ALBUM REVIEW: Hexhammaren – Martyrdöd

Sweden has been a hotbed for quality metal for decades now. AT THE GATES, IN FLAMES, WATAIN; the list is staggeringly long. Enter MARTYRDÖD. Since 2001, the Swedes have brewed a wicked blend of crust punk and the melodic metal long associated with their homeland, creating a punishing sound. Although they may have flown under the radar compared to some of their fellow countrymen, Hexhammaren, their seventh effort, looks to change all this.

Opening with the title track, it becomes immediately clear that MARTYRDÖD intend to take no prisoners with Hexhammaren. Down-tuned riffs come thick and fast whilst Mikael Kjellman unleashes a solid bout of savage roaring vocals over the carnage, creating a whirlwind atmosphere that pummels you into submission. Occasional twin guitar trickery from Kjellman and Tim Rosenqvist soars above the chaos, demonstrating a more melodic edge to the mayhem. As far as opening numbers go, this is utterly relentless and gets the record off to a solid start.

Across the album’s twelve tracks, MARTYRDÖD do not pull their punches, instead delivering a continuous musical beating that is certainly impressive. Cashless Society is a down-beat number as razor-sharp riffing blends seamlessly with the pounding drums and roaring vocals to create a sonic maelstrom whilst Pharmacepticon‘s steady chug enables Kjellman‘s vocal deliveries to be all the more impactful. Similarly, the one-two punch of In The Dead of Night and Den Sista Striden is utterly exhilarating as the band up the tempo and blow you away through a wave of blistering riffs.

There’s no doubting that Hexhammaren is a vicious record, one in which the band’s musical onslaught takes centre stage. As great as this can be, however, where MARTYRDÖD shine best is when they incorporate the characteristics that is commonly associated with Scandinavian metal; harmonised twin guitar work. Rännilar‘s appealing fusion of lead guitar licks with a steady beat from Jens Bäckelin makes for a stand-out moment early on, Helveterslarm‘s neat riffing rises above the down-beat thrashing wonderfully well and Nästa Syrien‘s focus towards this element transfixes your attention as the tempo ebbs and flows from mid-tempo riffs to swirling soloing in an inventive display. It’s moments like these where MARTYRDÖD truly demonstrate their class.

They say if it ain’t broke don’t fix it, and with Hexhammaren, MARTYRDÖD certainly aren’t looking to reinvent the wheel here. Sure, given the sheer amount of bands in today’s climate that are pushing heavy music and the boundaries of the genre to new and unexplored pastures Hexhammaren can be considered a one-trick pony, but when the music on offer is this exhilarating you won’t care in the slightest. This is a bruiser of an album, one in which will leave you battered and bruised, wanting to dive back into the onslaught the second it finishes.

Rating: 8/10

Hexhammaren is out now via Century Media Records.

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