Bob Malmstrom – Segla Med Satan CS EP (Elitbolaget)

Here’s another heavy banger to begin your weekend like a champ. Bob Malmstrom were quiet for a while, to the point I was a bit worried will they unleash any new material soon. Then they appeared with Battre Folk Metal, an introductory single that indicated they were up to something. It sounded fine, but as usual, I wanted to hear more. Luckily, they supplied me with an advance copy of Segla med Satan, their brand new EP, which is out on cassette and all streaming platforms today. Once again, they released it via Elitbolaget, a record label operated by Matias Lofman, who plays bass guitar at this epic hardcore/metal band.

Segla met Satan comes with six powerful hardcore punk tracks totally performed in a classic Bob Malmstrom manner. Those readers who paid attention to our pages before probably know that these guys explored everything from hardcore to metal, and that’s the case with this EP. However, Bob Malmstrom refined, improved, and enhanced their style over the years, so they sound better than ever. You’ll still notice those fast hardcore punk hymns soaked into healthy dosages of thrash, black, death, doom, and heavy metal, but these experienced musicians do it with a lot more style than before. If that’s not enough to satisfy your cravings for extreme underground music, Bob Malmstrom also decorated their tracks with anthemic choirs, singalongs, back vocals, melodies, harmonies, and other similar sonic maneuvers.

These additions could easily pass as something melodic punk rock or skatepunk bands would eventually put into their songs. However, the sheer aggression, abrasiveness, energy, and dynamics remain in their purest form. After all, it’s a sound Bob Malmstrom are known for, and they plan to keep it that way. Each composition comes with a set of fast-paced rhythmic sequences, continuous splashing over the cymbals, various accentuations, and hectic drum fills. Then you have a fine layer of groovy low-end tones over the top, which also serve as a binding element between drums and guitars. The guitars are mainly responsible for all the dirtiness, aggression, and crunchiness you’ll hear from beginning to end. The lead vocalist sounds better than ever. He puts a lot of effort into this material, and if those guitars aren’t enough, then his shouting comes like another layer of aggression above all the powerful orchestrations. These are just a couple of reasons why you need to hear this material, and million other reasons await you once you put this cassette into your tape deck. Head to Elitbolaget for more information about ordering.