Sanctification

While Sweden's Sanctification contain members of In Battle and black metal's highly revered Dark Funeral, their latest release, Black Reign, is completely death metal. The band teeter between the modern brutality of American bands like Cannibal Corpse and the classic Swedish death metal sound along the lines of Dismember and Hypocrisy, allowing Sanctification's sound to encompass the best of both worlds. This second full-length from the band is brutal and punishing throughout its nine unrelentingly severe tracks. The standout songs on this disc are, without a doubt, the title track and "Eternal," which feature guest vocals by the great Peter Tägtgren (Hyprocrisy), who also produced the record. Masse Broberg (aka Emperor Magus Caligula of Dark Funeral), now Sanctification's sole vocalist, also makes an appearance on Black Reign. There might be something in the water in Sweden because like most records coming out of that country, this is simply killer.