The Swan Song EP of WASTED SHELLS didn't disappoint, except that it was only an EP. Having played their farewell show to loyal fans on Christmas day just gone, this independent outing started great with "Tox." Blending moody riffs with catchy lyrics, in places this song tells you what to expect from the off. The good production allowing the harsh vocals to be understandable really lets the depth of the words hit home, as "Masterplan" can attest to. A great song with sing-along hooks that sounds good loud, could picture this as a great live tune that we might get to see one day. Drugs become the lyrical focus in "Lies" and how they affect a person's sole, lending itself well to the mellower musical passages, before galloping into a brutal thrash riff just round the half way mark. The mosh fest continues with "Breathe in Breathe Out" with Sennö's drumming locking into the riff perfectly.

"Today (The Edge)" really should have had a chance to be playing to massive audience, it's soft opening informs you it's going to be a ballad of some kind, but following the first four songs you expect the mellow section to give way to speed. However, it maintained its pace acting as the perfect vehicle for the extremely heart felt lyrics Svensson delivered soulfully. It never got boring and led to one of thee most epic solos I've heard in a while. Closing the EP was "2215", which wasn't the longest of songs, but offered interest, but you do feel that they got halfway through an album, then called it quits. It kinda feels numb thinking they possibly have some more songs that never got recorded or they could have been planning on doing more. Either way, an absolutely fantastic EP and a bitter-sweet farewell from these Swedish veterans.

PS: As we're unlikely to see them live (me, only just listening to them after being sent EP to review) there are some great live videos of whole gigs on youtube to fill a void:<