Another Rogga Johansson album of orchestral black metal… just kidding, everyone knows what’s up with Ribspreader: simple, filthy, old-school Death Metal that’s quintessentially Swedish, and really never fails to entertain but ultimately falls short of becoming anything particularly memorable.  Still, it’s generally a fun ride, and The Van Murders continues in this tradition.  The album starts off with “The Beginning of Their End” a song that, with its thick, weighty groove and straightforward infectious riffs could easily be considered a perfect example of what Rogga and Ribspreader do.  Basically a short album of uncomplicated but catchy death metal featuring some cool soloing and swampy mosh parts, The Van Murders passes quickly but manages to get your head nodding more than a few times though you might not realize or remember when or why exactly. Rogga is an old pro at these anti-tech-robotics and while this is a better album than the last Ribspreader disc Opus Ribcage, it falls a bit short of the excitement generated by his other extremely similar project Revolting whose last album on Razorback Records, was an absolute blast.  If you’re a fan of this type of death metal than you’ll enjoy this album, but there’s not a whole lot to it to be honest. 

TRACK LISTING

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*Comments:

1.  The Beginning of Their End
2.  The Cleaner and Mr. Filth
3.  A Morbid Journey
4.  Sick Minds Think Alike
5.  Going to L.A.
6.  Silicon Valley of Death
7.  Slaughterhouse on Wheels
8.  Cadaver Disposal
9.  This is the Ribspreader

Total playing time:  29:38

Release Date: March, 2011
Label: Vic Records

Ribspreader - The Van Murders

Reviewer: J. A. Burt

May 2, 2011