Sometimes you just crave for something straightforward that will not give you a hard time trying to figure out the musical direction and influences. For time to time I find myself being totally confused and bored by the constant search of something new in Metal. Ok, this is good when it comes to music diversity but it may become a hard ass enemy to feeling driven Metal we all loved in the 80s.
Although the new DIMENSION ZERO album does not originate from the 80s it did serve my craving for some neck snapping guitar driven Metal! To be more specific DIMENSION ZERO have strong bonds with the Melodic Death Metal scene that also comes under the moniker Gothenburg sound. The band's musical ancestry is mainly due to Jesper Stromblad from IN FLAMES and Daniel Antonsson from SOILWORK who bring with them the trademark sound of their bands. I found really interesting in this album the addition of the ex-MARDUK singer Jocke Gothberg in the lineup who impressively boosts the sound identity of He Who Shall Not Bleed. The music is guitar based with the distinct Swedish riffs that implement the old-school MAIDEN recipe aside to the  fast tempo and of course catch melodies. The vocals come from the Black Metal territory in a high pitch profile giving the album some additional points towards aggression. The fast drums solidify the overall sound result that was properly treated at the IN FLAMES Studios (a.k.a. Studio Fredman).
Songs like Unto Others or the bang-my-head-against A Paler Shade Of White (A Darker Side Of Black) made me think of the mid era of HYPOCRISY and of course smile with pleasure. Some spoken parts in I Can Hear The Dark and Way To Shine enhance the dark almost depressive atmosphere through the IN FLAMES perspective who use this kind of approach to build the tension and then let it out. This tension bursts out through the twin guitars that make an unholy allegiance with Jocke's Black Metal vocal profile. These vocals are stay brutal keeping a safe distant from the 'cleaner' almost Metalcore style that many bands dare to bring in the Swedish based Metal scene. Just krank the volume up in Is and feast your ears to Jocke's growl saying Come on! trying not to snap your neck as the main riff enters. With that strong Thrash Metal foundations the SLAYER unholy air breathes upon the killers Deny or The Was that will make the late THE HAUNTING works blush with shame.
I think the album should have a sub-title saying The way the Gothenburg sound should be to help some bands reconsider their own music identity. If you reached to this point then you have understand where I stand with this release. It is a fucking blast!