Feral / Crawl – Made As Those Who Are No Longer Alive

Few things can compare to when Swedish death metal is done right. Some bands can break the sound down into a fascinating science with plenty trying their hand at the sound with it not being terribly often that we come upon acts that can deliver that excellence in more than one instance. Both Feral and Crawl poised themselves five years ago with tremendous works of the style that still deserve acclaim to this day, but the pandemic brought a screeching halt to whatever trajectory both names had to offer us. Now, in a joint effort, they’ve returned to us from the darkest of crypts to show us that they’re far off from truly dead.

A split like this is a concept that’s virtually perfect in nearly every regard when it comes to the raw potential of what’s possible. With both of their approaches, Feral and Crawl can really take the Swedish death world for their own should luck be on their side and they play their cards right to really spread their madness far beyond the horizon. Given all that has been brought forth in “Made as Those Who Are No Longer Alive”, it should go without saying that both are well on track for doing just that. While I find myself severely upset that both bands only have a pair of tracks to call their own in this split with the work overall not even reaching a 12-minute runtime, the sheer quality and power that’s held within the four pieces are nothing to be dismissed. All of it is laden with more than enough hooks and riffs to leave you fascinated right out of the gate with the very presence of both bands seeming to pull from Hell itself as their prowess in all things Swedish death metal leaves the listener utterly floored by all accounts be it in the very tone of the intensity, its undeniable power, and even the mere presentation of the work itself. “Made as Those Who Are No Longer Alive” is but a small part of the grand schemes of all things concerning both Feral and Crawl, but it is no less than an important step in their return to power.

While I have never had any doubts about what both of these acts are capable of, this unfortunately short split offers us a potent reminder to all that these two are not to be underestimated lest we be crushed under their well-bloodied boots. Each succeeds to dramatic effect to make “Made as Those Who Are No Longer Alive” a delectable morsel that’s not to be missed, and an appetizer for a pair of truly greater meals that are hopefully not far behind.

“Made as Those Who Are No Longer Alive” releases on September 22nd via Transcending Obscurity Records!

LISTEN to advanced tracks from “Made as Those Who Are No Longer Alive” on Bandcamp here.

LIKE Feral on Facebook here.

LIKE Crawl on Facebook here.