CoC : Sorcery - Bloodchilling Tales : Review

Sorcery - _Bloodchilling Tales_
(No Colours, 1998)
by: Alvin Wee (8.5 out of 10)

Still remember those days when _Left Hand Path_ and _Like an Everflowing Stream_ were on the lips of every death metal maniac? Well, Entombed and Dismember may have long since thrown in the towel (for most, at least), but there remain the faithful few who still cherish the crunchiness of Morrissound or the utter brutality of Sunlight and who will readily dig deep into their faded denim for a nugget like this re-released, long out-of-print Swedish cult classic. Originally recorded in 1990 at Sunlight Studios and mixed by Tomas Skogsberg (can you imagine any other combination?) and released on vinyl only, _Bloodchilling Tales_ obviously never caught on too well and was destined to become a cult legend. Until now, that is. While proving no match for the countless Malmsteens of today's Gothenburg scene, Sorcery present ten chunky slabs of raw heaviness and disharmony of the sort long buried with the death bands of the late '80s. What these boys lack in melody, they fully make up for in atmosphere and sincerity, their youthful aggression even more apparent on the two sludgy bonus tracks from an early 7" EP. There's not much left to say about this album, so heed this old fan's exhortations: if you loved _Altars of Madness_ or even have _Sumerian Cry_ in your collection, then hesitate no more. There's some life in the old thing yet.

(article published 14/3/1999)