I was thinking about doing a Coldworker review and not
comparing them with Nasum, but decided that that was too hard. Keep in mind
that all comparisons made in this interview are mainly there because the
primary reason people are going to listen to Coldworker is to hear Anders play
(that’s why I listened to them, after all). Coldworker and Nasum are two very
different bands, despite playing in similar styles, and should each be viewed
in their own right; that is to say, without one looming over the other’s head,
because Coldworker and Anders are not trying to ride Nasum’s wave of fame. They
handle their music with respect and have taken it in a naturally different
direction.
For those who don’t know that direction is straight up fast,
aggressive death/grind with a bit of a technical edge. This album in truth
features a wide range of sounds, from crust punk to old school Morbid Angel .
The song Vacuum Fields has a brilliant segment in which, while churning
out a brutal mid-paced thrash riff, vocalist Joel Fornbrandt chants (or does
spoken word) with a very sinister whisper gurgling quietly in the background
behind him. I say this is sweet. The next song is even better, a flawless
fusion of death, thrash and grind, impossible to actually tell in which genre
any riff truly lies. All songs are distinct, although some are better than
others, due to riffs that seem bland and generic in a few places. This strikes me
on roughly the first few tracks of the album, but once we hit midway, The
Doomsayer’s Call really takes off, laying out the most punishing, modestly
technical riffs left, right, and centre. It is impressive how they manage to
pull off being melodic and also actually crushing at the same time, rivaling
more than your average band in plain old dirty brutality. The lyrics are also
quite good, focusing on social problems, but with a nice little inventive gore
thrown in on Becoming the Stench. I highly approve. Instrumentation is
perfect, but I’m not sure I entirely enjoy the style of the vocalist. While he is
clearly talented, he sounds like many others I seem to have heard.
Where does it lie comparatively to Nasum? Well, one thing
you notice immediately is that there’s a lot more death here. The chain-gun
pulse of Nasum is diminished and the drop-offs into the breakdown’s are not as
steep; what I mean to say is the Coldworker give a variety of memorable riffs,
but they rely on a more epic song structure, as opposed to the sudden contrasts
between riffs that Nasum used to define their albums. Although short, songs
remain contained, as opposed to being merely a tool in a bigger picture (aka
the classic grind trick of single riff, one-or-less-than second songs). That
said, you can definitely feel Anders’ presence here and there are moments where
you feel nostalgic. The main thing is that these guys are doing what they want
to do, and not selling out. Coldworker doesn’t even pretend to be Nasum, but
the deathgrind is in their blood, and this serves as a worthy successor to one
of the greatest grind bands of all time, although I do believe they have yet to
reach the height of their potential. Hopefully next time Coldworker will bring
us their masterpiece.
Summary: What would have been a brilliant album from a band
with a very cool style is marred by a few boring riffs and vocals that don’t
distinguish themselves.
Standout tracks: Vacuum Fields, Living Is Suffering, The
Walls of Eryx
Overall: 8.5
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