The first time I flipped this CD from Swedish Vicious Art into the player, I thought it rather plain. But, lo and behold, my opinion has changed radically over the past couple of weeks as I’ve given it more spins.

What at first sounded like a somewhat mediocre doze of death metal has now grown on me loads and turned into something rather brilliant as more and more details surface and worm their way into my ears.

I can best describe Vicious Art’s output as a bastard offspring of an unholy union of Carcass, Dimmu Borgir and Entombed. And then a stint of Morbid Angel (one of the driving riffs in the track The Topmost Violent God sounds as if it is based on the divine riff in Ancient Rites from Altars…).

‘Pick Up This Sick Child’ is dirty, cold, cruel and extremely efficient piece of metal, and it deserves a lot of attention – and not only because Vicious Art consists of former members of Entombed and Dark Funeral, of course…

One to bang your head to! Go check it out a.s.a.p!