ENTRAILS hailing from Linneryd, Sweden were initially formed in 1990. The Death Metal outfit were active until 1998, but never released anything. This was a reason for restarting the band in 2008 and since then, they released six full-length album and a compilation album of their demos. Their seventh album "An Eternal Time Of Decay" was mixed by Jimmy Lundqvist and mastered by Dan Swanö at his Unisound Studio. The album has a length of about 46 minutes, and it was released via Dutch label Hammerheart Records which has a number of Thrash, Power, and Death Metal bands among their current roster.

The album starts with the title song, which is a tension-building dark pre-lude, before the Death Metal onslaught starts with "Die To Death". And what a start this is! Swedish Death Metal at its finest: the traditional buzz saw guitar sound, malignant riffing, speed, growling vocals from the abyss, and a spine-chilling melodic framework. "Die To Death" is a fast song with a mid-tempo break. It is an exciting opener in the best tradition of DISMEMBER or BLOODBATH. "Die To Death" has been released as promo on YouTube by the label and the link is given below. "Fear The End" starts with a crunching bass line, before it transitions into a powerful mid-tempo track which is driven by the guitar riffing and the relentless drumming. There are few changes in tempo with some attacks at frantic speed and a down-tempo part. The down-tempo part includes a contributing lead guitar solo with grim melodies. The riffing is simple and very effective, making "Fear The End" to one of the album highlights.

 "The Dead" starts with a short instrumental part driven by the guitars, before it transitions into another fast track. The vocals get background support for the chorus line. The rhythm of the track is uniform almost throughout with only two short mid-tempo episodes, one of them introducing another lead guitar solo right at the end of the track. "Slayed To A Pile Of Flesh" has a very powerful start at mid-tempo including an extended lead guitar solo played by Taylor Nordberg (THE ABSENCE, DEICIDE). There is a tempo switch towards a head-banging rhythm for the verse parts, while the bridges are driven by blast-beat attacks. The chorus parts follow classical mid-tempo rhythms. The riffing of the track is very direct and aggressive, contributing to a blood-freezing atmosphere throughout. There is little room for variation of the ENTRAILS sound. Every track follows the same style. It is only a matter of subtle tempo switches or a change in the lead guitar contributions. "Open Casket Feast" is the typical Swedish Death Metal mid-tempo track. It has a bit more lead guitars and the solo is a great contribution to the track. The drums contribute with a few more blast-beats and double-bass.

"Dead By Evil" starts with an atmospheric intro led by the piano, which transitions into doom-laden melodies provided by the guitars and bass. The tempo is slightly slower at a head-banging rhythm. "Dead By Evil" is all about the grim atmosphere and guitars, bass, and vocals contribute excellently to it. Highlight is the lead guitar solo. The second part of the track is a switch towards mid-tempo, but the atmosphere is maintained by the dark guitar riffing. "Inverted Graveyard" has a very powerful start with the guitars and the double-bass drumming. The tempo is a bit slower at an almost stomping rhythm, however, that does not last long, as ENTRAILS quickly raise speed and aggression level. The riffing is tight, and the base melody of the track is, despite all the hammering, almost catchy.

"Autopsy" starts with an extended gloomy instrumental part that is driven by the lead guitar solo. It is another track that has its drive by the simplicity and effectiveness of the guitar riffing. The middle part of the album seems to focus a bit more on a chilling atmosphere and less on aggression. ENTRAILS are very good at both, and "Autopsy" is a good example how the lead guitars can be used to maintain darkness. At the end of the track, there is the switch to a higher pace and more aggression, but at the core, the freezing atmosphere prevails. "Reborn In Worms" is a fast and pummeling song. It is a track for the pit, despite it includes a short doomy part at measured pace carried forward by the lead guitar solo. The album finishes with another highlight. "Possessed" starts fast with flesh-ripping riffs and relentless drumming. The mid-tempo part is kept short, but it contributes very well, and it includes a few background vocals. Highlight of the song is the lead guitar solo. A great track to end the album.

ENTRAILS deliver an excellent Death Metal album! "An Eternal Time Of Decay" has all the attributes of Swedish Death Metal that fans love for more than 30 years: the buzzsaw sound, the directness and aggressiveness in the riffing, and the bone-chilling melodies. ENTRAILS do not experiment with their sound; they use a well-tried concept of Death Metal. The album is not a stereotype of the classics, it sounds fresh and dynamic, and despite a narrow-framed Death Metal approach, the album does not sound repetitive. The album has a modern production and that contributes to an excellent sound. "An Eternal Time Of Decay" is one of those albums that should belong to the collection of every Death Metal fan.