DEMONICAL // Victorious Death (Live in Latin America) // Album Review

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Swedish death metal titans Demonical are back & with a colossal live album!

Recorded on their September 2023 tour through latin america, the band have been able to capture their raw & unbridled punishing live sound.

Opening the album / set “Towards Greater Gods” it’s the perfect way to open the show. As the crowd roars & the band unleashes into the track, within seconds you hear just how tight of a band Demonical are.

Perfectly harnessing that HM2 sound with the melodic styles of At The Gates with the power & ferocity of early Entombed.

“Into Victory” from their latest album is an epic track. A soaring opening tremolo riff with large heavy chords behind it. Drummer Ronnie Bergerstahl’s double bass on this opening section is powerful. As well as the lead work by guitarist Eki Kumpulainen. A true anthem, this track is & translates so well in the live setting.

Bringing a huge stompy groove “Aeons Of Death” is that perfect blend of power, punch & catchy riffing Demonical do oh so well. This track sounds so meaty live. The biggest highlight of this live album is just how well it was captured. Taken from the soundboard the audio received a full-scale treatment featuring mixing at Wellbay Studios with Johan Hjelm, and mastering at Pentagram Music Studios by George Emmanuel (Lucifer’s Child, ex-Rotting Christ, ex-Necormanita).

Which allows it to keep the raw energy of Demonicals live show but gives you that polish that some live albums miss. All the instruments are perfectly mixed & balanced here. It still has its punch but a ton of clarity.

A superb tribute to L.G Petrov from Entombed is encapsulated within “Fallen Mountain”. Feeling like it was ripped from “Left Hand Path” with a Demonical spin this track is a stonker & worth breaking your neck headbanging to it live!

Keeping the fury even later in the set “Sun Blackened” is a fast paced banger. Showcasing some great interplay between guitarists Eki Kumpulainen & Johan Haglund. It’s always great to hear when a band has very complimentary guitar tones but their playing styles are different even to add different textures to the live setting. The great thing about Demonical is their consistency when it comes to albums & the live setting.

Closing out the album the band give the crowd a brilliant rendition of The Ramones’s “Somebody Put Something in My Drink” which with HM2 style distortion sounds killer ha! Who would have thought it? A totally stellar & fantastic way to close out a tremendous album that captures the band’s ridiculously great live show!

Review: Joseph Mitchell

 

Victorious Death – Live in Latin America is out via Agonia Records on 30th August 2024

 

 

Tracklisting (CD/MC/Digital):
01. Towards Greater Gods
02. We Conquer the Throne
03. Into Victory
04. Aeons Of Death
05. The Order
06. Fallen Mountain
07. Wrathspawn
08. Unfold Thy Darkness
09. Sun Blackened
10. My Kingdom Done
11. All Will Perish
12. By Hatred Bound
13. Välkommen Undergång
14. Somebody Put Something in My Drink

Tracklisting (LP):
01. Towards Greater Gods
02. We Conquer the Throne
03. Into Victory
04. Aeons Of Death
05. The Order
06. Wrathspawn
07. Unfold Thy Darkness
08. Sun Blackened
09. Välkommen Undergång
10. Somebody Put Something in My Drink

Album formats:
– CD
– LP
– MC
– Digital

Tour dates:
Aug 31, 2024 – Naestved Metalfest, Naestved, Denmark
Sep 7, 2024 – Burgore Death Fest, Burgos, Spain
Oct 26, 2024 – Debaser, Stockholm, Sweden

Line-up:
Charlie Fryksell – vocals
Eki Kumpulainen – lead guitars
Johan Haglund – rhythm guitars
Martin Schulman – bass
Ronnie Bergerstahl – drums

Pre-orders:
http://demonical.agoniarecords.com/victorious-death

Demonical on-line:
Website: http://www.demonical.net
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Demonicalofficial
X: https://twitter.com/DemonicalBand
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/Demonicalofficial 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/demonicalofficial/

Agonia Records:
Website: https://agoniarecords.com
Webshop: https://agoniarecords.com/store
Facebook: https://facebook.com/agoniarecords
X: https://twitter.com/agoniarecords
SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/agoniarecords
Bandcamp: https://agoniarecords.bandcamp.com
Instagram: https://instagram.com/agoniarecordsofficial
YouTube: https://youtube.com/AgoniaRec

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