CoC : Bloodbath - Breeding Death : Review

Bloodbath - _Breeding Death_
(Century Media, 2000)
by: Matthias Noll (8 out of 10)

An all star line-up consisting of Akerfeldt (Opeth), Renske and Nystrom (Katatonia) and Dan Swano (he of countless projects, bands and production jobs) doing a three track EP of old school death metal. Is that what the world needs? My answer is yes. This is a great EP (bought it for the price of a single) which has made me bang my head quite some more than some full-blown releases I've listened to this year. The old school trademark is kind of misleading, because this record doesn't sound dated, even if there are traces of bands like early Unleashed, Gorefest, Massacre, etc.. The production is top notch and the songs are less simple than you might expect (not the Six Feet Under approach). Bloodbath do achieve heaviness with medium paced grinding riffs on top of which Akerfeldt's impressive grunts sound like another instrument that provides memorable rhythmic hooks like in the remarkable last track "Furnace Funeral". This release is neither groundbreaking nor spectacular, but it has such a high quality standard that I think the 8 is well deserved. If your definition of death metal does not list blast or hyper speed parts as a must, then get this release and join me in hoping that this won't be the last Bloodbath output.

(article published 12/8/2000)

ALBUMS
11/9/2008	P Azevedo	8.5	Bloodbath - The Fathomless Mastery
7/13/2008	P Azevedo	9	Bloodbath - The Wacken Carnage
6/17/2008	P Azevedo	8.5	Bloodbath - Unblessing the Purity
8/31/2004	M Noll	8.5	Bloodbath - Nightmares Made Flesh
4/30/2003	P Azevedo	9	Bloodbath - Resurrection Through Carnage