Descent of Yuggoth

Roger “Rogga” Johansson must be one of the busiest figures in underground death metal, this being about the thirty-seventh project he’s released an album with this year (I also reviewed Putrevore this week). Megascavenger is a solo effort, but he’s joined by various celebrity pals- guest vocals from various people including notables like Paul Speckmann and Dan Swano; and lead solos contributed by Pestilence’s Patrick Mameli, Eric Daniels, and Jonas Lindblood. Bono is also on it, delivering the spine-tingling line “well tonight thank God it’s them instead of you” in To Revel with Vermin.

Descent of Yuggoth is a quick fix of Swedish death metal, full of sweaty energy. The rhythm section churns violently; often with fearsome pace, but there are plenty of luxuriously guttural slow grooves here as well. The relative variety here perhaps reflects the guest-oriented personnel. Highlights may include Smokescreen Armageddon, which opens at jolting speed and with a frenetic spasm of lead guitar. At other times, like on Death Obsessed, there is a much more primitive feel, like early Autopsy. There are some fantastic down-tempo hooks as well: the same track later switches into an addictive groove which, while he won’t thank me for saying it, reminds me of Slipknot’s Eyeless. I mean that as a compliment: it’s a great headbanging riff. Closer To Revel with Vermin is my favourite of the lot, based a lumbering groove and accentuated by a truly pestilential lead guitar contribution, full of sickly glissandos. A fun release.