DIMENSION ZERO „“He Who Shall Not Bleed””

Music: Melodic Death Metal
Country: Sweden
Web site: http://www.dimensionzero.se/
Cool Songs: The Was, Deny, I Can Hear the Dark

Jesper Strömblad and Glenn Ljungström—the original IN FLAMES guitarists—created DIMENSION ZERO as a side project in 1995. Although Ljungström no longer handles axe duties (nor does he in IN FLAMES), the group still boasts an all star lineup consisting of vocalist Jocke Göthberg, who screamed blasphemous incantations on early MARDUK records, and drummer Hans Nilsson of LUCIFERION and DIABOLIQUE. DARK TRANQUILITY’s newest bassist and former SOILWORK guitarist, Daniel Antonsson has secured Ljungström’s guitarist position. The group’s third full length, “He Who Shall Not Bleed” also includes guest guitar solos by ANNIHILATOR’S Jeff Waters.

“He Who Shall Not Bleed” continues the Gothenburg, Sweden onslaught of aggressively, whip-lash-inducing melodic death/thrash displayed on their previous recording “This is Hell.” Starting with the album’s opening title track, “He Who Shall Not Bleed” goes for the throat and rarely lets up. Just like the early days of the Gothenburg scene, “He Shall Not Bleed” relies on thrashing riffs, hammering drums and vocal-chord-severing screams, and the occasional melodic passage. DIMENSION ZERO will not let down those who understand the artful disparity of melody and brutality, for Jesper Strömblad and Glenn Ljungström insert plenty of harmonious guitar leads, which provides a break in the speed and outlines certain segments.

“I Can Hear the Dark” begins with a melodramatic, deep string section, showing the band at its most melodious phase. The chords played throughout the track relate back to its dramatic entrance, but with harsher tone. Near the middle portion of 'Deny' the group puts a halt to the action with a brief acoustic part, which leads into a Jeff Waters melodic guitar solo (I assume this is Waters). 'Way to Shine' consists of melodies similar to “Colony” era IN FLAMES. 'The Was' features vintage Gothenburg guitar riffing, with an underlining harmony that harkens back to the band’s WAR Music beginnings. Complete with a chorus of demonic growls and screams and horror movie samples, 'Rövarvisan' shows the band at their most vicious. On a lighter note, the group performs a death metal version of the BEE GEES’ 'Staying Alive.'

Considering the commercial direction IN FLAMES has currently taken, one could make the false assumption that Strömblad began DIMENSION ZERO as a project to tap into the heavier spectrum of the Gothenburg sound. This would be true if IN FLAMES played their current style when DIMENSION ZERO formed, but the year of their formation—1995—was during a time IN FLAMES had found the perfect balance of heavy and harmonious. Whatever his reason for starting the band, thirteen years later DIMENSION ZERO is still around, and the group has made few alterations to its sound. This continuity of sound is exactly the remedy to those who lament upon the golden days of the Gothenburg scene.

note: 8/10

Tracklist

1.He Who Shall Not Bleed
2. Unto Others
3. A Paler Shade of White (A Darker Side of Black)
4. Hell Is Within
5. Red Dead Heat
6. I Can Hear the Dark
7. Going Deep
8. Is
9. Deny
10. The Was
11. Way to Shine
12. Stayin' Alive (Bee Gees cover)
13. Rövarvisan

Line-up

Jocke Göthberg – Vocals
Hans Nilsson – Drums
Jesper Strömblad – Guitar
Daniel Antonsson – Guitar