PANZERCHRIST - Regiment Ragnarok

Submitted by K.Drury on Mon, 04/04/2011 - 11:51pm

Danish death metal quintet, Panzerchrist, has been well noticed throughout the death metal scene - incorporating themes of war into a crunching and chaotic death metal sound leaving many addicted. What really interests me about this band, however, is how they have managed to keep a constant sound for all of their albums, despite having so many line-up changes.

The bands latest album, Regiment Ragnarok, is a great effort on the band’s behalf. While keeping their old foundations, and expanding on them as well, Regiment Ragnarok is brutally death metal in its essence, yet incorporates some well placed atmospheric and melodic riffs reminiscent to that of black metal, and finally delving into some rock out moments and even a few real groovy instances. The songs work well to lead into each other and keep the energy flowing.

The guitars, courtesy of Rasmus Henriksen and Lasse Bak, along with the bass, provided by Michael Enevoldsen, all blend together into one, thick, and textured wall of sound. These heavy segments comfortably thin out in the half time sections to create the appropriate over all sound-scape. On it’s own, every guitar has a very thin tone, and so, the full force of the riffs is accomplished by the fusion of the instruments. The listener can find good examples of this in every track on the album. 

The Drums in Panzerchrist have been a high priority since their 2000 release, Soul Collector, and still remain one of, if not the, driving force behind their sound, which is well performed by drummer Mads Lauridsen. The constant double kick provide the basis for their continuous energy, and the fast and powerful blasting, and in some places gravity blasting, does well for the album. The drums themselves, in all respects, sound massive and mechanical. 

The vocals put forth by Magnus Jørgensen sit well within the mix, not too overpowering but not distant either. The good mix of low guttural growls and black metal style, raspy highs, fit in perfectly with the songs and keep the feel of the album constant and aggressive.

If you’re a metal head who loves a good mix between head banging riffs, intensity and occasionally melodic sections, then this is an album for you. However, if you were looking for something unique - then this isn’t it. If there was one thing I would have preferred in this album it would be that they kept the ‘raw’ feeling of their previous releases, however this is a small criticism on my behalf and shouldn’t deter fans of the band from picking it up.

 

Album: 

Regiment Ragnarok

Year: 2011

Track List:

  1. Prevail
  2. Panzer Regiment Jylland
  3. Metal Tribes
  4. Impact
  5. For The Iron Cross
  6. We March As One
  7. The Armour Of Armageddon
  8. Ode To A Cluster Bomb
  9. King Tiger
  10. Feuersturm
  11. Time For The Elite
  12. Trenches

Visit:  www.myspace.com/Panzerchristofficial

 

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