Welcome to The Saw’s Butcher Shop! Ya Girl, The Saw, has a fascination with these (so-called) “super groups” in the Extreme Metal scene. You know, members from various well-known bands, joining together to form another band (you already know that one of my favorites is Bloodbath). In 2020, another “super group” formed – Grand Cadaver – dropping an EP and a full-length debut, both in 2021. Well, on August 25, 2023 Grand Cadaver returned with their sophomore release, Deities of Deathlike Sleep (Majestic Mountain Records), and it firmly waves the banner of that classic Gothenburg style; but because of these certain members, the record is not just another nod to the 80s!

Grand Cadaver is:

Mikael Stanne (Dark Tranquility, The Halo Effect) – vocals 

Stefan Lagergren (The Grifted, ex-Treblinka, ex-Expulsion) – guitar

Alex Stjernfeldt (Novarupta, Child, ex-Mr. Death) – guitar

Christian Jansson (Pagandom, Dark Tranquility) – bass

Daniel Liljekvist (Disrupted, Vorder, ex-Katatonia) – drums

So, all of the members of Grand Cadaver have been in the Gothenburg scene since its inception; some of them are the movement’s founders! Thus, Deities of Deathlike Sleep is the result of near-perfect musicianship, and pure undiluted vision. The band (and this new album) are squarely grounded in classic Swedish Melodic Death Metal, but because of the various talent involved, there are different approaches – differing concepts, distinctive input, and brilliant execution – that collude to form an exciting production.

Swaying bounces are the melodies throughout the record. Stanne (if you are not familiar) has a distinct Blackened vocal approach – a deeper Black Metal base, with accents of rumbling gutterals – but he also incorporates a few higher cleans into a couple tracks. To offset the bounce, there are a lot of mid- to quick-paced tempo changes that reek of trademark buzzing riffs; serious crunch, with incorporated grind-inspired composition. The drums are performed in classic Death Metal fashion, and you already know that Ya Girl loves this style!

Deities of Deathlike Sleep is 10 songs, trimmed to a total of 34 minutes. So, this record is sleek, and moves right along; each track containing a specific point, which gives each one a certain hook. My favorites, here, are: “A Crawling Feast of Decay” (the swing is killer!), “Serrated Jaws” (you’ll know why when you hear the set-up – oh, the crushing change-up!), the title track is just a banger, “True Necrogeny” has a far different approach, and “Necrosanctum” is an excellent, dramatic album closer. Grand Cadaver are an interesting expression of a classic approach – solid, and very well done.

Rating: 8.5/10! Excellent Gothenburg melody, but with distinction, and near-perfect execution! 

Stay Metal,

THE SAW