Arroganz
Kaos.Kult.Kreation ()
Wydane przez Blacksmith RecordsRok wydania Kraj GermanyNapisał Wouter5
I’m not sure what is supposed to be the selling point here. Am I supposed to be impressed by the juvenile artwork – the raised middlefinger that is actually a crucifix? Or is it the pseudo-intellectual, semi-occult pandering of the album title? I honestly don’t know and I’m not sure whether I actually care. What I do know is that this is a solid little retro record. Yes, you read it right this is another throwback album to the early days of the Stockholm scene. Not that Arroganz is aiming particularly high, but the idea is commendable. So, with that out of the way you know exactly what you are in for. This is a band that culls inspiration from the likes of Dismember, early Entombed and Grave and the likes. Anybody looking for a good (but hardly great) little throwback record will probably enjoy this record a whole lot. I’m not saying that this band isn’t a good, it’s just not exceptional in any shape or form – and that’s the problem. With a genre as oversaturated as the retro-death metal movement a band must strive to stand out, whether due to musical prowess or a gimmick. Arroganz has neither, and it’s really hard to say something substantial about this record/band without falling back on blanket statements or generalizations. The truth is that Arroganz is a good band, no doubt – but this hardly translates to this record being a must-hear or even a recommendation. No. The occult thematic is hardly novel, retro-death metal isn’t exactly novel either. If you like traditional Swedish death metal you’ll probably like this, to some degree. In all honesty, this is hardly the stuff that will blow your mind, or make you see the genre in a whole new light. It is solidly produced and sufficiently written within its conceptual framework, but that is the extent of it. Sure, it was mastered by Grave mainman Ola Lindgren, but is that supposed to be a selling point these days? Give it a listen, but don’t lose sleep over it.
www.blacksmithrecords.eu
