Aktiv Dödshjälp
Men allting har ett slut
Halvfabrikat
This is the second in what is touted to be a trilogy of albums from Swede Tomas Nilsson and it marks a decidedly more metal outlook than the übercrusty "4:48" that he unleashed back in 2007. Back then it was a standard crust/grind ethic that Aktiv Dödshjälp was adhering to, and one that didn't stray one iota from the tried and tested formula utilized by so many before them. There was definitely a heap of potential in there, though, despite the fact that the debut full-length was really nothing more than a poor man's Skitsystem. Fast forward to 2010 and Aktiv Dödshjälp has definitely progressed, injecting a heftier dose of metal into the mix while retaining that crust mindset that has been the musical driving force of the project since day one. There's a bit of a problem, though. Put simply, it doesn't really work: at best the riffs are generic creations that offer little more than a familiar nod toward a multitude of bands playing the same crusty, punky hardcore; at worst they're clichéd, second-rate compositions that pale in comparison to the genre legends that have gone before. Special mention must be made of the vocals, specifically for the fact that they're way too high in the mix and become totally unbearable very quickly. If this album is to be commended, it's only for the fact that the band have tried to do something different with their sound, probably in order to keep things fresh and exciting. The fact that they have put out something quite the opposite is unfortunate.
- John Norby
