In the summer of 2004 Johan Lindstrand started writing some music, thinking of doing some shit of his own. The plans were increasing and as the music started to sound really interesting, he decided to put all that on tape. He then contacted Valle Adzic of Impious, an old friend of his, to help him out with a demo. It's a deal and they started recording in Valle's own Deadline Studio. One Man Army And The Undead Quartet is a name that had haunted Johan since the very beginning of the writing process and as the studio sessions came to an end, promotion was made on a brand new homepage.
This album is the actual continuation of a promo called When Hatred Comes To Life and these guys prove that they are being burnt by the Heavy/Death thrashing Metal flame and that they are very eager to rise high into the Metal status. There are some thrashy Slayer influences - especially from the latest albums - coupled with some The Haunted kind of ideas that form the basic scenery for this album. If your ear is acquainted with the new Metal status, you will find much interest in 21st Century Killing Machine, for sure!
The riff writing is very clever and there are some Hetfield-isms thrown here and there in the album! Super cool aggressive lead parts - the ones Kirk Hammet should be playing now instead of the solo abstinence he has been cursed into! Note that Valle's guitar skills were previously tested for his musicianship in his other band Impious. As mentioned before, there are some very nice and hard worked lead parts which when combined with the whole aggressiveness and intensity form a very interesting musical texture that attracts the listener quite easily. Of course there are 2-3 semi interesting songs but this does not significantly change the entire situation.
I think it is one of the most impressive Thrash albums for the new year, that is for sure! The production is really awesome and crystal clear which helps elevate this record to a higher plateau of Heavy Metal status for 2006! With a very warm welcome from Nuclear Blast Records, this new band looks at the future with an enthusiasm and an energy that could kill an elephant just by staring at it. Now, next year will not only be the time to kill an elephant but to also conquer the whole world - with the first album from this Swedish killing machine.
Eleven songs of power, mayhem and destruction that will blow your mind away. If you got to listen to the Demo and you enjoyed it, you'll definitely love the album! Produced by the mighty Dragan at Bohus Studios, the sound quality simply increases the pressure of the songs. One Man Army And The Undead Quartet will no longer have to fight as a five piece. They can continue their battle with the entire Metal world beneath them!
- Album Highlights: Killing Machine, Public enemy No 1, Hell Is For Heroes and When Hatred Comes To Life.