Outpost - Fort Europa

As death metal listeners, we can all agree that listening to a couple of underground extreme metal scenes often brings a sense of delightful diversity of how the idea of heavy music can be interpreted and developed within the boundaries of a certain culture. From the 90s we have countries such as USA, England, Sweden, Finland etc. who have produced remarkable acts of extreme music, in which the majority of the bands follow a specific songwriting formula. I'll give some brief examples in order to be understood better: the American death metal focuses mainly on the fast, aggressive and technical approach of death metal, while the Swedish scene concentrates on more melodic riffs and takes a HUGE influence from hardcore punk. The Finnish fellas tend to be more obscure and atmospheric in their sound, therefore they choose to operate with doomier compositions accompannied with melodic (and often melancholic) lead sections. But the focus here is on Danish death metal, so let's talk a bit about it.

As long as I have my experience with Danish bands, I can label the signature Danish death metal sound as incredibly heavy and grinding death metal with a little to no use of melody, but with tons and tons of groove (ex.: Konkhra's "Sexual Affective Disorder" and also their later stuff which also offer a hint of death 'n' roll, Swollen's legendary EP "The Breathless Waiting" and Iniquity's "Serenadium" which show a perfect blend between catchy simple riffage and technicality). One can't forget the notorious death machines known as Illdisposed which deliver the cold, grindy and machine-like sound of Bolt Thrower to a new level (which can be even seen here). After the recording of Illdisposed's debut album "Four Depressive Seasons", the original drummer Michael Enevoldsen leaves the band and decides to record some music on its own. So in 1993, he forms the band known as Panzerchrist along with Lasse Hoile on vocals (a well-known figure in the scandinavian underground, even though he is mainly known for his works with photography and graphic design). And in 1996, the band releases its debut "Six Seconds Kill" which I can label as a great debut and a really good take on death metal. But oh man, little do we know that this is only the mere beginning...

From the first listen of this record, I can tell that it can effortlessly be one of the best european death metal albums of the decade. I'll begin with the simpler stuff here, the choice of samples here is immaculate. From the starting track "Outpost", the listener can feel the gloomy and precarious emotion that a soldier can feel on the battlefield, in wait for his merciless fate. This takes us to the demolishing mid-paced trem picking guitar riffs which present the death metal sound in its groovy and simplistic to its faster and at times, more melodic aspect with pedal tone riffs (like in the song "Flesh In The Scent) and great solos (also the guitar tone is perfect, I forgot to say). Lasse Hoile is without a doubt one of the most vicious voices in death metal, and I can't help but praise him for the work he's done in this band. His screeching and monstrous vocals fit perfectly with the mood that this album is trying to create. The track "Fort Europa" is kinda different in nature than the others and also very important for the concept. With its ode-like sounding, it sets a bit of an entracte between the vicious sonic depictions of war. As if the desperate troops remember their cause for being in this war and how it can lead them to glory and triumph of their nation. The album ends with the track "Surrender Is Not An Option" which is piano and synth-driven in its start but also really profund into its death metal sound. As if the track reprented the farewell for the fallen heroes of war, reminding them that despite their physical demise, their deeds will never be forgotten. Therefore I can say that this album is not only a very important one for the newly formed danish death metal scene but also takes with to a new status with a more creative approach.

In conclusion, listen to it. Ya won't regret it.

Favorite tracks: Outpost, Skin, Surrender Is Not An Option, Killing Of The Weak