Sammath - Grebbeberg
The Netherlands
Hammerheart
Records
Dutch barbarians Sammath are back with their seventh album, aptly titled “Grebbeberg”, released in June 2023 via Hammerheart Records.
The sound on “Grebbeberg” is no less ferocious than their outstanding previous album “Across the Rhine Is Only Death” from 2019. It's taken the band four years to record a new album, and it's obviously been worth the wait. From the very first note, the music categorically annihilates everything in its path with a barrage of heavy-hitting, warlike black metal that overlaps between ‘90s Scandinavian black metal and bestial war metal.
One noticeable change on the new recording is that the sound seems heavier and denser this time around, while at the same time sounding clear but not too polished. The guitar work is great as always, interweaving classic black metal riffs with high-octane thrash. As punishing as the music is, the band isn’t afraid to incorporate epic leads and melodies, adding a great deal of depth to their assault. Jan Kruitwagen’s vocals are suitably belligerent, as each vocal line is delivered with maximum hatred.
Drummer Wim van der Valk is an absolute beast behind the kit, with experience in prominent Dutch acts like Inquisitor and Centurian; he shows a knack for both simplicity and technical prowess with relative ease. Definitely an underrated drummer. The lower registers, while not super audible, add a layer of megaton heaviness to the chaos courtesy of Ruud Nillesen, who has been with the band since 2002.
Tracks like “Murderous Artillery” show the band at their most chaotic, which brings to mind bands like Sadistik Exekution, but with more melody added. Another highlight is “Crushed, Shattered and Destroyed” featuring some pretty incredible dynamics. In spite of its brutality, there’s never a lack of atmosphere, as Jan mete’s out a salvo of punishing riffs that’s both melodic and hypnotic. A high note is reached with closer “Stahl Und Feuer” which captures all the qualities of the band summed up in one single track.
Overall, “Grebbeberg” is just as great and relentless as everything else the band has done and shows their diehard conviction to extreme metal, even at their age. I can honestly say that this is one of the best albums of 2023, so if you haven't heard it yet, make sure you do so soon.