Entombed
Uprising

February 2001
Released: 2000, Metal-Is
Rating: 3.0/5
Reviewer: Nathan Robinson

So the old logo is back, the album cover is taken from an old demo, everyone hates Same Difference, and the word on the street is Uprising is a return-to-form for the ol’ Entombed gang. Well this sure as hell isn’t Left Hand Path, Clandestine, Wolverine Blues, nor To Ride, Shoot Straight, and Speak the Truth for that matter. Come on people, when are you going to learn? Entombed is way past their peak, and they’re about as likely to release another killer album just as it is likely Megadeth’s new album is actually going to be good. Let’s face it, Entombed has abandoned death metal forever. This isn’t necessarily bad either, because progression and experimentation can have good results. But the whole (stoner) rock thing of late is getting pretty damn boring. It takes a band like Spiritual Beggars to really do it right and keep it interesting. But at least Uprising is a much better album than Same Difference. The production is dirtier this time, sounding closer to To Ride… and Dismember’s Massive Killing Capacity. And it was a good move, because their style of death rock works better with a raw sound as well as the nastier vocals this time around. And I have to admit, some songs here and there are pretty damn heavy, like the true head-banging action found in “Say it in Slugs”, the doom-laden “Returning to Madness” and “In the Flesh”, and the familiar-sounding “Something Out of Nothing” with its recycled riffs but nice “Out of Hand”-type section towards the end. It’s mainly these songs and a few others that warrant Uprising repeated spins in the old CD player. These tunes make me bang my head hard, while the rest are more upbeat and “happier” songs reminding me of square dancing in elementary school. Die hard fans of Entombed who appreciated the direction on To Ride…, as well as those of you into latter day Konkhra, may find Uprising of interest. Just forget Same Difference even exists. An added incentive for us North Americans is the fact that our version contains three bonus tracks, namely “Superior”, “The Only Ones”, and “Words”. So finally, we’re blessed with the bonus tracks and not Japan or Europe! Woo hoo! Check out the band’s site at: http://www.entombed.net