Shadows In The Deep

On Shadows in the Deep, an encouraged and enthusiastic Unleashed adds a second title to their crowded genre's list of essential early-'90s offerings. With the same lineup that delivered Where No Life Dwells intact (one that wouldn't change throughout the group's long career), bassist/vocalist Johnny Hedlund, guitarists Fredrik Lindgre and Thomas Olsson, and drummer Anders Schultz once again emerged from the studio only a year after their debut with this muscular follow-up. The music has all the intensity that any death metal fan could ask for, especially on gripping highlights like "Onward Into Countless Battles" and "Never Ending Hate," two burners that showcase the bands tighter, more accomplished chops. Only a subtle improvement upon their first release, some might consider this a relatively constrained effort, but no fans of Unleashed -- or their European death metal genre -- should be disappointed with Shadows in the Deep. ~ Vincent Jeffries