metal Blade) was born.

The extended vacation did not hurt their sound in any form. Grind Over Matter is eleven furious tracks of death thrash that clock in at a little over the thirty minute mark.The insanity starts of with the relentless, ‘Interminable Mutilation’ with viscous raspy vocals, plenty of heavy chugging guitars and blast beasts. The guys in Defleshed are clearly still on top of their game.

 

Bassist / vocalist Gustaf Jorde’s vocal range lacks any growls but comes across as any angry scream that helps give the band a more grinding thrash feel as Defleshed lets the music bring the brutality more than the vocals. While I am always happy to hear some traditional Swedish death metal, this little change in sound gives Defleshed a more diverse sound than their Scandinavian brothers.

 

The album is non stop aggressive chaos from beginning with a few slower tempo changes sprinkled in for good measure. Riffs come and go at a blistering pace with plenty shredding solos that would fit perfectly on any thrash album. Their sound feels like any early Death or Possessed album in the vein that it’s not quite heavy enough to be considered what we call death metal today but far too heavy to be labelled as simply “metal,” or “thrash.”

 

Regardless of labels, the music is crushing and doesn’t let up.

 

Buy the album here: https://www.metalblade.com/defleshed/

 

6 / 10

ANDREW RISCH