When Swedish act Stench, with members of Tribulation, released their debut album In Putrescence at the end of 2010 (review: see update November 26th 2010, available in the Archive-section on Concreteweb), I wasn’t just surprised. I was truly charmed by these Swedes’ nasty Old School adventure. I think these guys toured a lot in mean time, but it took until now before they were about to release a new full length (there was an EP earlier this year). But here it is, the newest Stench-album, once again released via Agonia Records, and once again recorded, mixed and mastered at the famous Necromorbus Studio (this time, however, with Enforcer / Caustic Strike’s Jonas Wikstrand).
Venture lasts for thirty eight minutes and still brings a retro-approach of Death Metal, though being less traditional than the debut. What I do like enormously is that Stench do not sound like the protagonists from the Old School, nor any American one, nor any European one (with the Swedish scene coming to mind especially). No, Stench are capable to create an own vision on the glorious good ol’ times within having the need to shamelessly copy the sound or approach from the late Eighties / early Nineties. Besides, it goes even further, while having their atmosphere drenched into the morbid spheres of the cavernous First Wave Black Metal scene too. The general atmosphere too sweetly caresses the sharp edges of old styled grimness, partially thanks to the decent, maybe little under-produced sound. And no matter if Stench go fast and thrashing, or rather slow-paced and oppressive; in each case, and throughout the whole album, these guys’ craftsmanship (going for both the ability to write strong tracks, as well as the crafted performance) offers conviction and craftsmanship. Each track has something to offer, and therefor Venture might be at least as interesting as the debut album In Putrescence.