HEARSE

Melodic Death Metal • Sweden

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Johan Liiva - former Arch Enemy and NonExist singer - formed the band Hearse, with Mattias Ljung on guitar and ex-Furbowl bandmate Max Thornell on drums.

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HEARSE Discography

HEARSE albums / top albums

4.00 | 1 ratings

Dominion Reptilian
Melodic Death Metal 2003

HEARSE Armageddon, Mon Amour album cover

3.50 | 1 ratings

Armageddon, Mon Amour
Melodic Death Metal 2004

3.50 | 1 ratings

The Last Ordeal
Melodic Death Metal 2005

3.00 | 1 ratings

In These Veins
Melodic Death Metal 2006

HEARSE Single Ticket to Paradise album cover

3.50 | 1 ratings

Single Ticket to Paradise
Melodic Death Metal 2009

HEARSE EPs & splits

0.00 | 0 ratings

Torch
Melodic Death Metal 2002

3.50 | 1 ratings

Cambodia
Melodic Death Metal 2005

HEARSE live albums

HEARSE demos, promos, fans club and other releases (no bootlegs)

HEARSE re-issues & compilations

HEARSE singles (0)

HEARSE movies (DVD, Blu-Ray or VHS)

HEARSE Reviews

HEARSE Single Ticket to Paradise

Album · 2009 · Melodic Death Metal

UMUR

"Single Ticket to Paradise" is the fifth full-length studio album by Swedish death metal act Hearse. The album was released through Vic Records in June 2009. It´s the successor to "In These Veins" from 2006.

Stylistically the material on "Single Ticket to Paradise" continue the rock´n´roll infused melodic death metal of the preceding releases. Lead vocalist Johan Liiva has a raw voice and a rather distinct sounding delivery, which is somewhere between a raw shout and death metal growling. The music features hard rocking heavy death metal riffs, blues rock/rock´n´roll oriented lead work, and quite a few harmony parts (which are really great and incredibly well played). Hearse are obviously just as influenced by 70s hard/heavy rock artists like Thin Lizzy and Wishbone Ash, as they are by artists like Entombed and Dismember.

The sound production is slightly more clear sounding and detailed than the sound on the predecessor, and the tracks prosper from more clarity. This is still a pretty raw and organic sounding production job though, so don´t expect a sterile sounding album. Upon conclusion I feel the same way about "Single Ticket to Paradise" as I did about "In These Veins (2006)". It´s a good quality release, but it doesn´t quite reach the quality mark of the early releases by the band. A 3 - 3.5 star (65%) rating is warranted.

4 months ago
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Report #880853

HEARSE In These Veins

Album · 2006 · Melodic Death Metal

UMUR

"In These Veins" is the fourth full-length studio album by Swedish death metal act Hearse. The album was released through Dental Records in October 2006. It´s the successor to "The Last Ordeal" from 2005 and the two albums feature the same trio lineup of Johan Liiva (vocals), Max Thornell (bass, guitars, and drums), and Mattias Ljung (guitars).

Hearse play a rock´n´roll infused type of death metal which often features melodic death metal traits. Anyone familiar with Liiva´s and Thornell´s early- mid 90s band Furbowl (pre Liiva´s involvement with Arc Enemy) won´t be surprised by the sound of Hearse, although Hearse are generally a bit more varied and sophisticated in their approach to death´n´roll. The material on "In These Veins" is raw, organic, and heavy death´n´roll and Liiva´s vocals are sometimes raw deep range shouting, and sometimes closer to traditional death growls. The band occasionally add guitar harmonies and themes to the heavy riffs and rock´n´roll infused guitar solos. The lead guitar work is generally stellar, while the riffs are also strong but slightly less intriguing.

"In These Veins" features a raw and unpolished sounding production job, and while a clean and polished sound production probably wouldn´t have suited the material on the album, a slightly more detailed sounding production wouldn´t have hurt. The material are generally well written and after a few listens the individual tracks also start to become more memorable, but "In These Veins" is not the most catchy release by Hearse, and I miss some of the strong hooks from the early releases. A 3 - 3.5 star (65%) rating is warranted.

4 months ago
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Report #880799

HEARSE The Last Ordeal

Album · 2005 · Melodic Death Metal

UMUR

"The Last Ordeal" is the 3rd full-length studio album by Swedish death metal act Hearse. The album was released through Karmageddon Media in August 2005. Hearse was pretty active in their early years and had already released the "Cambodia" EP in January 2005. The band comprises former Arch Enemy/Furbowl vocalist Johan Liiva and his former Furbowl bandmate Max Thornell (bass, guitars, and drums). Guitarist Mattias Ljung completes the three-piece lineup.

The music on the album continues the melodic death´n´roll style that the band already initiated on the debut album. In that regard not much has changed. It´s still a sound that combines the melodic death metal elements and the death´n´roll elements from frontman Johan Liiva´s two previous acts, Arc Enemy and Furbowl. It´s infectiously melodic yet still raw and relatively aggressive when it needs to be. "The Last Ordeal" is slightly more rock´n´roll influenced than the preceeding releases by the band though. The musicianship is as always on a high level. Johan Liiva´s semi-growling vocals are distinct sounding and intelligible, the guitar leads and harmonies are incredibly melodic and memorable. There´s generally a charming organic quality to the playing that works well with the compositions. The tracks are mostly vers/chorus based, but the band always ensures that the tracks feature a suprise or two, to keep them interesting. A great solo, female choirs, an acoustic part and so forth...

The sound prodction is raw and organic sounding. Besides the memorable songwriting, the raw nature of the sound production and the convincing delivery are some of the greatest assets of Hearse´s music. In general and of course also on "The Last Ordeal". Too often melodic death metal sounds tame because of polished sound productions and generic compositions, but fortunately Hearse carry the melodic death metal torch high and proud. Upon conclusion "The Last Ordeal" is a slightly less interesting release compared to it´s predecessors though, but still it´s a great release deserving a 3.5 star (70%) rating.

more than 2 years ago
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Report #310584

HEARSE Cambodia

EP · 2005 · Melodic Death Metal

UMUR

"Cambodia" is an EP release by Swedish death metal act Hearse released through Karmageddon Media in January 2005. It bridges the gap between the band´s second and third full-length studio albums "Armageddon, Mon Amour (2004)" and "The Last Ordeal (2005)". Featuring 9 tracks and a full playing time of 40:38 minutes, it´s safe to say that "Cambodia" is a long EP.

"Cambodia" features two new tracks, the cover of Kim Wilde´s "Cambodia", which was also featured on "Armageddon, Mon Amour (2004)", the two tracks from the out of print "Torch (2002)" 7" vinyl EP and four demo versions of tracks that are featured on the "Dominion Reptilian (2003)" album. There little that´ll surprise anyone about the material on the EP, which are in the usual melodic death meal/death´n´roll style that Hearse are known for. Except for a slightly more raw sound production on the demo tracks (which isn´t an issue in the least), the material are of the same high quality as we´re used to when Hearse are involved. Soaring melodic leads, beautiful harmony work, a hard rocking rhythm section, galloping heavy metal riffing and Johan Liiva´s distinct sounding semi-growling vocals in front.

You can argue how much value you get for the money considering that there are only two completely new tracks on the EP (which are both great), but personally I enjoy the raw demo versions of the four tracks from "Dominion Reptilian (2003)" and also the two tracks from the "Torch (2002)" EP. Both also appear in different versions on "Dominion Reptilian (2003)", but even considering that fact "Cambodia" is still a worthy purchase and a 3.5 star (70%) rating is deserved.

more than 2 years ago
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Report #304792

HEARSE Armageddon, Mon Amour

Album · 2004 · Melodic Death Metal

UMUR

"Armageddon, Mon Amour" is the 2nd full-length studio album by Swedish death metal act Hearse. The album was released through Candlelight Records in April 2004. Hearse feature among others, former Arch Enemy and Furbowl frontman Johan Liiva.

The music on "Armageddon, Mon Amour" pretty much continue down the same melodic death metal/death´n´roll path as the music on the band´s debut full-length studio album "Dominion Reptilian (2003)". A combination of the sound of Johan Liiva´s two former acts, Arch Enemy and Furbowl, isn´t all wrong for a description. "Armageddon, Mon Amour" features quite a few high quality and catchy melodic death metal tracks and if you enjoy the style this is certainly a recommendable album. The lead guitar work is outstanding, the vocals are convincing and the rythm section tight yet playing with an organic touch. The sound production is raw and organic and suits the music perfectly. The addition of a few goth elements in tracks like "Determination" (which reminds me slightly of Paradise Lost) and the title track (which features some spoken female vocals) add some variation and are an asset to the band´s sound.

I guess the only issue is that not all tracks are equally memorable. Had all material been on the high level of the best tracks on the album I´d probably have given "Armageddon, Mon Amour" a full 4 star (80%) rating, but a 3.5 - 4 star (75%) will do.