"Spit or Swallow" is one
of those records that shouldn't be missing in any death metal fan's
discography, an album out of time that will be crushing even in 20 years
from today. Nowadays Konkhra play a sort of modern death 'n' roll with
some bridges to the past style, not far from the latest Entombed, Xysma,
etc., thanks to the reconstruction of the originary line-up.
"Check Reality" isn't as brutal as "Spit...",
but the memorable riffs and guitar solos (yes, the cool fresh massive
ones we thought forgotten in the oblivion forever!) are back, for instance
in the opener "Warmonger", so we can't say the Danes
have softened, and songs like "The Lions are Back"
were made to remind us of that, gifted with a wall of sound full of
low frequencies, crushing guitars and Lundemark's ogre voice, enriched
by groovy passages. The title track is a modern one, fit to spur hellish
streams of pogo freaks in the live rings, while "Fear of God"
makes me think of a well-done mix between Sepultura and Machine Head,
and "Grapes of Wrath" takes the way that Soilwork and
In Flames have guiltily forsaken recently.
What the band can plot in this CD is incredible and I think we'll soon
hear Konkhra's monicker back in the major league of extreme metal like
in the first 90's when they were the top selling band in Denmark after
Metallica! Just give a listen to the acceleration in "Day of
the Dog" or tell me him who can resist the dragging "Lowlife"
(nothing to do with Death's homonymous song on "Spiritual Healing").
The 4-piece big guys have returned from the main entrance with 12 involving
tracks to be listened to at a high volume of course to vent all your
negativeness piled in these draconian times of poverty, frustration,
selfishness and uncertainty, but I won't respond for the collateral
effects due to the hyper adrenalin produced!
MARKUS GANZHERRLICH - 31/05/03
