UMUR
"Rise to Dominate" is the second full-length studio by Swedish death metal act Aeon. The album was released through Metal Blade Records in September 2007. It´s the successor to "Bleeding the False" from 2005 and it features one lineup change since the predecessor as bassist (and founding member) Johan Hjelm has been replaced by Max Carlberg.
Right off the bat album opener "Helel Ben-Shachar" sets the tone and reveals that Aeon have made zero changes or compromises since the release of "Bleeding the False" (2005) and therefore continue to play a brutal and blasphemous/anti-christian themed Deicide influenced style of death metal (with the occasional nod towards Morbid Angel). It´s sharp, brutal, and hateful death metal played with great technical skill and featuring a lead vocalist with a commanding deep growling yet intelligible delivery. His deep growls are complimented and often layered by high pitched screaming (not completely unlike the vocal style of Glen Benton).
The lyrics are as primitive/juvenile as on the preceding releases going out of their way to bash Christians, God, and anything and everything else related to those subjects. There´s even a song here dedicated to bashing and hating on Jehovah's Witnesses ("Spreading Their Disease"). Not that I necessarily disagree about criticising the actions and opinions of some Christian societies and groups, but personally I prefer that critique to be a little more subtle and intelligent than the closing lyric lines on the above mentioned "Spreading Their Disease": "I despise them", "they make me sick", "I want them dead", "Die they will die they must die", "Die they will die they must die". It´s not exactly Pulitzer price winning material...
...oh well... then it´s fortunate that Aeon do almost everything else right on "Rise to Dominate", which is a punishing, brutal, and technically well played death metal release, packed in a clear, brutal, and powerful sounding production (the album was mixed and mastered by Dan Swanö). Fans of early 90s Florida death metal should find loads to enjoy here. A 3.5 star (70%) rating is deserved.