Sometimes, things in Metal gains new contrasts and features due the immigrations of genres. In the beginning, Southern Rock was just a genre specifically linked to USA due the great number of acts as Lonnie Mack (a musician that created the embryo of the genre), THE ALLMAN BROTHERS BAND, CREEDENCE CLEARWATER REVIVAL, LYNYRD SKYNYRD, ZZ TOP, BLACK OAK ARKANSAS, BLACKFOOT and others who brought influences of Black music and Country into Rock ‘n’ Roll. On the 90s, the recipe was revisited and then appeared Groove Metal (but that’s another history). Today, it’s common to hear bands with Southern Rock influences on their music throughout the world, as heard on “Brimstone”, the second full-length of the Swedish duo BRIMSTONE. Steve James signs the production of the album (with Matt Gray making the mastering), and the choice is what expected from Swedish Heavy Metal bands: a loud and clean sonority, defined and understandable (what means that the Southern Rock touches are mainly focused on the songs), and heavy as Hell.

The artwork (a very good work of Yan Sek) translates to visual what the band presents on its songs. It's not a sin to say that the band plays a form of Swedish traditional Heavy Metal - what means something modern and melodic, yet heavy - filled with clear influences of Southern Rock in many moments (as on the 90s Doom Metal-like appeal of “Boogeyman”) and bits of groove. It’s really very good to hear such form of music being played with energy and sharp melodies.

“Brimstone” brings to the fans 10 excellent songs, all of them being a very good experience to the ears. It means that “Cometh the lceman” (excellent heavy and catching melodies, with very good guitars), “When the Ship Goes Down” (where the Southern/Groove Metal influences are clearly heard), “Boogeyman” (the slow tempos and bitter melodies are hard to resist to, and what heavy work on bass guitar and drums), “Forever No More”, “Evil Understands” (charming harsh clean tunes of the vocals), “Run from the Clouds”, “Doctor of Spin”, “Poison Apple Bite”, “What Have I Become” and “This Eternal Winter” are really inspired and very good songs.

After listening to “Brimstone”, it’s not a sin to say that BRIMSTONE is a strong candidate to be one of the best new names in the Swedish Metal scene.