WITHERSCAPE — The Inheritance (review)

WITHERSCAPE — The Inheritance album cover Album · 2013 · Death Metal Buy this album from MMA partners
4/5 ·
J-Man
It's been a while since we've heard an album of new material from Swedish metal veteran Dan Swanö, but with the recent debut from Witherscape (his new project with Ragnar Widerberg), it's clear that he is still a force to be reckoned with when it comes to progressive and melodic death metal. Entitled The Inheritance, this 2013 release for Century Media Records walks a fine line between melodic death metal, prog, and hard rock, and although it sounds noticeably different from the works of Edge of Sanity or Nightingale, Witherscape still has a unique Swanö stamp to set itself apart from other acts exploring similar musical territory.

It's worth pointing out that fans of lethal death metal in the vein of Unorthodox-era Edge of Sanity might not fully enjoy the sleek and melodic sound of Witherscape, but those with ears open towards catchy melodeath should find plenty to love here. Tracks like the progressive “Astrid Falls”, wonderfully epic “Dying For the Sun”, and eery “Crawling From Validity” stand as some of the strongest compositions penned so far this year, and everything on the album is delivered professionally. In addition to a powerful sound production, Dan Swanö's vocals (both clean and growled) sound as powerful as ever and Ragnar Widerberg's fretwork is strong across the board.

I guess that a few of the choruses throughout The Inheritance sound a bit too predictable for my tastes (particularly in “To The Calling of Blood and Dreams”), but there's no doubt that Dan Swanö has made a triumphant return to the metal scene with Witherscape's debut. Although I wouldn't place it in the same tier of excellence as Crimson or The Closing Chronicles, The Inheritance is a mighty impressive observation that fans of progressive melodic death metal should really enjoy. Great stuff!
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J-Man wrote:
more than 2 years ago
Yeah, not much can compete with "Crimson" IMO. That one really is a game-changer!
UMUR wrote:
more than 2 years ago
I´m listening to this one right now too, and my review will probably be pretty similar to yours. It´s great to have Dan back writing his own material again, but yeah it´s not on "Crimson" level, but not many releases are.

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