CoC : Carnal Forge - Firedemon : Review

Carnal Forge - _Firedemon_
(Century Media, 2000)
by: David Rocher (7.5 out of 10)

With members of Swedish melodic death outfit In thy Dreams -- and formerly Armageddon -- in their ranks, Carnal Forge already have one full-length, the rather overrated _Who's Gonna Burn_ (WAR Music, 1998) on their rosters. However, now proudly displaying a new vocalist (Jonas Kjellgren, who also appears in Swedish death metal formation Centinex), bassist and label, it seems Carnal Forge are well and truly back in great shape with a "who's gonna be pleasantly surprised" kind of release! Offering twelve intense tracks of violent, hateful and screaming hyperspeed metal, _Firedemon_ is one mother of an extremist thrash metal dumpling, roasted in true hellish spicy Swedish sauce. With their tight, compact and powerful songwriting, Carnal Forge come at their listeners fast and hard, and fortunately display considerable evolution over the material showcased on their first full-length offering -- _Firedemon_ is far more directed, enthralling and catchy an onslaught than the rather linear and tachycardiac growl 'n' moshfest that their first release embodied. Oddly enough though, several tracks on this searing little bastard are actually more than just reminiscent of Carnal Forge's first effort, owing to their slightly inferior production and slightly less compelling songwriting -- simpler structures, more "hardcore"-influenced riffing just don't seem to work. However, Carnal Forge's new material won't fail to cut, sear and mangle extremist death metal addicts into insignificantly small gobbets of flesh -- in clearer terms, _Firedemon_ reveals an insight into a very promising future for this five-piece.

(article published 20/11/2000)

ALBUMS
16/1/1999	D Rocher	7	Carnal Forge - Who's Gonna Burn

GIGS
13/5/2001	D Rocher	Nile / The Haunted / Carnal Forge / The Forsaken	At the Haunted Gates of Vengeance