A change in membership has resulted in a pronounced departure from the sometimes typical Swedish death/thrash of _Hammers of Mayhem_. Equally, some may respond to the distinctly more modern visuals of the album sleeve and its accompanying Beelzebub-free lyrics with a certain degree of cynicism. But it's obvious as soon as "Breach the Wall" introduces Maze of Torment circa 2007, that the band mean business. Across the record's ten tracks, they barely manage to veil their fondness for the likes of _Haunting the Chapel_, _Souls of Black_ and _Darkness Descends_.

Yet, while Maze of Torment swagger with all the brio of the old school, _Hidden Cruelty_ is anything but a pedestrian trip down memory lane. Everything from the production through to Erik Sahlstrom's formidable vocal performance screams of a modern metal band ready to make the impact they've been on the cusp of doing for nearly a decade. Let's just hope that the rest of the world is ready for them this time round.