EVILDOER

If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, then EVILDOER has been flatting the ever-living hell out of Swedish-style modern thrashers like THE HAUNTED and DEW-SCENTED. Fortunately for fans of the speeding and knuckle-busting style of deathly thrash, EVILDOER does a decent job of it on its debut album, "Terror Audio", regardless of the fact that the album never really breaks free from the grip of its contemporaries.

The bulk of the songs are propelled by the same up-tempo fury that drove the first three albums by THE HAUNTED (especially albums one and two). "By the Flag" and "FearDotGov" exemplify the group's frantic speed-killing delivery, interrupted by the occasional SLAYER-esque breakdown (not that kind of breakdown) into slower tempo chugging. The melodies become a little more apparent on songs like "Day of Torment" and "Right Hand Servant", mainly in the way the choruses are structured. The tension-filled "Gunshell Revenge" would not have been out of place on a DEW-SCENTED album. Both "On Bleeding Knees" and "The Deviant" depart slightly from the patented style, altering the tempos a bit and utilizing effective riff builds and notable changes in chord patterns. A marginal changeup in the vocals that incorporates darker tones and a lessening of the staccato delivery helps "Ten Times the Pain" to stand out a bit as well. "Absolute Hate" and "Die Now!" close out the disc in no holds barred fashion, violently thrashing 'til the end.

Questionable choice for a band name aside, "Terror Audio" gets the job done in fairly convincing fashion. Bowled over I am not, but the material still hovers just above the average mark. "If it ain't broke, don't fix" sums up the disc rather well.