When Doom Metal and Death Metal were blended together in the beginning of the 90s, a new style was born: Doom Death Metal.

It was a time when somber and sinister bands as PARADISE LOST, ANATHEMA, MY DYING BRIDE in their earlier works made a bitter and introspective form of music, using the aggressiveness of Death Metal with the slow paced tempos, and the darkened and dense atmosphere of Doom Metal. It's not an accessible form of music, and you must have a deeper comprehension to understand what lies behind the musical walls created by bands from this genre. Let me tell you, the Swedish trio HEAVYDEATH is really amazing, and even not creating something really new, they do a nice work on "In Circles We Die", their new album.

Sinister and somber, slow and introspective, their songs are the purest essence of what Doom Death Metal is about, causing that depressive and bitter sensation as their nasty and heavy riffs, along with slow and heavy rhythmic basis and nasty vocals invade our ears. But of course some depressive and nasty melodies are binding these elements in a musical form that is really excellent. I must say again: it's nothing new at all, but in their hands, the old formula gains energy and new life. Produced by Nicklas Rudolfsson (guitarist and vocalist of the band) and Johan Bäckman (the band's bassist, who made the mixing of the album as well), and having the hands of Andy LaRocque on the mastering (done at Sonic Train Studios), we can say that "In Circles We Die" has a sound quality that fits perfectly on what they are playing. Heavy and aggressive, but clear enough to be understood with no difficulties, and having grasping and bitter instrumental tunes, the album has a proper and hypnotizing way that will seduce you all.

They are a talented band, and all the songs are really fine, and all of them are long and really depressive. But you can hear as their best moments songs as the sinister "As We Foretold" (fine guitar riffs and nasty vocals), the excellent heavy and brutal work from bass guitar and drums on "Slumbering Monolith" and "In Circles We Die" (this one is truly bitter due the very good and hypnotic guitar riffs), the nasty and funereal atmosphere that permeates "Rope of Emptiness" (the melodic sense guides the song to a bitter and heavy way, where the vocals are truly good in these harsh tunes), the melodic depressive scent presented on the long and brutal "The Fallen One". The band uses a very good strategy: in times when illegal downloads are destroying the profits of many bands, they put two extra songs on the Bandcamp's version on "In Circles We Die": "The Old One" (a bit more aggressive and raw) and "Fatal Reflection" (heavy and bitter as Hell), being both excellent songs as well.

HEAVYDEATH is truly a good band, and "In Circles We Die" is an album that no Doom Metal or Doom Death Metal fans can be without.