Entombed — Serpent Saints: The Ten Amendments

𝐅𝐑𝐎𝐌 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐂𝐑𝐘𝐏𝐓𝐒 - 𝐂𝐄𝐋𝐄𝐁𝐑𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐏𝐀𝐒𝐓 𝐀𝐋𝐁𝐔𝐌 𝐑𝐄𝐋𝐄𝐀𝐒𝐄𝐒 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐇𝐈𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐘 𝐨𝐟 𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐃 𝐑𝐎𝐂𝐊 & 𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐕𝐘 𝐌𝐄𝐓𝐀𝐋…

16 years ago this week, The “Serpent Saints” of Death Metal delivered the “Ten Amendments”!

R.I.P Lars-Göran Petrov (February 17, 1972 - March 7, 2021)

On this day (June 25) in 2007, Entombed released their ninth full-length studio album, “Serpent Saints: The Ten Amendments” via Threeman Recordings.

It was their last release before their two-year breakup from 2014 to 2016.

It is the first album with bassist Nico Elgstrand and drummer Olle Dahlstedt, as well as the band's first without longtime guitarist Uffe Cederlund.

The album marks the final time to feature original vocalist L-G Petrov before the band's breakup in 2014 and his death in 2021.

Like “Morning Star” and “Inferno”, the album was largely considered a throwback to the band's traditional Death Metal roots, with the Hard Rock-influenced sections being eschewed almost entirely.

Critical Reception:

In his review for AllMusic, Jason Birchmeier writes;

“Serpent Saints” is Entombed's first studio album in four long years, yet it's remarkably similar to its predecessor, “Inferno” (2003), not only in terms of sound but also style, as if it were recorded at the very same session. In fact, all of Entombed's 2000s albums -- “Uprising” (2000), “Morning Star” (2002), “Inferno” (2003), and even the live album “Unreal Estate” (2005) -- are remarkably similar, unlike the band's 1990s albums, which are a diverse bunch. The consistency of latter-day Entombed is a mixed blessing: on the one hand, it's a welcome consistency, since fans know generally what to expect from each release; on the other hand, fans may also feel less inclined to pick up each successive album, since they're fairly interchangeable on many counts. Thankfully, quality is one of the common features of these latter-day albums. The veteran Swedes, who debuted in 1990 on Earache Records with the Death Metal landmark “Left Hand Path”, have a firm command of their talents. Vocalist L.G. Petrov remains snarling and raspy after all these years, and while death metal purists may miss the guttural growling that has become synonymous with this style of music, it's refreshing to actually be able to comprehend word for word the lyrics being sung, all the more so because they're fairly well-written lyrics that are dark and deathly yet not overly serious.”

“The ten songs are credited to all four bandmembers (Petrov, Alex Hellid, Nico Elgstrand, Olle Dahlstedt), and “Serpent Saints” indeed comes across like a true group effort. Again, it's clear these guys have clearly settled into a comfortable groove. They've developed a style that works well for them; far from innovative, it's nonetheless potent and mighty satisfying for anyone who enjoys straightforward extreme metal free of Black Metal theatrics, bombast, and pretension. At 41 minutes, “Serpent Saints” is relatively short, though this too is welcome. Kicking off with a pair of great songs, "Serpent Saints" and "Masters of Death," the latter featuring Killjoy of Necrophagia on secondary vocals, there's little filler here and the band doesn't overextend its stay; they deliver the goods as they have for years, plain and simple. Anyone looking for something new from Entombed on “Serpent Saints” is sure to be disappointed, while longtime fans looking for more of the goods will be pleased.”

Links to Artists, Albums, and Music Videos:

Click this link to listen to “Serpent Saints: The Ten Amendments” via Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/album/serpent-saints-the-ten-amendments/1449307060

Click this link to follow the Entombed fan page on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/entombedsverige

Click this link to follow Entombed A.D. on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EntombedAD

Note: The reviews shared here are for historical reference. The views and opinions expressed within are not always supported (in full or in part) by Into the Wells. — E.N. Wells

Entombed — Serpent Saints: The Ten Amendments

Critical Reception:

Links to Artists, Albums, and Music Videos:

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