It's been four years since Dimension Zero's last album _This Is Hell_, and five since their absolutely scorching debut _Silent Night Fever_ -- which still stands as one of the most energetic albums in my collection, never mind whether you even like melodic death metal or not. _He Who Shall Not Bleed_ wastes no time showing that the bar has stayed high in terms of aggression and speed for the band, which continues to leave their connection to In Flames via guitarist Jesper Strömblad as a minor detail. There's plenty of melodic leads and catchy (not clean-sung) choruses in their songs, sure; but Dimension Zero remain all fury compared to their mellower counterparts who have become increasingly synonym with Swedish metal.

_He Who Shall Not Bleed_ features a few tracks that rank among the band's best (including the almost Tiamat _Wildhoney_-esque moments on "Way to Shine"), but like its predecessor, it can't quite match the overall brilliance of their debut. Nevertheless, this is just about as good as Swedish metal gets these days. (If you get the Japanese version, you'll also find a cover of the Bee Gee's "Stayin' Alive" tacked to the end that is as demented as it is infectious -- and that comes from someone who's not exactly a fan of the original.)