For all intents and purposes, the Swedes have maintained their foothold and influence over a vast swathe of the metal world with time certainly being more than kind to the country and its artists. In particular, the stranglehold that Sweden has upon death metal is something that has yet to wane in the slightest with that vein of the genre as strong as it has ever been thanks to the overwhelming talent that it has to boast when it comes to names fresh and veteran. While not a household name but packed with wild and deeply established talent, it’s with their third record that Eye of Purgatory adds to the glory of their sound.

The massive pedigree and collective experience that Eye of Purgatory boasts is nothing to scoff at. Each name that has a part to play in this act is one that we’ve heard elsewhere in loads of other acts that are to be found in the dense mirth of the underground, yet it’s the power of Eye of Purgatory that has always stuck in my mind. It has been five years since we last heard from this act, and it’s now with the arrival of “Darkborne” that it’s made obvious that this unit of true Swedish death metal hasn’t lost so much as an ounce of its fantastic power. Tapping into what made this vein of death metal so engaging upon its inception while always making room for the members’ flavors to come across in exquisite form, these nine tracks were meticulously crafted maximum effect with the results irrefutable. Eye of Purgatory was downright surgical in the making of “Darkborne”. From the abundance of riffs to the gripping use of keys to the atmospheric nature that the record handles with precision and intelligence, this is a record that knows exactly what it’s doing every step along the way. It doesn’t seek to blow your mind nor redefine what it means to be Swedish death metal. Rather, it revels in its own being. Efficient and downright satisfying, this is a prime showcasing of what it means to offer Swedish death metal with all the flair and intensity that the hallowed sound deserves.

“Darkborne” linger or waste your time. It comes. It slays. It leaves an indellible mark on your psyche. And then it once again lies waiting in the shadows for the next opportune moment to strike. However long that may be, I cannot help but feel as though Eye of Purgatory will make such a wait worth it yet again.

LISTEN to “Darkborne” on Bandcamp here.

LIKE Eye of Purgatory on Facebook here.