It seems that Swedish Metal scene is having a great change now.

Known for the vast legions of extreme Metal bands from Black Metal and Death Metal, the things are becoming interesting due the arrival of more melodic Metal bands, some using an older way, in the vein of the 70s; other ones using a more melodic and musically influenced by bands from the 80s. HAMMERFALL still holds the throne of the style; ENFORCER is a widely known name from those lands, but now, coming with their second album, we have AMBUSH, a quintet from the city of Växjö, that arrives with their second album, "Desecrator".

Besides they're playing an old style, they are really trying to breathe some life on their songs, and we can feel an influence from bands from German Metal, like ACCEPT and RUNNING WILD along with touches from NWOBHM as well. OK, their music is still a bit moldy, but it's not bad, principally because we can see they're still in an evolution process. Their songs are filled with fine vocals (except when high pitch screams in the way of Rob Halford are used. Sorry, but Oskar has a good voice, and don't need to use these screams), very good guitar riffs and solos, and a solid rhythmic kitchen. They can do better, it's clear, but isn't bad as they are by now.

Mankan Blakk Sedenberg produced and mixed the album, and Linus Olsson did the mastering. The result is a sound quality that makes their music sound clear and heavy in the right moments, along with good tunes in every instrument. So we can understand what their music is all about.

Due the limitations of vinyl discs, their album lasts almost 40 minutes, their songs are not longing more than five minutes (expect "The Seventh Seal"), and their best moments can be heard on "Possessed By Evil" (a fine work on six strings, with melodic solos and powerful riffs. And the tempos are not as fast as some could love, but are fine), "Desecrator" (a fine chorus here. And the use of not so fast paced tempos is very good once more, showing the rhythmic kitchen in a simple, but efficient work), the hooking riffs on "Southstreet Brotherhood", "Rose Of The Dawn" and its fast tempos (fast in the view of Heavy Metal, please; and the vocals are good here once more), and the melodic tunes on guitars used on "The Seventh Seal" (but to be long, the song lacks of more changes on rhythm).

Well, they can become great on the future, but by now, are a good name.