Two years after the excellent full length Forever Abomination, also released via Prosthetic Records (the review was put on the site, now available via the Archive-tab, on October 30th 2011), the American act Skeletonwitch returns with the fifth effort, entitled Serpents Unleashed, which has duration of, unfortunately, thirty two minutes only (short durations of their albums seem to be standard). This time the stuff was recorded with Converge’s Kurt Ballou (think: Torche, Pneu, High On Fire, Adai, Trap Them etc.) and it goes on where Forever Abomination ended. In comparison to that former album, Serpents Unleashed is more Traditional Black-oriented, with less Death (and Thrash) Metal elements than before. Besides, the total sound reminds me, more than ever before too, to the Scandinavian scene (mind several melodic song structures!), especially within the catchier parts. Another remarkable evolution, I think, is the decreased progression. The former album used to add some modernised elements to the Old School Glory, but this time the whole rather focuses on the Nineties in general, lacking of progressive elements whatsoever. Things that remain are the energetic power, the melodious catchiness in combination with a certain view of grimness, and the clean but not over-polished production and sound.
Me, myself and I have to add (and I can, and will, do so, because it is I being the reviewer, and not you) that I am slightly disappointed, for this album isn’t that grimly enthralling like Forever Abomination did; Serpents Unleashed does not inspire that much, and neither does it contain eternally-rememberable excerpts this time. But one cannot deny the beauty of this album either; at least I do, and will, not.