I get nostalgic for 90s and early 2000s Death Metal quite often. So many excellent bands and albums were spawned from those years that a list would literally wallpaper a house. So, as I listen to the debut from three quarters of Grief of Emerald, Death Reich, I go back to those special days of fertile ears being savaged by the likes of Morbid Angel and Suffocation. After releasing two Eps Death Camp and The Final Plague in 2021 and 2022 respectively, the time has come for debut Disharmony to be unleashed upon humankind, and a hell of an unleashing it is.

Allow me to address the talent that is on display here: Jonas Blom-(drums; Runemagick, ex- Sacramentum, ex- Trident, ex- Grief of Emerald, ex- One Man Army and the Undead Quartet,…), Johnny Lehto (vocals; Grief of Emerald, ex- Decameron), Christer Bergqvist (guitar; Grief of Emerald, ex- Sadistic Grimness, ex-Auberon), Robert Babic (guitar; ex- Brutal Division, ex- Vulcanic) and Robert Axelsson (bass; Grief of Emerald, ex- Sacramentum, ex- One Man Army and the Undead Quartet). Excellent job!

There’s irony in mentioning Morbid Angel above, because opener (and title track) “Disharmony” sounds like it could have been on Kingdoms Disdained without a blink of an eye. The production is stellar, every instrument is clear as a fucking bell. The drums are a battering ram, full organic blasting is mixed with slower passages on, “In Serpent’s Skin”, “Dissimulation” and especially on the rumbling, massive track “Suffocation “.  “Fall of Kings” is a violent track, one minute thrashing and the next switching to furious blast beats. “Vermin” and “Atrocity” beat you senseless before the closing calmness of “The Death of the Peace of Westphalian”.

The common denominator with all the members is Grief of Emerald, formed in 1995 and then put out seven slabs of tasty Blackened Death Metal before breaking up in 2012. I urge you, constant reader, to check them out as well as Death Reich. Disharmony is an absolute beast that won’t let you down. I’ve revised the for those who enjoy the following: Morbid Angel, Grief of Emerald, Suffocation, Angel Corpse, especially on blaster “Hysteria”.

At the end of the day, Death Reich aren’t reinventing the Death Metal wheel, they are bringing the spirit of that time and place with them, which is good enough for me. Disharmony is well worth a listen; you won’t be disappointed!

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