Endseeker – Global Worming (Metal Blade)

Monday, 23rd October 2023 By Katarina McGinn

Rating: 8/10

A force of buzzing and swarming old school death Swedish death metal (by way of Germany) for almost a decade now, Endseeker has been one of the most consistent bands one could find in this particular style. Global Worming is the their fourth full-length effort in that span of time, and for what it’s worth, it sees the band losing absolutely no traction in what they are doing. The reason why is more simple in theory than it’s practice. Endseeker continue to leverage Swedish death metal and all it’s glory – they make it a point to not be the band’s only selling point.

As always, a case of revering one’s elders instead of flat out ripping them off, Endseeker provide another batch of top quality buzzsaw-driven death metal. The title track opens things up like you might expect. Frantic riffing, snarled roars, pulverizing drums – it’s all here, and Endseeker’s ability to keep it fresh lies very much in their ability to make music that captures your attention. The swirling melodies don’t slack either, and it all makes for a very promising start. Wisely, instead of making every track a melodically militant march, they slow it down a bit and really dig their feet in for the melodies on “Hell is Here.” Crunchy grooves hit with the subtlety of a sledgehammer, and the melodies all but instantly hook your ear to them as the grooves roll along. “Wheel of Torture” is another groove-fest, complete with bouncy riffs that you just can’t help but move around too – this has been one of Endseeker’s strong points for many years and they continue to find new ways to exploit it with refined songwriting. On the other hand though, they know how to lay out a pounding when they want, as “Our Only Life” grinds its way through as the shortest track of the bunch.

Endseeker continues to double-down on their best qualities on Global Worming. They know how to embed some real gems when it comes to melodies, but also can capture the raw aggression needed in other moments. They continue to show a prowess with this sort of material that other bands playing old school Swedeath just can’t match. Just sit back (or thrash) and enjoy!