To me, Centinex was introduced via this EP back in 2000. Yes, I know, I came in late, but like everybody knows, better later than... I remember the cool cover art perfectly fitting to the rabid death metal found inside, which is infused with black metal's cold fire. I felt like I was overrun by a tank, but also felt fucking alive! I guess I felt just fine. How I do feel now, two decades later?

I feel just fucking fine. Better, actually! 21+ minutes of six songs resulted in entirely marvellous slice of Swedish death metal. With this EP, Centinex strengthened their black metal affection. The band's familiar, albeit not native, use of shearing, tremolo riffing became a bit sharper, while not losing their death metal muscle. The sound is definitely more grating, echoing and cold, than previously. Still, there's lower tractor-esque power chord playing to crush anything in front of it.

The theme of the EP is destruction by warring. The pace is mostly fast or blasting-fast, with machine-gunning riffs. There really isn't many mid-paced parts. Centinex managed to come up with catchy riffing and several melodies here. The vibe is evil, attacking, but also as it is Swedish death metal, in some weird way, melancholic at times. It's like "this is the end" vibe, I guess. The vocals are croaked and shouted growl, with some shrieking in it. This EP is musically perfect. (The 10" vinyl includes a cover of Death's 'Mutilation', by the way.)

Here, the band still utilized a bloody drum machine. They hardly had slaughtered their earlier stuff with that disco music device, and it sounds surprisingly organic, so samples and programming are good and well done. Only some cymbals sound weak, but that's not due to sample quality.

The cover reads "dark Swedish death", and what that's exactly what 'Bloodhunt' is, but it is also a totally essential piece of Swedish death metal history. Go get rolled over, and still you want more of the same...

Rating: 9½ (out of 10) ratings explained

Reviewed by Lane
02/22/2021 21:37