Sanctification

Black Reign

Pulverised Records 2009

I guess trying to break with tradition somewhat, Swedes Sanctification are entering the death metal race playing a style that owes its roots to the Floridian scene rather than that of Stockholm or Gothenburg.  Thirst for Blood opens the album with strong leanings towards the muscular and rhythmic approach of Morbid Angel.  Beefy riffs and rapidly shifting drum patterns plant a flag of dominance in the ground.  Boasting a chunky set of riffs, I hear elements of Six Feet Under on Raw.  The hack n' slash guitar work and double bass drums a overriding elements within Sanctification's approach.  Whereas Hear This bears a strikcing resemblance to Boltthrower's groove heavy streamroller approach though with a More Morbid Angel-ish percussive style.  Covenant Era Morbid Angel rules the day on Dead Forever and as brutally have Morbid Angel rhythms flex and ultimately crush the listener through the sheer weight of the guitars.  More Bolthrower meets Morbid Angel on Flesh, Bone and Skin.  On the track there is some truly weighty guitar work that is smothering in its slow crawl and its crunchy groove.  Deadly and slightly more mature with its sharp fretwork is the final track, Storm which features guest vocals from Magus Caligula of Dark Funeral.  Sanctification, though avoiding comparisons to their fellow countrymen by playing a heavily Floridian style of death metal, are still not really breaking any new ground or managing to separate themselves from the crowded pack of death metal merchants out there.  If you have a lot of room on your plate for Floridian styled death metal then the solid sophomore album from Sanctification might be just what you need, otherwise you are just getting a meaty rehash of better albums from Morbid Angel and their peers.