Seance begun its activities at the end of 1980s and the band released one demo and two full length albums at the beginning of the 1990s. After that, nothing... I read a few days ago from some (don't remember which) webzine, that Seance is active again. Well, maybe rumours, maybe not?! Seance is the old band of guitar player Patrick Jensen, who nowadays work with The Haunted (look at a title of track 5!) and Witchery, and Tony "Toxine" Kampner (guitar) and drummer Micke Pettersson of Witchery.

Seance sound like they come from U.S.A, to tell the truth. Their music is brutal early 1990s death metal in vein of Malevolent Creation, Suffocation, Deicide (especially the title track), Morbid Angel and such acts from this era. I really cannot pick Swedish death metal stylings in it. It is an impossible task to say whether this record sounded original ten years ago, but when I'm listening it now (just bought it...), 'Fornever Laid...' offers a good slab of death metal based on evil formulas, which proved oh so efficient over a decade ago.

Pace of the music mostly fluctuates between fast and very fast, so except some blasting hell. There's hell of a lot of rhythm changes that enliven the music at times, and at other, make it feel a tad disjointed, making it laborious to listen to here and there. Slower parts, usually with double bass drum attack, give heavier feel to the music. The guitars are bellowing deep depths with some more high-pitched tune weaving. The solos are wicked, in a way similar to Deicide, Slayer and such infernal devotees, but yeah, unoriginal. Johan Larsson's vokills are low growling and not at all original, I'm afraid. However, his tonsil-ripping growl is powerful enough, and surely very much suitable. The band used some effects for creating a good atmosphere on this album: The opener includes some breathing sounds and a cool bass part while 'Haunted' and 'Inferna Cabbala' include some demonic sound effects used with a good taste. Generally, the atmosphere of the music is malevolent and nefarious.

Sound-wise this record is heavy and every instrument is audible, even though more high-pitched guitar bits which are somewhat sunk in the mix. Otherwise every instrument is well-balanced in the mix, which carries real live vibe to it. You can expect some usual death metal lyrics on this one, mostly quite mystic, but they are well enough written.

I can guarentee that 'Fornever Laid...' is a good record for what it is; brutal death metal from early 1990s. It's not on the level of the most legendary albums of the genre, but pretty close. Not for fainthearted and therefore strictly for all death-heads only! And hell, has Dan Seagrave created some excellent cover art once again on this one or what?!

Rating: 7½ (out of 10) ratings explained

Reviewed by Lane
06/19/2002 18:17