Review: Unanimated “Victory in Blood” [Century Media Records]

There are good times for Century Media and Swedish melodic death/black legends Unanimated, after re-releasing all their LPs, Unanimated finally granted the pleas of many fans in releasing absolutely new studio album Victory in Blood. No doubt, that this album is a real victory for them and not without blood, sweat and tears.

From 1988 to 1996 Unanimated released two full-length albums, confidently making a statement in a fresh branch of melodic death/black metal along with Dissection, Gates of Ishtar, Sacramentum and other Swedish melodic extreme pioneers. After disbanding the musicians were busy in various black and death metal projects as well as really famous bands (like Entombed or Dismember), and after eleven years of ordeal they were back in 2007, ready to present new material. After two years the metal community welcomed their comeback album with open arms, and after that these Swedes again have returned to a state of hibernation. Again the patient supporters waited for the new release for twelve years (apart from EP Annihilation three years ago), and here we are again, in a sober ceremonialism proudly diving into this new creation of resurrected mdm stars.

There’s nothing better than catchy melodies and juicy guitar riffs with a dark romantic mood in melodic death metal, so, Unanimated didn’t disappoint with their compositional skills presenting all of those in an ample quantity. The album isn’t too heavy and the atmosphere of darkness has rather mystic roots (“As the Night Takes us” or “The Poetry of Scarred Earth”), and not soaked in impious hate of evil. And atmospheric aura also increases this mysterious sense of clandestine melancholy. Acoustic lines lighten the sound and also add some romantic vibes (“XIII” or “Chaos Ascends”). But of course everything is not about these meek expressions of melodic softness, they still have backbone for violent passion of death metal with speedy aggression of black metal. So, we will not forget their usual traditional black metal riffs, rapid drums and death/thrash assertive rhythms, we have a lot of these traditionalisms here. “Divine Hunger” even hints on more death/thrash brutality, but speedy rhythm of “The Golden Dawn of Murder” borders on death ‘n’ roll. And with optimistic aura and impressive melodic passages Unanimated proved that twelve years of waiting were worth it.

There are so many people in the metal community who are ready to sell their souls for the new material of Dissection, but that’s impossible and everyone knows the reasons. But Unanimated in the 1990s were not less influential for the genre, but their underground reputation and too long breaks have buried them under the history of mdm. But now, in cooperation with Century Media Unanimated have all the possibilities (and rights) to take their glory back.

Release date: December 3rd, 2021

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