I asked myself first, what's in a name?

Serpent Obscene, an odd title but clearly one that aims straight into the heart of darkness… and would you believe they're Swedish?

Therefore, as damaging as this is bound to be, let's consider the source, there's bound to be innumerable elemental factors that defy simple one word description and relentless aggression… or maybe not.

Expect no mid point breaks or classic guitar licks thrown in the mix… it's more like just jump right in and stew in it for as long as you think you can take it.

Thrash fans will welcome the traditionally dark song titles and opening moments to each track before the expected death and surrounding doom takes over like a swarm of locusts diving straight for the hapless victim-"Serpent Prophecy," "Rapid Fire," "Morbid Horror!!"

What is it that would cause a band to do this? It's a total cranial fracture set to harrowing "Sadistic Abuse…" and taking their own song a step further, it's worth mentioning a key lyrical ingredient here because there's not a hope in hell that you'll pick it up without slowing it down… and trust me, you don't wanna even try to do that!

"Sadistic Abuse, loss of control… Sadistic Abuse, obsessed by visions of death!"

Well the track seems to embark on a limb by limb dismembering, yet black-heartedly captures the overall theme, written into this devastating display, embodying the traditional elements first spattered across the extremist foreheads of a truly tortured youth… early Kreator's "Endless Pain" rises immediately into and through my mind like a bullet fired an inch away-and "pain" inasmuch as it's considered a state of mind… well consider what's left of it after this.

As brutal as death, think of a merciless overkill, carrying on guiltlessly and satisfying they're own twisted pleasures…

Serpent Obscene-what's in the name?

Nine declarations of all out war that in less than an hour leaves a once eager listener reduced to a pitiful pile of smoldering cinder…

Released by Necropolis Records

Review by Vinnie Apicella [va85@columbia.edu]