If there is one label that’s almost on par with Dark Descent Records as far as old school Swedish death metal worship, its Pulverized Records. With the likes of Crucifyre, Morbius Chron, Interment, Tribulation and Desultory‘s comeback, they have created their own nice little stable of retro Swedish death metal acts. Well, add Sweden’s awesome duo, Bastard Priest to that list.

This is my first exposure to the band, having missed 2010s Under the Hammer of Destruction (which I will be rectifying), but with Ghouls of the Endless Night, Bastard Priest has delivered a filthy, fun romp into punky, Stockholm death metal that’s delivered with ample fuzz and rumbling riffs to satiate any fans of the style.

While certainly a far more primal, raw and fuzzed out tone akin to Morbius Chron and Furbowl than the likes of Entrails or Morbider, Bastard Priest‘s energy and style is fitting the production. And a with a base style akin to early Nihilist and Abcess’s take on feral, direct power chords rooted in a Discharge/D-beat backbone, Bastard Priest also have a bit of a fetid Death Breath vibe to about them as well.

It all comes together to create a rollicking, if basic 36 minutes of no frills music that is simply a good, brainless, energetic listen. The majority of the songs are higher tempo canters and gallops like opener “Pestilent Force”, “Sacrilegious Ground”, “Fucking Slaughter” and  “Last Scream” but a couple of fitting oozers like ‘Poison” and the title track inject a little more feedback laden filth and pus to the mix.

Yet another fine addition to 2011s awesome crop of Stockholm styled death metal, but rather than try too hard to simply be an over produced Entombed or Dismember clone, Bastard Priest deliver a more throwback, analog demo sounding album that’s pure, sick fun.

[Visit the band's website]

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