review by: Roberto Martinelli

Like an Everflowing Stream or no Like an Everflowing Stream, Dismember has, since day one, been Entombed’s kid brother. People can point to their perception of superior soloing or more brutal lyrical content, but Dismember have always been followers. Rewind to 1990, the release of Entombed’s Left Hand Path and the massive impression its packed-in-bubble-wrap guitars made on the metal world. Then contrast 1991’s Like an Everflowing Stream and see if you can’t imagine it as the third album Entombed never released. Hell, they even had the same artist (Dan Seagrave) make similar-looking cover artwork.

And yet that’s what makes Dismsmber relevant, now more than ever. While Entombed has gone on to do whatever since their Clandestine album, Dismember continues to carry the torch that was lit 14 years ago. Imagine an alternate reality, one in which the very concept of the abhorrent matching of the words “death” and “roll” seems like parody, and you can see the album Where Ironcrosses Grow as being what the originators of that Swedish death metal sound could have made.

Sporting Seagrave art, Where Ironcrosses Grow is in every way a rejuvenation of the nostalgia of the early days of Swedish death without in any way being a whimsical piece of retro rehash. Seem confusing? Consider the strength of riffs from beginning to end. Consider elements that don’t make up every song, like Iron Maiden-esque guitar work and meaningful melody on “Tragedy of the Faithful,” or immensely likeable rhythmic accents on “Chasing the Serpent.”

Most importantly, though, is that Where Ironcrosses Grow rocks as wholesomely as a proper death metal album should. Entombed can do whatever it wants. As long as we’ve got Dismember, the preservation of what was once good shall remain so. (8/10)