Review MEZZROW ‘Summon Thy Demons’

Mezzrow hail from Nyköping, Sweden and have just released their second album ‘Summon Thy Demons’. The band debuted with ‘Then Came the Killing’ and is a serious candidate for an award for longest time between debut album and sophomore release. There are a mind blowing 33 years between the two albums.

With Uffe Pettersson and Conny Welén Mezzrow has two founding members in their lines, who are also the driving force for this reunion. After one of the legendary guitarists, Staffe Karlsson, passed away in 2018, Pettersson and Welén have been joined by two new axemen, Magnius Söderman and Ronnie Björnström, while Jon Skäre takes his place behind the drum kit. This quintet has now crafted ‘Summon Thy Demons’, and thus achieved a thrash metal record that is impressive from start to finish.

What is especially positive is the impetuous power with which the Swedes operate. In addition, songs like the pounding title track exude an oldschool charm and at the same time sound modern and refreshing.

With the sound of the Bay Area, Mezzrow have a solid foundation for their songs. On this fundament, however, there is enough individuality, which makes the ten songs a real listening delight. Headbanging is mandatory during crushing metal anthems like ‘What is Dead May Never Die’ and the thumping ‘Dark Spirit Rising’.

The band’s musical range is showcased on songs like ‘Blackness Fell Upon the World’. It is a melancholy and dark acoustic intro which segues into a slamming riff. Even though the song is a grooving thrash metal smasher, there are breaks built in every now and then which provide additional voltage. And it is not least the harsh middle section, which shows why thrash metal is so fascinating.

Mezzrow have brilliantly mastered the balancing act between the glorious 80s and the present time. The five Swedes are bursting with energy and the metal heart provides the lively heartbeat. Here we have an album made of passion and it was a very good decision to reactivate the band.