CoC : Soilwork - Steel Bath Suicide : Review

Soilwork - _Steel Bath Suicide_
(Listenable, 1998)
by: David Rocher (9 out of 10)

Unleashed from the distant shores of Sweden, a mighty, raging, melodic thrash assault is about to wash over unsuspecting metal audiences -- ladies and gentlemen, Soilwork! Kicking off in sheer style with the brilliant instrumental "Entering the Angel Diabolique", _SBS_ proves its creators to be an act apart -- and above -- the writhing, hairy mass of Swedish deathsters. Laying their songs down on thrash (rather than death) metal structures, relying on the high number of lightning-speed breaks, razor-sharp riffs and mouth-dropping guitar leads in each of their tunes to keel you over, Soilwork can hardly be forced to fit in the usual Swedish metal frames. Imagine a very mean hybrid of At the Gates (for the hysterical vocals and the heavier-than-thou riffing), Judas Priest or Accept (heavy guitar solos rule!) and late Death (for astounding technicality and a sharp sense of aggression made music), and you're nearly half-way there! Soilwork are fast, intense and melodic, and show an unusually acute sense of complexity, power and catchiness, thus making _SBS_ a refreshing, vindictive response to the now worn out satanic-death / black / doom-thing-with-female-vocals-from-Norway. Classy stuff!

(article published 1/10/1998)

CHATS
13/3/2001	A Bromley	Soilwork: Predators For Pain

ALBUMS
22/2/2005	J Smit	7	Soilwork - Stabbing the Drama
11/5/2003	P Azevedo	5.5	Soilwork - Figure Number Five
3/7/2002	P Azevedo	5	Soilwork - Natural Born Chaos
13/3/2001	C Flaaten	8.5	Soilwork - A Predator's Portrait
12/8/1999	D Rocher	9	Soilwork - Chainheart Machine