MASSACRE — Resurgence (review)

MASSACRE — Resurgence album cover Album · 2021 · Death Metal Buy this album from MMA partners
3.5/5 ·
Kev Rowland
It is not unusual for bands to go through line-up changes, but there is no doubt that what has happened with Massacre is a little unusual in that no-one in this line-up played on the last album, while vocalist Kam Lee (Mantas, Bone Gnawer) and bassist Mike Borders were both on the very first demo, 1985’s ‘Aggressive Tyrant’. Joining them in this new line-up are Rogga Johansson, (Megascavenger, Rib Spreader) on guitars, Jonny Pettersson (Wombbath) on guitars, Brynjar Helgetun (Crypticus) on drums, and solo fiend Scott Fairfax (Memoriam, As the World Dies) on guitars. Although this is a brand-new band, Lee has been working with everyone involved for years, Lee says. “Rogga and Brynjar are in my band The Grotesquery, and we’ve been working together since 2009; we have four full-length albums out and a self-released single. Jonny and I have the band Nattravnen together we have a full-length album out. We’ve been doing this band together since 2015. Scott has been an associate for years, and I did some vocal work with him in his band As the World Dies. So, all these members I’ve known and worked together separately on music projects for years. When we started looking to make new music for a new album, we had a couple of other members, but they aren’t worth mentioning and their involvement isn’t important. When it came down to getting the proper people, I had to reach out to members I knew I could trust and who I felt would be able to bring the proper and correct Massacre sound that was demanded.”

Lee is often cited as being one of the most important singers of the early death metal scene, with his trademark growls setting in place the musical style we have all become so used to. That he has worked with everyone in this band means this does not sound like a new line-up but rather is a solid slab of the genre hearkening back to the classic days. It does seem strange to hear Massacre without guitarist Rick Rozz as he is the only person who played on all previous albums, and indeed he and Lee had attempted to form a new version of the band as Massacre X in 2016 before being threatened with legal action and instead performing as Gods of Death.

But whatever anyone thinks of this line-up continuing the name of Massacre, this is a nicely paced album where the band slow it down at times, providing space within the arrangement so that when they bring the fire it is that much more powerful. There are even moments when they toy with some black metal within this, but for the most part this is solid death with all other changes providing contrast which works well. Nice solid release.

 
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