Corroded – Bitter
Corroded – Bitter
Despotz Records
Release Date: 25/01/2019
Running Time: 50:15
Review by Tsarina Wilson
10/10
When first listening to this album, I went from track to track thinking “oh this is my favourite track” then the next one came on and it was “no this one is.” Then I got to the end and there wasn’t one single track I could fault or think that wasn’t quite as good.
Swedish hard rock band, Corroded’s debut album “Eleven Shades of Black” was released in 2009 and their track “Time and Again” was used in the Swedish version of ‘Survivor.’
In 2010 the band won the “Breakthrough of The Year” award at Bandit Rock Awards and their next album “Exit to Transfer” went straight to number six in the Swedish Album chart. They then went on the write ‘Age of Rage’ for EA Games, a song that would feature as the theme song for the “Battlefield Play4Free,” and it achieved its gold status with millions of streams being downloaded.
After that “Defcon Zero”, which pushed every limit, and they hit the road with both Pain and on their own successful European headline tour, which made them one of the most prominent Swedish hard rock acts, and fully deserved too.
“Bitter” will leave you with no doubts as to just how good these guys are. There are crushing riffs, and vocals that sound like they come from the bowels of hell. They are powerful and explosive, but you can tell they have a passion for what they do.
Their last album was recorded 6 years ago but, due to a shift of labels it was only released in 2017, so the band spent a lot of time touring to keep the fans happy. Although touring the world was fun to play for the fans, they also knew they had to make another album sooner rather than later as not to lose momentum. This left the guys only one weekend to write material (wow no pressure then!) Once they started, though, lyrics were not hard to sort, as the break with their first record label and the political state of the world, had them all irritated and angry.
“We felt it was time to move on and there’s no better way to do it than to make a hard-hitting metal album.”
The first track ‘Bitter INTRO’ I was thinking ok, I must have got the wrong album, as the 2:21 track is almost Jean-Michel Jarre-like and not what I was expecting at all. But you must expect the unexpected from this album as you’re soon left in no mind what these guys are capable of.
If you need any more proof of it after listening to the album, then check out their videos. They are epic and seeing their lead singer Jens Westin in a silver suit body bopping on the floor in the video to their track ‘Burn’ had me in stitches.
Guys you are something else! Totally brilliant!
Talking of ‘Burn’, the manic tempo, full of anger and the emphasis on the BUUUUUURN in such a deep growl, gets to your soul and then, just as you think the track is ending, you slip into a Spanish guitar interlude. But please don’t worry, the guys haven’t suddenly gone soft, as within a short time, you are back to amazing guitar riffs and heart thumping drumming.
The band consists of Jens Westin on vocals and guitar, Thomas Anderson on guitar and backing vocals, Bjarne Elvsgar on bass and Per Solang on drums, and together give us a dark, melancholic, angry, album that is full of rage. This comes out so much in the track ‘Black’ you can really hear the anger and frustrations these guys have been through and their way of expressing it is literally music to our ears. There is no hiding away from the passion these guys have put into this album and I’m sure the crowds at their shows are crazy, with lots of fist pumping and headbanging going on.
‘Scream’ has a crazy speed, with totally insane drumming and the vocals leave you with a sore throat and those guitar riffs are just from another world.
Yes, the album is dark and angry, but you must listen to it over and over again! It’s just so damn good. It’s an album of what nightmares are made of but, wow what a nightmare!
Just epic!
TRACKLISTING:
01. Bitter INTRO
02. Breathing
03. Cross
04. Burn
05. Black
06. Testament
07. Scream
08. Cyanide
09. Destruction
10. Time
11. Drown
12. War
LINKS:
http://www.corroded.se/
http://www.instagram.comcorroded_sweden
https://www.instagram.com/corroded_sweden/
https://despotz.bigcartel.com
Disclaimer: This review is solely the property of Tsarina Wilson and Ever Metal. It is strictly forbidden to copy any part of this review, unless you have the strict permission of both parties. Failure to adhere to this will be treated as plagiarism and will be reported to the relevant authorities.
