 
...And here comes the heavyweight champ! After a year long hiatus, he's back to show why he's "the greatest." He struts toward the ring with an entourage resembling a small army. Once in the ring, he's bouncing around like an overinflated weeble. His robe comes off, and he's looking a little flabby. Has success softened our once hardened assailant? The challenger looks to be a worthy opponent; he's far younger, with a chiseled physique and eyes of fire. The bell sounds, and our champ charges like a hell bent bull. Look at him go! He's really wailing away, going for the quick knockout. The challenger has done his homework, though. He gracefully sidesteps the champ like a skilled matador. His paws remain up around his head. The champ can't seem to land a solid punch. The challenger sees the lumpy arms and spare tire of a midsection and knows this assault won't last. Sure enough, by the start of round three, the champ is out of steam. He's punched himself out. He's so exhausted he can't even keep his hands up. It's just a matter of time before the challenger lands the decisive blow. Seconds later, a sharp left to the gut deflates the champ. He's a sitting duck: nothing left in the old tank. Followed quickly with an overhead right, it's lights out for the champ! He's done, and he knows it. Bloodbath has all the credentials and expectations of a heavyweight champion. Featuring death metal legends Dan Swano (Edge of Sanity, plus about a million other bands) and Peter Tagtgren(Hypocrisy, Pain) along with a rhythm section featuring members of Katatonia and Witchery, Bloodbath is expected to deliver. And like our old champ, Bloodbath start out strong. Blast beats and tonsil stretching screams have the makings of an inspired performance. Their songs charge out the floodgates like an alcohol burnin' funny car. They hit hard, snapping your neck with the g-forces of a thousand ponies. All too quickly though, it becomes apparent that your mechanic forgot to secure the intake manifold! Halfway down the strip, the bolts vibrate free and poof! - you're feebly coasting to the finish line. Don't get me wrong. The playing is flawless and the production suits the music very well. Tagtgren's voice is suitably aggressive (though not as brutal as former singer, Opeth's Mikael Akerfeldt). There's just something very sterile about it all. Maybe it's too well played. Maybe these guy's are too good to be playing "old school" death metal! They're certainly not kids anymore. Nightmares Made Flesh comes across as lacking feeling. Apathetic. It's death metal without empathy, like it's suffering from antisocial personality disorder. I really wanted to like this album. Both Swano and Tagtgren are exceptionally creative musicians. It seems like they just missed the mark with this one. Nightmares Made Flesh plays more like background music. I found myself being bored with the familiarity of it all. With an initial enticement not unlike a deceptive credit card ad, you eventually become privy to the fact that you've been duped. Songwriting is a tricky thing, and maybe I'm being too critical, but there are certainly more original and exciting death metal bands out there now. Here's my advise for Bloodbath; 1. Stop practicing 2. Consume excessive quantities of beer, malt liquor is even better 3. Put Autopsy's Severed Survival on repeat for at least a week straight, and finally 4. Drugs are never discouraged (I'm gonna get fired!). -- Andrew Andermatt
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Bloodbath