Incision

The latest in a line of quality Earache releases (no longer the paradox it's been for so long), Sweden's Incision have churned out one of the year's most impressive death metal albums in Beneath the Folds of Flesh. The band is smart in a number of ways: they keep the album short and sweet, the production is clear and not overtly bass-oriented, the drums sound natural and there's enough variation in the songs to keep the listener's attention throughout the 30 minutes of death metal perfection offered. The sound is more Florida than Sweden, with the Angel (Ripping, Cannibal) Corpse blasting and grinding mixed with excellent Morbid Angel-esque riffing. The drumming is solid and very impressive, and even the vocals are varied enough to not sound embarrassing. The tempo ranges from fast to faster, adding to the general audio mayhem that just will not let go of the listener's throat until all nine tracks are slashed, hacked and digested. No one will remember the songs when the album's over, but this is still a totally respectable death metal release.