Metalcatto
Unleashed is an institution in Swedish Death Metal. The band was there at the dawn of time, back when everyone played with the same rancid distortion pedal and accidentally created a music subgenre. Fire Upon Your Lands is supposed to be a health check for a band that still feels fresh despite its years. I know — a Swedish band singing about Viking stuff already feels like raining over the ocean, but when you have such a classic act, things can go either really well or make you regret being a Metalhead. Let’s see which one we end up with here, ok? Wish me luck.
As you know, a lot of Viking Metal has MeloDeath elements, but what if it leaned more into Death/Thrash? Then you’d probably end up with what Fire offers here. It’s clean and consistent, but still has that old-school directness that’s become rare in Death Metal. It’s not Kreator-catchy, but it comes close at moments — all without sacrificing the excellent guitar work, which doesn’t overshadow anyone but carries many of the album’s most intense moments. At least it’s not corny Viking fare for the geeks.
Yes, there are moments where I felt this was a meaner Amon Amarth, but Unleashed still has its own personal touch. After all these years, the band still knows how to write engaging tracks. Much of the decadence is delivered through those dry drums and vocals that sound like they’ve been dragged through ages of torment. Can you drink Jack Daniel’s while listening to this and still feel Metal? Totally. There’s no edge lost yet. Fire offers comfort for the elders and excitement for the youth. Now, let’s discuss the issues.
Fine, there aren’t many. It’s hard to go wrong with meat and potatoes — you’d have to be some lunatic chef to ruin that. I’m not even going to compare this to the band’s classic albums; that almost feels unfair. However, I’d say Fire sticks to what works and delivers a fun experience. Just don’t expect it to be revolutionary. It’s an effort that shows Unleashed is alive and well — a band showing its strength with consistency rather than experimentation. And you know I’m a sucker for bands willing to change.
Honestly, I was expecting Fire to be a dumpster on fire, but it was a blast in the end — full of awesome riffs and enjoyable writing. Despite drawing heavily from Norse mythology, it manages to avoid becoming cringe or gimmicky. I appreciate that in our era of commodified history. Relax, I’m not going to get sociological while closing this review. I’m a cat of science! (Ooof, I’m going to get so much hate for that.)
Label: Napalm Records
Release date: August 15, 2025
Website: https://www.facebook.com/unleashed
Country: Sweden
Score: 3.5/5.0
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