Swedish Death Metal is a broad church, and Rotten Soul plants its flag firmly at the altar of restraint, weight, and absolute conviction. This five-track EP, clocking in at just under eighteen minutes, is the work of Ivan Castro under the Enemy Awake banner, and it’s a lesson in how to sound utterly devastating without once resorting to cheap tricks, empty speed, or ego-driven excess.
This record doesn’t rush. It doesn’t sprint. It doesn’t give a single fuck about keeping up with whatever tempo war is currently raging elsewhere in the genre. Instead, Rotten Soul advances with intent — slow, deliberate, and crushing, like something ancient shifting beneath the earth. This is Death Metal that understands the power of patience.
What immediately stands out is how confident this EP sounds. There’s no frantic energy here, no sense of a musician trying to prove themselves through sheer velocity or technical fireworks. Castro knows exactly what he’s doing, and more importantly, what he doesn’t need to do. The guitars are thick and oppressive, tuned low enough to feel physical without dissolving into sludge. The riffs repeat just long enough to hypnotise you, then shift at precisely the moment they need to, keeping you locked in without ever feeling static.
The pacing across the EP is immaculate. Tracks bleed into one another with a natural sense of flow, creating a single, cohesive experience rather than five isolated songs. This is the sound of someone who understands structure — not in a prog sense, but in the way old Death Metal records were built: tension, release, and a constant undercurrent of menace. There’s groove here, but it’s buried under layers of grit and rot, surfacing just long enough to drag you forward before pulling you back under.
Vocally, Rotten Soul avoids theatrics. The delivery is harsh, grounded, and venomous without becoming cartoonish. It sounds human — angry, tired, and dangerous — which suits the material perfectly. There’s no posturing here, no exaggerated extremity. Just bile and breath forced out through clenched teeth.
Production-wise, the EP strikes a near-perfect balance. It’s raw without being sloppy, heavy without being suffocating. You can hear everything you need to hear, but nothing feels polished or sanitised. This isn’t Death Metal meant for glossy playlists or background listening — it demands your attention, and it rewards it.
What Rotten Soul ultimately proves is that Swedish Death Metal doesn’t need reinvention to remain vital. It needs belief, discipline, and an understanding of weight. Enemy Awake deliver all three in spades. This is an EP that knows exactly what it is, refuses to apologise for it, and crushes everything quietly, efficiently, and completely.
No flash. No filler. Just rot, pressure, and absolute control.
Rotten Soul by Enemy Awake is available now via Bandcamp.
CHOICE CUT: Following the Light
BLACK METAL ARCHIVES VERDICT: Rotten Soul trades speed for weight and ego for intent. Enemy Awake let the riffs breathe, letting sheer mass do the damage. Cold, disciplined, and utterly uncompromising Swedish Death Metal.
PRESS SOURCE: Cátia C./Against PR.
