Humanity’s Last Breath are a extreme metal band from Sweden who’s gotten a lot of praise and attention during their 2019 release titled Abyssal which took everything from the band’s blackened death metal soundscapes, deathcore strings, low-tuned melodies sounding apocalyptically heavy and a atmosphere so dense, thicken, dark and cohesive, Välde (meaning Empire in Swedish) is without a doubt the best release this band has ever done and it surpassed my expectations. Now with Unique Leader Records, Välde is the latest chapter into the band’s catalog and honestly, I can’t even describe how authentic and stabilized this record feels in comparison to their older releases but Välde is on a whole new level of expanding genres left to right and they’ve executed it perfectly.
Anywhere from the guitars, vocals, bass, drums and production are all presentable and very well polished where each signature represents organic material. From the blackened death metal guitar riffage, pummeling drums and explosive breakdown segments these musicians have found a sound so naturalistic that it keeps the atmospheric passages more stabled and fresh without making the experience feel dried out. Just take the songs Tide, Spectre, and Sirens where the band takes their blackened, technical, and atmospheric approach of technical death metal with blackened and deathcore compositions which is a massive improvement and continuation within their musicality. Välde also provides unique variations and groovy, vicious instrumentations, scattered breakdowns and bone-crushing chemistry that are fantastically driven beginning to end.
They’ve taken their sound, artistic talent, craftsmanship and symbolism making the lyricism on the album stronger, intelligent and beautifully designed as the production introduces a new evolution for these Swedish musicians to new heights and contributed organic branches making the songs a complete fresh intake for the genre. Whether it’s the defined, construct and accessible elements of powerful deliverance and implementing haunting sequences of understanding instrumentals, Välde is Humanity’s Last Breath’s most matured, heaviest, impressive, organic and engaging albums they’ve done to date. Välde is a characterized album that promises to entertain deathcore, tech death and blackened death fans with naturalistic musical compositions and taking compassionate lyricism to the deepest and darkest storytelling deathcore albums you’ll hear in 2021.
Overall Score: 10/10
Review by Jake Butler
