Maim - Deceased To Exist (2011) [Soulseller] // Grade: A

If there ever was a band to perfect the OSDM sound, they’d have to hail from Åtvidaberg, Linköping, Östergötlands län, Sweden. Maim is just that band. Their 2009 release, From the Tomb to the Womb is only outshined by their newest release, Deceased To Exist. While I can rattle off a dozen or so bands that purvey the classic vibrations and virtues of the late 80′s death metal sound, Maim’s one of the better class acts.

Deaceased to Exist, even on the first rotation is one of the better OSDM releases of recent months. Everything is carefully orchestrated and through the distortion and reverb, stellar songwriting shines through the murky depths. “Gravedigger Sacrifice” and “Morbid Desecration” are perfect examples. Both songs are commanded by Rikard’s vile and vomitous vocals. Various shifts in tempo, breaks and collisions dogpile on top of the already complex song craft. The lyrics somehow flow and each track packs a kick to the gut.

“Covet Death” and “Evil Smell Of Death” are two perfect examples of the Death and Possessed-era death metal. With the latter being something out of Scream Bloody Gore or Leprosy. It’s actually eerie how spot-on Maim’s performance is in Deceased To Exist. Chuck Schuldiner would be proud and I don’t throw shit like that around often. One of the things that are often overlooked in OSDM are the moments of exhalation. Regardless to how brutal the music is, a track that’s slow and instrumental helps. That’s where “Crematory” comes in. It’s almost like the guys wanted to try out an homage to the music from 80′s zombie flicks.

Where “Crematory” leaves off, “Deceased To Exist” picks right back up. D-beats fly about as Rikard’s puke hits the mic. The reverb has been turned up a notch and quick, abrupt breaks interlace with the tempo. This has gotta be my favorite track on the album. In an atypical OSDM throwback fashion, the tempo drops to a mere chug and the demented riffage takes over. For something up the Bastard Priest-alley, enter “Purged Through Napalm”, a quick-paced blast beat fest! The riffs collide and cascade and chaos takes over! “Nuclear Funeral” continues this atomic assault. Here’s where Maim convinced me that they truly are Swedish metal gods. Living fossils if you will.

For more of that Death-influence, check out “Resurrected From Hell”. Such a fucking killer track. With “Screams Of The Mutilated” as the only track left, it’s easy to see how Maim’s work has improved leaps and bounds from their last album. Deceased To Exist is a wide-ranged homage to the throwback sounds of the 80′s death metal scene but it still contains a good amount of new takes on that classic era. You really can’t fuck with Maim and if this trend continues, their next releases are going to blow the top off the fucking pot. Highly recommended!

- Prolly