Lightning Swords of Death

The Extra Dimensional Wound (Metal Blade)
By Mike Delano

Despite their flashy name, it’s definitely a conservative approach that Lightning Swords of Death favors. This is heads-down, no-frills black/death metal for those who demand vocals straight from the crypt (witness the conclusion of “Invoke the Desolate One”), guitar picking so fast the strings might ignite, and drums blast-beated into infinity. There is no denying the blitzkrieg power of songs like “Nihilistic Stench” and the title track, but there’s not much distinguishing them from the others on The Extra Dimensional Wound, either, and it’s not terribly interesting when the band slows things down to a crawl on “Venter of the Black Beast.” There is hope for the future: The 12-minute closer, “Paths of Chaos,” has an incredible riff, wild tempo shifts, and vocalist Autarch switches into extra-crazy mode, barking like a red-eyed preacher behind an altar of skulls. It’s here where they truly live up to the spectacular fury promised by their namesake.
(www.metalblade.com)