REVIEW: RIBSPREADER - The Van Murders

 

RIBSPREADER - The Van Murders (2011)

Vic Records

Ribspreader have been remarkably consistent since their formation in 2003, and that consistency is rooted in a very clear understanding of what the band wants to represent. Rather than constantly reinventing their sound or incorporating contemporary elements, the Swedish trio have remained firmly committed to the classic death metal tradition. The Van Murders continues that approach, delivering nine tracks of uncompromising, old-school Swedish death metal with very little interest in unnecessary embellishment.

There is nothing particularly experimental here, nor is there any attempt to modernize the formula. Instead, Ribspreader focus on the fundamentals: deep guttural vocals, heavy rhythm guitars, ominous riffing, raw guitar tones and a generally dark, aggressive atmosphere. The arrangements are tight and straightforward, while the production retains enough grit to preserve the genre's old-school character. Even when the songs introduce more groove-oriented passages, they remain firmly within the boundaries established by the early Swedish death metal tradition.

The album's deliberately familiar approach may lead some listeners to describe it as generic, and there is certainly little on The Van Murders that could be considered groundbreaking. However, familiarity is not necessarily a weakness when the material is performed with conviction and a clear sense of purpose. Ribspreader are not attempting to redefine death metal; they are concentrating on reproducing the spirit and aesthetics of its formative years.

That places The Van Murders comfortably within the long-running Swedish old-school death metal continuum. For listeners who value the rawer, heavier and less polished side of the genre, the album offers exactly what its title and presentation suggest: direct, uncompromising death metal without unnecessary detours.

Ultimately, The Van Murders works precisely because Ribspreader know what they are doing and, more importantly, know what they do not want to do. It is a focused and consistent release that embraces the classic Swedish death metal vocabulary rather than attempting to expand it. In that respect, it stands as a solid contemporary example of how the first-generation sound can still be approached without excessive modernization.

Christine  Parastatidou