Lifelover – Sjukdom (2011)

After their brilliant “Konkurs”, it seems like the band ended their life and sent over some cheap copycats with “Sjukdom”. As you all might know, Lifelover is one of the most interesting bands when it comes to playing depressing experimental Metal. But with “Sjukdom” the band succumbs to mediocrity by playing the same things as on “Konkurs” and using cliché elements for shock value.

The brilliant guitar driven atmosphere is missing for most of the album, and on songs like “Expandera”, it sounds like a carbon copy of what they did on “Konkurs”. The band’s consistency is also put to question with uninspired filler songs like “Homicidal Tendencies”, where the band leads off with basic guitar riffs and the cliché samples of little kids in the middle of the song.

Not all is terrible on “Sjukdom” and we do have a few hidden gems in this big pile of filler songs. “Doften Av Tomhet” is a very solid 5 minute piece that generates some good atmosphere due to the desolate piano sounds and the spoken sections. “Totus Anctus” reminds us a bit of Bethlehem and we have to give props to the band for this. Finally, “Instrumental Asylum” is also a very decent guitar driven atmospheric song, but since it’s placed so far between dull and half cooked songs it loses its full effect on the listener. Also “Utdrag” is worth mentioning due to it’s uniqueness in the album.

While the majority of the songs feel ‘under cooked’, we have to mention that they are not terrible, but they are also not Lifelover’s best or most inspired tracks either. Songs like “Bitterljuv Kakofoni”, “Nedvaknande” and “Resignation” are great examples of half-assed songs that could have been improved with more passion and dedication.

Overall, “Sjukdom” is probably not the album that most Lifelover fans expected, but it’s not complete shit either. We recommend you take it with philosophy and enjoy the decent songs in the album without being overly critical about things. On a side note, the limited edition of this release looks pretty sick with a Lifelover razor, barb wire, a patch, some postcards and a digipack version of the CD, a true collector’s item.

Release: February 14th, 2011 (Europe) / March 8tg, 2011 (North America)

Country: Sweden