Lifeless

German death metal act Lifeless return with Godconstruct, the full-length follow-up to their 2008 debut, Beyond the Threshold of Death. Featuring 12 tracks that capture a modern version of classic Swedish death metal, Godconstruct encapsulates the sub-genre successfully. However, the material isn't all that memorable once you get through the record's near-50-minute run-time. The title-track hits hard, with crushing drum work and urgent riffing, while "Moribund" features an ominous atmosphere created by the use of synths, which mixed well alongside the harsh guitars. Deep, gnarly growls permeate the record and are particularly powerful on "Blood for the Gods," as well as "Sworn to Death," which contains especially commanding guttural vocals. While Lifeless have mastered the formula, there's nothing unique about Godconstruct and although they've managed to emulate their musical influences quite well, it's unfortunate they were unable to add any kind of distinctive elements that would set them apart.