Review: Deadnation – Following The Path Of Death

Swedish death metal? Absolutely. Give me buzzsaw guitars, give me as much HM-2 as possible!

“Following the Path of Death” lands with the confidence of a band who knows the path, but maybe not where it leads. The riffs are there. The vocals are as cavernous as required. The drums sound like bones breaking under wet soil. And yet, it never quite claws past competence.

The guitar tone is the true highlight here. That prized HM‑2 buzz feels lovingly sculpted. It’s thick, grotesque, and gratifying. If all you need is that serrated tone to sink your teeth into, this record will do the trick. For a minute.

But the minute passes. And by the time you’re halfway through the runtime, you start noticing the seams. The riffs, while serviceable, never stab or surprise. They shuffle forward dutifully, content to mirror Entombed and Dismember without ever snarling back at them. Each song lumbers toward the same grave, indistinguishable from the last. You could call it consistency. Or you could call it sleepwalking.

There’s no real failure here, just the absence of surprise and maybe… genius? It’s not enough to worship a sound. Without venom or vision, it’s taxidermy. You’re left admiring the surface while wondering where the heartbeat went. This is death metal built to emulate, not elevate. There are no moments of chaos, no dive into madness, no truly unhinged edges.

That said, it’s still solid. The production hits the mark. The intent is clear. And the band never fumbles technically. But in a genre that demands ferocity and fever, “Following the Path of Death” walks too neatly. It follows, yes—but never leads.

Fans of the style will enjoy the tone, the texture, and the familiarity. But they won’t remember it in a year. And in Swedish death metal, that’s a kind of death all its own.