Entombed
Left Hand Path

It is with a certain regret that I notice there are dozens of reviews about Slipknot on Debaser (to mention a band that doesn’t deserve so many) and only one about the seminal Entombed: but as they say, “mors vestra vita mea,” the honor and burden of reviewing the debut of this band will be mine alone.

The group was formed in Sweden around the mid-eighties under the name Nihilist and its rise was as rapid as its fall: about a decade later, all that remained of Entombed was ash (how very Death is this phrase!) and, despite continuing to produce work, their fame is now scant. In 1990 they released this LP (preceded by an insignificant EP that, however, secured them a contract with Earache) which, if it did not greatly influence metal history, certainly remained embedded in time. Their offering is somewhat rudimentary, earning them the name “Raw Death” (Raw Death): a similar genre was proposed by contemporary compatriots Dismember, perhaps slightly more inclined towards Black. However, some Black influences can also be traced in Entombed, particularly those played by the very early Mayhem or the very early Darkthrone. Nevertheless, they developed a completely personal style, distinct from all other bands, fusing Thrash Metal and Punk through a Death lens. “Left Hand Path” showcases a group capable of playing decently but not much better than the Thrash bands of that period: the guitar parts are quite simple, drawing mainly from the tradition of groups like Sepultura and Possessed. Generally, it can be said that they aim more for impact than virtuosity, with solos clearly inspired by Thrash Bay Area and traditional metal. The drumming is quite different, closer to the standards of the nascent Death metal. Or rather, to those of Grind: in the rhythm section, indeed, there is a significant punk nuance that permeates the entire album. Nonetheless, there are numerous Blast Beats and metal-derived rhythms; in any case, the rhythms are quite familiar and thus not very original or intriguing. The singer, on the other hand, sings with the typical growling of early Death, still quite clean and angry, but lacking that sick gloom of future evolutions. The bassist does a fairly important job, but all in all, it's banal.

What surprises is that from five unexceptional instrumentalists playing nothing new, an album with an unmatched sound emerges; indeed, the mixing of elements copied from Punk, Thrash, Death, and Grind yields unexpected results. Favored by an extremely thick and dirty production (the buzzing guitar sound would become a trademark of the band), this mixture is well blended and ultimately makes sense: by exaggerating the most classic elements and softening the more “avant-garde” ones, the Swedes achieve an enjoyable album that doesn’t demand much effort but certainly isn’t a caress. The songs are well-structured, although, in my opinion, certain accelerations are drawn out too long, risking a drop in tension: the tempos are medium-high standards with few lapses but still with a decent variety. Given the Thrash influences, the mood is almost nonexistent or, at least, not worth noting. It should be specified that within a few years Entombed will become a so-called Death Rock band, meaning that starting from “Wolverine Blues,” the Swedes will play a questionable mish-mash of Death metal and Hard Rock (denaturing in my opinion both one and the other).

“Left Hand Path” is an album comparable to the literary style of Beppe Fenoglio, rough and sanguine, spartan and devoid of embellishments: it cannot be said to have much charm, but it is certainly an album that cannot be missing for a lover of Death nor Thrash. The rating refers more to originality than artistic value; in any case, it’s a must-have, unless you prefer to throw yourself into the arms of Bloodbath and other sordid acolytes of this band.