Closer
Darkness in Me mini-CD

April 2007
Released: 2006, Pulverised Records
Rating: 3.5/5
Reviewer: Luxi Lahtinen

From the ashes of the Hagfors-based Withered, comes Closer that has been crowned as “The Best Unsigned Band In Sweden” by the Swedish Close Up magazine which should give some hints for everyone that we are dealing with a pretty skilled act here.



So, “do we?” may one curiously ask. I guess it’s fair to say we indeed do because this melodic Swedish metal patrol carries more than just a couple of pocketfuls of sheer talent that may not necessarily prove anything at all. Sure, the much-talked ´Gothenburg´ -element can surely be spotted from their sound. But it doesn’t disturb me nearly as much as in some other bands´ sound because Closer sounds way heavier, groovier, and kinda even more straight-forward than many of their country mates who have adopted that particular sound. Also, I don’t know if it’s just me who thinks this way, but at times Andreas growls his lungs out almost like Marco Aro in his previous band, The Haunted. He has got lots of power behind his voice - and yes, his vocals fit perfectly into the band’s groovy, thrashing approach. Closer´s is also, eh - ´closer´ to Thrash Metal musically than melo-Death Metal, so even in that sense their stuff makes a difference to how people ´normally´ perceive this ´Gothenburg melo-Death´. Per´s and Jonas´ ability shows they can truly shred with their 6-stringers whenever their song structures need it. A shred-fest called “Nothing Is Everything” should be enough prove for all of that.



Oh, almost forgot to mention one thing: Change your hideous look guys. You look nothing but a bunch of dirty and disgusting pimps! Holy Jesus... phew!