Sweden is a country that is synonymous with Extreme Metal, in fact the entire Scandinavian area is. Here today is an example of that sect of the Metal genre as a whole. LIFVSLEDA is a young up and coming Black Metal band that, having only been around since 2019 they have a raft of EP and single releases. However, we are here to look at the debut album "Det Besegrade Lifvet".

The art work for this release is very plain, but also striking due to the obvious strong contrast of the monochrome colouration. With its simplicity it will stand out to those that wish to have a stand out album cover.

"I Fjärran Jord Begrafvd" opens the album and straight away we are awash with blast beats, aggressive vocals and an imagery to the music that is fitting to the artwork. The relentless energy and aggression sees the listener fly through the track at breakneck speed until they reach the album's titular track "Det Besegrade Lifvet" which has a fantastic use of ebbing and flowing tempos to create a swirling and foreboding atmosphere, coupled with the spectral and stereotypically aggressive vocals, this makes for a special track.

The clean introduction of "Intet" made my ears prick up, it was a wonderful change to the introduction that just made it stand out that little bit more. This was a short-lived change though, as the main body came flying in. Marching in next is "Afvgrundsande", a steady, deliberate and pounding introduction over and extended period is then broken up by the pained and desperate vocals that has been a seriously powerful element to each track so far.

"Bortgång" again continues this pounding style of intro before releasing the swarm of noise and music that comes as the main body kicks in. However, the actual structure of the track, as with all of the tracks thus far just goes to show the excellent musical knowledge of the guys involved. Nothing is rushed, nor forced. Everything comes at the right time, in the right order and intensity.

The wailing guitar motif of "Fjättrad" quickly became my focal point for the track, no matter what point we were at, I could just hear it there, very powerful stuff. "Nedstigning" and "Vederkvickelse" continue with the aggression, energy and intensity that has been present throughout, the musical content is again played to an impressively high standard.

Finally, we come to "Landet Bortom Skogen" as we see out the album. It is eery and misty, creating a very dire atmosphere. With soundbites from what appears to be an old radio broadcast (apologies I couldn't figure out whether it was or not) it just adds to the depth of this atmosphere and creates a different dimension to what we have come across this album so far. Truly powerful.

Overall, this is one of the best examples of a debut album I have come across. LIFVSLEDA are playing well above their years. The structure of the tracks is absolutely impeccable and the standard of musicianship is incredible. The difference between a good Black Metal band and a great one can be the subtleties and minutiae that you may find hidden in the background and this album oozes nothing but class. Top notch work and I hope to see them in the UK!