Johansson and Speckmann - Edge of the Abyss

Artist: Johansson and Speckmann
Release Title: Edge of the Abyss
Year: 2016
Label: Soulseller Records
Genre: Old-School Death Metal
Tracklisting:
1. Perpetuate the Lie
2. You've Stepped on a Dime
3. Misanthropy
4. Turn It Around
5. The Last Witness Is Barely Alive
6. The One They All Despised
7. The Edge of the Abyss
8. A Concept
9. Already in Disguise

Wasting no time in between recording for each members’ other groups, International death metal collaboration Johansson and Speckmann have quickly come together to offer what might be the crowning opus for each member in the calendar year. This time joined by monster drummer Brynjar Helgetun and also presenting lead guitarist Kjetil Lynghaug, the group’s third full-length effort was released September 16, 2016 through Soulseller Records.

As was prominently featured in the last album, this one here comes from the utterly dominating old-school attack that manages to feature the qualities of their two bands together in a fine mix. This one goes from the typical churning, swirling riff-patterns and the frenzied blasting tempos featured here that are mixed alongside the furious simplistic thrashing sections that create a palpable surge of energy and intensity throughout here while allowing for some strong agonized sprawling that gives it a strong touch of the old-school throughout here. When it gets to the mid-tempo rhythms become far more prominent and the album becomes far more straightforward and simplistic which is what drops this in favor of these plodding efforts which play far more in line with what occurs in both members’ other projects. That variety here is quite prominent within the confines of the album with it making a concerted effort to appeal to both fan-bases quite readily without much difficulty and the release makes for a great time for fans of both members by featuring the kind of work mostly familiar to each other. This tends to make the album come off like simply one of them is guesting on the others’ work which is the sign of a true collaboration between them yet doesn’t really pack any kind of surprises overall by simply providing more of the same here. While that is indeed quite a package, the lack of creativity and uniqueness about this project does become noticeable.

Though it really lacks much in the way of creativity or really any surprises of any kind, the fact that this one really seems honest about working to the strengths of both members here who come from a similar background that this is a no-doubt interest to fans of both members as well as any fanatic of old-school death metal.

Score: 93/100

Does it sound good? Order it from here:

https://www.discogs.com/Johansson-Speckmann-Edge-Of-The-Abyss/release/9014116

Johansson and Speckmann - Mask of the Treacherous

Artist: Johansson and Speckmann
Release Title: Mask of the Treacherous
Year: 2015
Label: Vic Records
Genre: Old-School Death Metal
Tracklisting:
1. Mask of the Treacherous
2. Inhuman Lust
3. Through the Filth and Riddled Ages
4. The Wicked Marches On
5. The Bringer of Pain
6. I'll End Your Rotten Life
7. Within Reach
8. Enslaved in Filth
9. A Grave for This World

Furthering their success from the previous album, International death metal collaboration Johansson and Speckmann are certainly putting their collective might together in this project that brings the two luminaries together once again for a spectacular assault of old-school death metal. Gaining in their abilities from the previous release, the project’s second full-length record was released February 23, 2015 on Vic Records.

As befits the status of the men involved here, this is their usually simplistic and overly primitive-styled mixture of straightforward death metal augmented with strong thrashing overtones. This utterly simplistic and not all that varied music within here allows it either to be a rather tight and ferocious charge swirling with mid-tempo agonized riffing and plodding paces or generates a crunchy thrash-laden series of rhythms that offer up some rather frantic and blistering efforts. It works quite well in keeping that nicely mixed with the attacks getting balanced incredibly well between the churning old-school riffing with the thrashing energy, and it really sounds like a full-on mixture of both artists’ main groups. Going for the mix of tight, churning thrash with the agonized sprawling rhythms really gives this the album’s greatest strength as there’s a slight variance between the styles in terms of the different approaches reaching a rather strong approach for the old-school tactics that are featured within here. While there’s plenty of rather enjoyable work here because of that, it tends to run itself into quite predictable realms because it’s all about letting their main bands come together in one area without much deviation and it does crop up as something within this one. The tracks really fall into either category and it does have a really simplistic attack that does really affect this one slightly. Still, it’s got plenty to really like here in other regards.

Though it does find itself losing a little bit in the overall set-up with the approach running itself too close to each other at times, this one still manages to effectively capture the old-school feeling from both members that this overcomes the flaws for the most part and becomes a wholly appealing choice for fans of either members’ projects or old-school death metal in general.

Score: 93/100

Does it sound good? Order it from here:
http://vicrecords.com/shop/index.php?id_product=50&controller=product&search_query=johansson&results=7