Review BLOODHUNTER “Sons of the Abandoned”

Bloodhunter was founded in 2008 and released their self-titled debut album in 2014. The band plays melodic death metal and is clearly inspired by the Gothenburg sound. I was reminded of bands like Arch Enemy, which might have to do with the fact that they also have a female singer. Since 2012, Diva Satanica provides Bloodhunter’s growls, and the grooving rhythm section also allows for a comparison with Gothenburg’s melodic death metal sound.

Bloodhunter’s lineup looked more like a revolving door, with musicians constantly coming and going. Since 2023, however, the lineup has been rather stable, which certainly benefits the longplayer.

Let’s start with two songs featuring guest appearances. One is the thumping “The Threshold of Hell,” which features Fernando Ribeiro of Moonspell on vocals. Satanica’s hoarse vocals and Ribeiro’s narrative parts give the song a special dynamic. “The Threshold of Hell” has a sinister groove and provides melodic moments that quickly become engraved in your mind. Combined with a marching rhythm and some siren-like moments, the tune is a real challenge for your neck muscles.

The second guest on this album is Laura Guldemond (Burning Witches). She and Satanica share vocals on the sonorous “The Path That Never Ends.” It’s a fast-paced metal track with a melodic chorus, but unfortunately, the magic of the two voices combined doesn’t unfold.

The tone-setter for the album is the opener, “The Devil’s Own.” Well-crafted hooks and bursts of speed are equally present in “The Devil’s Own,” followed by the pulsating “The Outspoken.”

The album also includes an instrumental. “The Night Is Darker Before Dawn” opens with an acoustic guitar that carries throughout the entire song. This instrumental provides a breather and feels more like a prolonged interlude before Bloodhunter returns to the rawness of metal with “Master of Deceive. The finale is a cover version, and it’s obvious that the band members admire Annihilator. It is “Human Insecticide,” one of Jeff Waters’ smashing metal anthems, that ends the album on a high note.

“Sons of the Abandoned” is a thunderous metal album that spreads energy and intensity. Stylistically rooted in melodic death metal from Sweden, the five-piece band adds an individual touch to their ten songs, making “Sons of the Abandoned” a solid metal record.