One Man Army and the Undead Quartet

Featuring ex-Crown vocalist Johan Lindstrand, the hilariously-named One Man Army and the Undead Quartet impress with their debut album, 21st Century Killing Machine. With a death’n’roll edge to them, the band have some melodic death elements, but mainly keep things more loose and lively, like the Crown but even more relaxed and party-worthy. Of course, it’s a metal party, so things are still bass-heavy, death-ready and borderline parody. The band have some great thrash and death riffs, and while the drumming isn’t incredible, it is pretty relentless and fun to listen to, thanks to the punchy production. Less rock than later Entombed, but not as death metal as early Entombed, One Man Army ride the fine line between that Swedish band’s two eras, adding in some Swedish melody and the vibe of (uh, Swedish band) the Crown to create a death metal experience that is as fun as it is brutal. Good stuff, held back only by a rather stifling monotonous feel throughout the album.