Swedish death metal outfit Katakomba formed in 2016, while the members were still in high school. Cutting their teeth covering Sepultura songs after class, the quartet released their first EP, All Goes Dark, in 2019. On their first proper full-length, Katakomba, the young Swedes keep death metal’s spirit alive.
Katakomba are nothing if not true to their roots, including an excellent mastering job by Dan Swäno. Fans of the Dismember and Entombed school of buzzsaw death metal have plenty to sink their teeth into as the guitar and bass create a storm of HM-2 distortion and chugging riffs. The rhythm section of drummer Ernst Eklund and bassist/lead vocalist Fabian Brodén keep the band tight and Eklund’s lively performance is a major energy boost for the record.
On their debut album, Katakomba show their love for classic death metal while laying the framework for future releases with strong musicianship, good songwriting and excellent tone. Listen to the full stream below—highlights include album opener “Damnatio Ad Bestias,” “Worship Death” and “Embalmed in Concrete”–and purchase via Redefining Darkness.
