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Apparently every death metal band has to have at least one concept album about a World War. As a war buff I generally salute this principle. Having read half a library full of war stories, strategic and tactical theories and wartime diaries, I too have concluded that death metal is probably the best way to describe the unimaginable carnage of the two largest conflicts the world has ever seen.
"Under the sign of the Iron Cross" (USIC) is based on Ernst Jungers famous personal account of WWI, "In Stahlgewittern" - which translates loosely into "Storm of Steel", the title of the most brutal song on the album.
God Dethroned is a favorite band of mine, I admit, and largely they earn that position by variation and an almost prodigal ability to adapt new sub-genres. Since their blood-drippingly old-school demo "Christhunt" from 1991 God Dethroned has proven their competency within the realms of, melodic death, gothic death, deahtgrind and their trademark fast-paced blackened death. The latter is what you get if you get your hands on USIC, which I enthusiastically recommend that you do!
Probably one of the best known WW-themed albums is the legendary, partly self-titled "Panzer Division Marduk", from the Swedish black metal monsters Marduk. USIC bear great resemblances with that album, but with the classical God Dethroned sound, easily intelligible (although no less ferocious) vocals and far more original melodic parts than most other bands.
In other words: This album means business! From start till end the unstoppable onslaught continues, carried by a thunderous rhythm section and screaming riffs - and some gruesome lyrics!
Now excuse me, I have to get up on my desk again and growl "DYING IN A STORM OF STEEL - HUMAN SACRIFICE - ON ENEMY SOIL - IN THE GRIP OF RAGE - ON THE BRINK OF DEATH!!!!" at my co-workers - who must be calling the police by now...
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