Genre: Death metal
Origin: Denmark
Released: 2010
Website: Undergang
Label: Me Saco Un Ojo Records
Uploaded: 16.02.10

Oh, how I’ve been looking forward to this one. Ever since I first heard a couple of samples from a demo session a year ago I knew Undergang would become a force to be reckoned with. I saw them live and was even more convinced of their competence and skill to deliver powerful brutality of an extreme magnitude. It feels like it’s taken forever, but it’s finally here. It’s easy to build a hype, it’s easy to get too high expectations in anticipation of what you think will be mesmerizing. But trust me when I say Indhentet af døden is just as good as I could ever have hoped for.
The sound is incredibly dense. Production-wise it’s not much to really decipher since the sound is so incredibly heavy and dense, but it contains such a rugged crudeness as it lacks any kind of crystal clear digital cleanliness of modern day metal. The serious churning and pummeling of the bass is almost overwhelming, and it’s been a long time since I last heard a record with such emphasis on that particular instrument. I love the way they let the bass play an important role in their music, and the heaviness of it is increased to a marvelous magnitude. But before any of this kicks in we’re offered a schizoid and eerie piano intro that fits so well into the aesthetics of the album. And then the rumbling commences.
The old school death metal influence is very present, just as I sense a dose of old school goregrind as well. It’s blended to create a very rotten sound, oozing of gore and brutality. Minor, technical guitar quirks are mixed with a pure onslaught of fast riffing; overwhelmingly groovy. And the groove is emphasized by the doom parts thrown in every now and then, and just as fitting of a name drop as Autopsy, Impetigo and Carcass would be, the major denomination would probably be Winter for that groovy sensation of doom flirtation. But I also feel a slight touch of Sewn Shut, or maybe it’s just the unrelenting heavy grinding that the two acts have in common. Fast hammering comes at you like a stampeding horde of elephants, but as soon as the horde reaches you it turns into a bulldozer, slowly rolling over your corpse; turning it into a bloody mess. I can’t even begin to describe how heavy-as-hell this is.
The doom is best represented by Tvangstanker, which opens up with a major dose of slow churning riffage, masterful drum beats and with one hell of a groove to it. Afterwards it moves on to a more death metal based track, while still retaining that incredible sense of doom. The acoustic tune, De dødes passage, adds a magnificently angstfilled touch, and once again it fits in oh-so-well with the aesthetics. Lyrically it’s dark and ominous tales of child murder, death, pain, torment and suffering. But what makes this stand out from the crowd is the fact that it’s in Danish, which gives it an even greater genuine sense of a stark, haunting atmosphere. And with the incredibly low-end grunts the brutality is at an all time high. Vocally it’s very monotonous since it’s nothing but these grunts, but with the powerful voice he commands I don’t see how anyone could possibly have anything to complain about.
It feels like I could go on and on forever giving this album praise, but my vocabulary isn’t equipped with an endless supply of adjectives and nouns. So you’ll just have to take my word for it when I say this is a gem of the underground, and if you have any pride or sense of shame in your god forsaken shrivel of a body you’ll be wise to pick this up before it’s sold out. Although to be released on CD by Extreem Music later this year, such a masterpiece is to be enjoyed on vinyl for full effect. Undergang absolutely blows me away with this onslaught of heaviness, and they’ve managed to create something so mystic, stark and powerful that I dare say I haven’t heard the likes in years. It was a long time ago since I was so awe-struck by a band, and if they keep this up I’m gonna have to build and dedicate a shrine to their Danish honour.

Tracklist:
01. Englemagersken
02. Dødshymne
03. Opslugt af mørket
04. Evigt lidende
05. Tvangstanker
06. Forkullede rester
07. De dødes passage
08. Indhentet af døden