Raubtier - Pansargryning (2014)

From the northern wilderness comes the heavy industrial trio Raubtier (German for predator), a band that has been compared as Swedens answer to Rammstein. Just like the legendary Germans, Raubtier sings in its native language and brings a heavy and unique sound to the table. With their love for singing about war and death, this trio from Haparanda has conquered Sweden very quickly. "Pansargryning" (armor dawn) is the band's fourth album in just five years (and that does not include the two albums they have released in their country band Bourbon Boys), just one of the evidences that this band does not sit quietly in their boat and waits for the fame to come to them.

For those of you who have heard this band before, you will instantly recognize their sound in "Pansargryning". It is heavy and determined industrial metal with catchy choruses and lyrics about war and misery. It is definitely comfortable to know what you will get from Raubtier, but of course, there is a thin line between being reliable and being boring. I feel that they have shown us what they got in all their albums, but not how much they have evolved. Maybe I am speaking too soon about that since this band has only been around 6 years, but you cannot just simply put that fact away.

The most impressive tracks are the ones that are most memorable. It could be one distinctive thing, like the brutal power in the opener "Dieselrök" (diesel smoke) and the extreme speed in "Raptor", or just a good chorus, like in "Qaqortoq" or "Innan Löven Faller" (before the leaves fall), that makes a Raubtier song stand out. But the most impressive thing is that Raubtier has a ability of making the most out of every track. Even the worst track "Skjut, Gräv, Tig" (shoot, dig, shut up) sounds decent thanks to the band's passion and dedication.

Then there is also some songs that actually makes this album a little more versatile than its predecessors. "Opus Magni" (grand opus) is one of their most epic songs while "Bränder" (fires) and "Innan Löven Faller" is probably the closest to a ballad we will see from this band. This makes me hopeful that this band can progress and develop their sound further in the future, but they still have to show that they can write different types of lyrics. But as said, I am hopeful.

I would not rate "Pansargryning" as Raubtier's finest album to date, but it is definitely coequal with its predecessors. The catchy and heavy songs makes sure that Raubtier's rank as one of the most popular acts in Sweden does not decrease. They still have some way to go to reach their full potential, but these guys are determined, so I am certain that they in the end will win the war.

Songs worthy of recognition: Innan Löven Faller, Dieselrök, Qaqortoq

Rating: 7/10 Bränder