Left Hand Path
The guitar sound on Left Hand Path makes an immediate impression: low, rough and thick enough for the riffs to seem almost piled on top of one another. That tone is only part of what makes Entombed's debut effective. Beneath the noise sit strong rhythms, well-judged transitions and a clear sense of momentum.
The title track gives the album an impressive opening. A scream clears the way for fast guitar parts before the band repeatedly drop into a heavier rhythm. Its long, threatening melodic ending earns the song a place of its own. It expands the atmosphere in a way the rest of the record explores less directly.
On Revel In Flesh, the power comes from the immediate connection between the riff and Lars-Göran Petrov's rough delivery. The music sounds dark, yet its rhythmic conviction also makes it engaging. Nicke Andersson's drum fills keep it lively without filling every possible gap.
When Life Has Ceased and Bitter Loss also connect fast, thrash-influenced guitars with heavier death metal passages. The two-guitar arrangement allows room for solos while the underlying riff continues working. The album maintains its pressure even when a lead part steps forward.
That sustained attack has a drawback. Beyond the opening track, the songs are not always easy to distinguish. The dense, overdriven sound allows some details to blur together, and the recurring changes of pace can become predictable. Energy compensates for much of this, although individual songs do not always stand clearly above their neighbours.
Left Hand Path remains convincing because it connects its heavy sound with strong songs. Entombed turn rough guitars and hard drumming into music that really moves. The record is fierce and threatening, but it also has enough rhythmic pleasure to keep drawing the listener back.
