Sweden's INFERIOR, who released their first album "Unsoiled" back in 2013, are now back with their sophomore effort titled "The Red Beast." So has it been worth the three year wait?

Their sound is known to be a mixture of Death and Thrash Metal similar to that of early Slayer and Sepultura. After forming in 2006 and releasing some demos and appearing on a few compilations, the band seem to have built a strong following in North America; and now look set to make their mark in Europe with their second record.

It is definitely brutal Metal. The title track starts with a guitar riff before the blast beats and aggressive riffage kick in. Vocalist Kristian Karlson's voice sounds very vitriolic and the song in general sounds like the end of the world; never relenting and making for an intense listening experience - early Kreator definitely springs to mind.

The rest of the album is very heavy and this band definitely knows how to make really angry, hateful Metal. It does not feel repetitive and the slow/mid-paced parts cooperate well with the faster tempos. As previously stated, the band has a very old school sound, particularly when the guitar solos are utilised.

For anyone who is a fan of 80's and early 90's Thrash and Death metal, INFERIOR are definitely worth a listen. With this in mind, it is probably safe to say that they are not reinventing the wheel by any means, so if you are looking for a band that is doing something new then maybe you should look elsewhere.

I enjoyed this album and felt that it was very well played and produced. Overall, "The Red Beast" is definitely a solid effort that hits the right notes and achieves what it sets out to do. Highly recommended.