Cemetary is back again, at least Mathias Lodmalm is, for yet another addition to their discography. This time, as per usual, the music style changes quite a bit again, with the first song "Forever" sounding much like what was on "Sundown" and the latter songs being quite different. It's likely that anyone who liked "Sundown" will enjoy "Last Confessions".
It is often odd that a newer release from a band is heavier than their previous release. But with a different approach to the guitar riffs, and a strong bass presence, the music has done just that: gotten a little heavier. Being a little more expressive in places, the guitars have a variety of palm muting, high and low pitch lead/rhythm combos, and melodic sections.
The music is extremely structured and precise. The timings, including chord changes, must have been timed down to the nanosecond at points. The duration of segments correspond perfectly to the other instruments, and the transitions happen predictably and cleanly. Even with the very strong binding and very technical feel, it still generally sounds real and believable -- thus maintaining the emotion we've come to expect from Cemetary.
Making a very strong presence this time around is the electronic component. The synth goes from the background to being the major sound during the course of the album. Combining this with the slightly mechanically altered vocals (actually it appears as though two separate vocal tracks were recorded and then layered on top of each other) give a strong industrial feel to the music. This electronic style change could be compared to the stylistic change from Danzig 3 to 4 -- not to cause confusion however, the music sounds nothing like that of Danzig 3 or 4.
If you liked "Sundown" then the major factor as to whether you will enjoy "Last Confessions" to the same level is the slightly more electronic and technical sound. Veering slightly away from the standard metal sound may bring Lodmalm a few different listeners, but will likely turn others away.
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