Deals Death no doubt slightly vexed that there are already a couple of bands out there called Death Dealer decided upon their slightly clunky moniker when they got it together in Sweden in 2008. They released one independent album ‘Internal Demons’ the year later and then they were subsequently signed by Spinefarm records for album number 2, the simply entitled ‘Elite.’ If like me you have not heard of them prior to this and you are off to see Scar Symmetry and Xerath this week then they should certainly catch your attention as they are the support act on their shows. They also claim to have former members of Sabaton in their ranks (several more bands will no doubt be able to say that too after recent events) but do they sound like atypical Swedish melodic death metal?
Well yes and no!

A big synth sound and pummelling drums see us into ‘Collapse’ and this is mighty and melodic before the barking vocals of singer Olle growl in and take it off in a harsher direction. There are elements of plenty of other bands about this although perhaps this early on they are not that clear. It’s a hefty opener and one that gets its talons in nicely leaving you wondering whets to come. The barraging pace continues as we swagger into ‘Fearless’ and this is delivering on all fronts now marrying anger, aggression and melody together neatly, big booming backing vocals fill in the gap and you can imagine this one whipping a shitstorm up in the pit. It gets a lot more familiar come ‘Eradicated’ as that atypical Spinefarm pompous clamour comes in with the keys, we are now well and truly in pure Children Of Bodom mode but luckily Deals Death do it well and with plenty of energy about things. Songs do not stick around and the album itself delivers nine numbers in just over the half hour mark meaning that even if things are not exactly diverse you are not given time to become bored about it all.

The pace does finally slow when we get to ‘Conquer As One’ but despite the lighters out beginning it is far too heavyset to be considered a ballad and still has plenty of chops about it. The frosty icicle shivering keyboards on ‘Perfection’ are pretty perfect indeed making you think of a winter wonderland and sending a shiver down your neck. The hoary vocals are by now ingrained and fit in with the instrumentation well and the overall feeling of things gives me little surprise that the Swedes have been snapped up by Spinefarm. All in all this is a neck snapping fast ride of an album with hooks aplenty and a style that although not strictly the band’s own is one that will sit comfortably with hordes of metal fans.

(7/10 Pete Woods)

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