Maximum Metal Rating Legend

Soul Reaper - Life Erazer -Hammerheart Record - 2003 Reviewed by Chaoslord

Soul Reaper is one of those bands that I just have to buy anything they put out.

Granted this is only their second album, but still they are just bad ass. Featuring members from Dissection and Runemagick, Soul Reaper delivers classic death metal a la Morbid Angel/Death style. This album makes the first, "Written in Blood" look rather tame. This is one that will beat you down faster than a police officer in East L.A. Upon my first listen of this album, my mouth was agape at the sheer speed and heaviness that they play with. My arm gets tired of playing speed riffs after about 20 minutes and listening to this album just makes my arm scream out in pain. Not to mention I can't imagine how these guys are able to pull this stuff off live.

This is a fast album and if you aren't looking for something that is going to make you want to bang your head and break out the trusty air guitar, then stay away from this album. The drums are just skull crushing at times and the guitars and chunky and driving enough to jar the bones of a century old skeleton. For those of you looking for an evil tint to your music, Soul Reaper is quite evil as far as that is concerned. It's obvious that they are not fond of Christianity at all, and while this is an obvious fact for those familiar with the band, they are also quite Satanic. This album is definitely something that most bands dream of when their second album comes around. It shows you their growth and the fact that they don't plan to slow down and them getting a record deal wasn't a fluke.

Hopefully Soul Reaper will be around for awhile, because I will definitely continue to allow my ears to be massacred by their malevolent sound.


--Chaoslord 03.17.04