We are about to take a trip back to the past with SCABBARD's reissue of "Extended Mirror". This Czech Death Metal group released this album in the year 1999 around the time where Death Metal was garnering a huge growth of following. This genre took an aggressive new stance on Metal culture bringing savage deep gutturals paired with slower Thrash riffs to give the genre a deep raw sound. SCABBARD was one of the bands during this time and "Extended Mirror" is a testament to that signature Death Metal sound that defined Extreme Metal of the 90s.

This installment of SCABBARD amps up the aggression as well as the production quality of the music. In earlier albums their sound was much more raw and low fi but in the track "Extended Mirror", you can hear a much more refined quality to the riffs. They are cleaner and crisper really letting you sink your teeth into the overall sound of them. "It Means Nothing" brings us back to their roots with faster paced riffs paired with sludgy mid sections that feel like a tug of war with your soul. The techniques used in the guitar playing have also changed dramatically and the use of audio sampling to add depth has also been brought up a notch. There are some Thrashy moments with the guitar solo and riffs that bring an interesting quality to their overall sound.

"Human Waste" opens up much more dramatically with symphonic elements and sustained guitar chords. This melodic track adds another layer to their growing elements before breaking into an all out vocal assault on your ears. The riffs are fast-paced and savage. You can tell that the band has grown their techniques and their technical skills throughout this album. "Darkest Prison" is a hell ride of Thrash riffs with brutal vocals. The vocal work shifts in range periodically on this track adding more layers to the growling sound. The chorus is slower pace than the verses, giving it that ebb and flow feel that keeps the track interesting. "Never More" rounds out this album with interesting synth elements and a clean guitar performance. The dark ambiance is amplified with the synth track before they break into a sludgy riff laden beatdown.

The one thing that I enjoy thoroughly about this album is the growth of the band itself. With "Extended Mirror", SCABBARD has grown their skills substantially to bring a more refined sound to their music. The vocals are cleaner, the production is cleaner, and the overall sound has a better quality. When you listen to multiple albums especially with these reissues, you can clearly see the roadmap of a certain band's growth. I like to go back and listen to these because when you're in the present and bands come out with newer albums, it can sometimes be difficult to see the growth of that band at that certain time. I would definitely recommend this album to the fans of the Death Metal genre.