Hostile Cell - S/T

Tracks
01. The Prototype
02. Rusty Halo
03. God Komplex
04. Black Hole Nothing
05. Poison The Well
06. Nothing
07. Neverlast
08. Swallow Fire
09. Planet Hate
10. De-Evolution


Band:
Martin Söderqvist (guitar, voc)
Johan Svensson (guitar)
Per Romvall (bass)
Eric Olausson (drums)


Discography:
debut


Info
Produced by Hostile Cell and Marcus Lavendell
Mixed by Marcus Lavendell
Mastered by Dragan Tanaskovich


Links:
hostilecell.com
myspace
plugged records


Hostile Cell, what does it mean? Well, I connect that with terrorism, and their terror cells, they have to be quite hostile to blow up people who hasn’t done anything. These Swedes are probably not terrorists and they are debuting with this self titled album. Usually one can connect the name to something in the musical style of the band, but with these guys it is difficult, I think of something hardcore or metalcore, not the heavy rock that we are given on this record.

It is a bit surprisingly heavy rock and not some corish stuff that one would expect from the name. Though the heavy bit is present indeed and the record feel at first glance quite heavy and rough but given some time it reveals quite a musical landscape with loads of dimensions and nuances. There are melodies and there are progressive parts, heavy parts and so forth, these guys reveal a deeper landscape than you might think at the first glance.

These many nuances is what makes this album above the average, or above the grey matter that is the mainstream of music. You are drawn into a maelstrom of heaviness, aggressiveness, macho attitude and skill, quite a treat for the one into this kind of music.

It all begins with a track called Rusty Halo which is very nice and powerful opener of the record and it goes on in the same vein until the finishing De-Evolution which is the best track on the album by some margin actually.

Production wise the guys nail it into the right part of the map but no matter how well you produce or play it is all down to the songs and I have to face the fact that most of the songs are not up to the level of the production and the capacity sometimes shown by these guys. Still, it works all the way through and there is no reason to complain too much about it, it is good but it could most definitely get better even though is was somewhat of a positive surprise for me.

A debut that promises more to come.

HHHHHHH

Written 09-24-08

Label - Coreshot Productions/Plugged Records/Triada
Three similar bands - Pro Pain/Emil Bulls/
Rating: HHHHHHH
Reviewer: Daniel Källmalm