Sorcery |The Immaculate Sin |Xtreem Music

Formed in 1986, Sorcery belong to the first generation of Swedish death metal, having developed their sound through a series of demos before releasing the classic debut "Bloodchilling Tales" in 1991. Following a split in 1997, the band returned in 2009 and resumed their recording career with "Arrival At Six" (2013), followed by "Garden Of Bones" (2016) and "Necessary Excess Of Violence" (2019). With Ola Malmström on vocals, Paul Johansson and Johan Vikholm on guitars, Tommy Holmer on drums and Mikael Carlsson on bass, Sorcery enter their fifth full-length chapter with a history spanning four decades and a place firmly connected to the early Swedish death metal movement.

"The Immaculate Sin" delivers ten tracks of old-school Swedish death metal, built on chainsaw guitar tones, aggressive drumming, deep vocals and melodic lead work. William Blackmon handles the recording and mixing, producing a powerful sound that maintains separation between the instruments and allows the guitar work to remain prominent. "Shadowborn" establishes the album's dark atmosphere, while "Set The World Ablaze" brings fast-paced riffing and relentless percussion.

"Slice It Up" combines crushing guitar patterns with faster sections, and "The Exorcist" adds memorable melodic hooks to the attack. The closing "Die In Retribution" brings together melody and aggression, providing an appropriate conclusion to an album whose songwriting remains rooted in traditional Swedish death metal. The lyrics continue to explore dark and violent subject matter, complementing the sinister atmosphere throughout. Sorcery delivers a well-executed death metal album with strong riffs, effective arrangements and a production that gives the material the impact it needs.

|8.3