My memory went back to the early nineties when I heard that there was going to be a new album from the band Seance. I knew that a friend of mine owns their debut called 'Forever Laid to Rest'. Visiting him I asked about the album and took it with me to listen closer to it.

Back in the early nineties there where bands playing the so called Swedish death metal (Entombed, Grave, Dismember, Unleashed) and the ones that played a more American version (Morbid Angel, Immolation). The stuff Seance played on their debut has more to do with the American technical death metal than the Swedish. With their debut in my head, I started to listen to their third and new album 'Awakening of the Gods'. Has there been any evolution and change in their musical style?

The answer is yes, and no. They still play brutal death metal with the very low grunting and growling vocals and uptempo double bass drums, but more with a modern sound. There are more thrashy parts in it and there is more variety in tempo. But also you can still hear the more technical death parts which they also had in the nineties. The second song "They" is a good example of the bands 'new' style. Fast, brutal and thrashy parts with a lot of variety. If you like that song, you like most of the songs.

I don't know if the title 'Awakening of the Gods' has something to do with their resurrection. What I do know is that they still are not the Gods they want to be. Like they were in the nineties they are a good death metal combo, but not one that is above average. Back then they just could not compete with the masters of death and I am afraid that is what is going to happen again. Death metal fans do yourself and the band a pleasure, take a good listen and decide yourself.  There are worse albums in the genre!