Evocation
Tales from the Tomb

September 2007
Released: 2007, Cyclone Empire/Sound Pollution
Rating: 4.0/5
Reviewer: Anders Sandvall

Evocation comes from Sweden and TALES FROM THE TOMB is their debut album. Prior to this the band released two demos and one promo demo. Some of the members have been part of bands like Cemetery, Sundown, and Lake Of Tears. Evocation plays old-school Swedish death metal like it sounded way back at the beginning of the 90’s. The music sounds old but the production is updated to fit into the 21st century, and they’ve done it in the most brilliant way.

The music is brutal, heavy, furious, and technical all at once. They have got huge musical similarities with Nihilist or early Entombed. As a fan of old-school Scandinavian death metal you can believe that I was happy when I put the album into my CD player. I love almost everything about this album; it’s got everything a furious album should have. It’s fun to hear an old-school Swedish death metal band that actually knows how to play.

Amongst the 12 songs are covers of the old Entombed songs “But Life Goes On” and “Veils Were Blown”, in which Gustaf Jorde (ex-Defleshed) guests on lead vocals. It’s hard to pick out any killer tracks when in fact the entire album is full of them. This is hate and aggression in its purest shape and form and I love it. TALES FROM THE TOMB is a fist in the face and outstanding in its genre. This is a given purchase for all fans of old Entombed, Dismember, Unleashed, or Amon Amarth. It’s an album that lies pretty close to perfection.