Review: Condemned-AD – Follow a Failing Leader

Style: Thrash metal, Progressive metal (harsh vocals)
Recommended for fans of: Havok, Heathen, Annihilator
Review by: Francesco
Country: Sweden
Release date: 23 September, 2023

Condemned-AD‘s long-awaited first full-length Follow a Failing Leader brings forth a no-holds-barred thrash metal experience that entertains and excites as any good thrash metal band should. Alongside some high energy pieces, there’s complex songwriting scattered throughout, though it might be a stretch to suggest they’re pushing any boundaries here.

On Follow, elements of progressive metal manifest in the ways which the arrangements abruptly change feel and transition from more chromatic, start-stop picking, to moody, melodic licks, and onto more speedy thrash metal power-chord verses. Never letting the compositions get wrapped up and lose the thread, the musicianship is not overly showboating, nor overtly virtuosic, but the riffs are catchy and drummer Juan plays passages that are often quick and double-kick heavy. The two guitar players (guitarist/vocalist Mikael [Micke] Karlsson, and Alex Eriksson [RIP.2022]) were standout in this release, and there’s some thoughtful transitional riffing and fun lead work. The vocals are a sort of hoarse shout and approach melody in a way that sometimes doesn’t really land; too often it seems Micke gets close to the pitch but can’t quite make it. If you’re very focused on vocals in metal, it might take a few listens to get over it, but I recommend the effort if anti-establishment thrash is your thing. Not really a unique approach; there were bash-you-over-the-head metaphors about collapsing society, political doublespeak, restricted freedoms, personal afflictions, etc., but they were delivered with conviction and they fit the style even if I think a creative writing course might not be a bad idea.

The album’s pacing is mostly stuck in forward gear; the tracks are all of similar tempo and impression but as mentioned some of the more interesting parts come when the songs change direction partway. Tracks such as “Dead Don’t Lie” where towards the middle we hear a twisting, descending run that leads into a passage that is reminiscent of Swedish melodic death metal, or “Stay Away from Me” which starts off quite slow with an almost marching-band snare roll, but thereafter transitions in and out of more mid-paced movements which include progressive metal’s favourite trope of back-beat staccato riffing, and speedier sections that make use of blast-beats that would propel a crowd into a frenzied mosh. Some things I would’ve liked to hear on this album are tracks that committed to the progressive metal side they keep teasing and maybe did something really eclectic; otherwise, the track list is pretty cohesive, but does become a little stale when you can expect the changes coming, especially just before the songs approach the choruses. 

I don’t think Condemned-AD were at their best with this release, but there is some promise here. Overall, Follow a Failing Leader has great energy and effort, but needs some work on the execution. If they refine their sound to include more varied progressive elements, and if the vocalist changes his approach a little, this could be one of the heavier progressive thrash metal bands that wasn’t conceived after a trip to a planetarium (looking at you, Vektor, VENUS). 

Recommended tracks: Dead Don’t Lie, Killing Floor, Suicide by Murder
You may also like: Reverber, IN.SI.DIA, Crisix
Final verdict: 6.5/10

Related links: Website | Spotify | YouTube | Instagram | Metal-Archives page

Label: WormHoleDeath | Website

Condemned-AD is:
– Mikael Karlsson (guitars/vocals)
– Lukas Hamberg (guitars)
– Mikael Larsson (bass)
– Juan Rodrigo (drums)