I don't know if you are familiar with something that has been a sort of phenomenon or a so called decree regarding first albums or first releases in general. It has been often said by many folks in the Metal press and also by fans over the years, that there is nothing better than when a band releases its debut album as that is its true face, right from the origins, their first works on display. Even today some people admit what I think is more to themselves than to others, that the first IRON MAIDEN or METALLICA albums are still the best there was. I am sure that many of you have already raised your eyebrows by now. Don't worry I don't agree with it. However, I know that common notion and I believe that there is a sense in it. Nonetheless, I also think that this notion is a thing of the past. Today, for lots of bands is the beginning of something that has the chance to become greater later on. Same goes with the young Swedish five piece of modern Death Metal menace, DEATHBREED.

With blooded fists raised and ready to smash someone's face, these youngsters released their debut EP, "Your Stigmata", which lays a pretty dark shadow on the Swedish Death and modern Thrash Metal many of you have been listening too for years. DEATHBREED are the opposite of what is melodic, at least in the majority of their material; their riffing is low tuned even quite basic for this subgenre that is usually goes technical. There were times where the riffs and rhythms were a bit monotonous as the guitarists and bass didn't seem to care that much of the higher frets on their fret boards. Don't know why but the first band that came to my mind were the late Swedish veterans of THE CROWN also once known as CROWN OF THORNES, yet even they were more melodic and diverse. ENTOMBED also crossed my mind, especially their later eras that pretty much fit the same picture of DEATHBREED, well aside from the vocal section. As you probably figured the melody thing is strong thing for me. To the benefit of DEATHBREED they tried to mask their brutal straightforwardness with a bit of keyboards as a cool halo and they also awarded with a lead guitar solo, starred on "Pripyat", something that seems to be rare in their material, thanks to the ample hands of Ted Dahlberg. On a personal note to the guy, you must bring more of those, it will only help.

DEATHBREED's material is flowing, like on the opening "Stigmata",I can tell you that. However, it didn't lead me to anything that I would want to come back to so fast. I like their intentions and their intensity as there were a few great riffs that were perfect in the spot given to them. As I was saying in the beginning of the review, the notion of the first release is mostly non-existent today as I have been evident to the way bands treat their material in order to perfect it. I believe that perfecting can only be done after a first release. So in the case of DEATHBREED, the second release, or the first full-length will probably tell a different side of their story.