Valdsamt Motstand were formed in february 2010 in Karlstad, Sweden. The band has released three albums, two EP’s, and four demos. The band has a grindcore sound that also mixes other metal elements that allow them to stand out among the wide array of bands in the music scene today. Valdsamt Motstand first self released 2 demos in 2010 and another in 2011. ‘The Speedball Sessions’ was released via cassette and digitally in 2011 and then ‘Förbannelse/Revolver EP’ in 2012 both as independent releases. The band then signed Hogre Tempo Records and released their debut album on a label in 2013. They followed that up with an EP in the form of a 7″ in 2014. The band currently lists 3 full members of the band. Martin Abraham – lead vocals, David “Devan” Jansson – bass, and Micke Larsson – guitars. The band has now recorded and released ‘The Great Equalizer’ again on Hogre Tempo Records. The album is well thought out, diverse and includes some of the most thought provoking lyrics I have read in quite some time. ‘The Great Equalizer’ was recorded, mixed and produced by Valdsamt Motstand at Speedball Studios, Karlstad, Sweden in 2016. Drums on the album was performed by Micke Jörstad.
With blazing beats and gut shredding riffs “Pig Parade” gets the ball rolling on ‘The Great Equalizer’. Their crusty grindcore sound is easy to recognize right off the bat. The varying degrees of screaming creates contrast and isn’t repetitive at all. The song also boasts copious amount of groove. David “Devan” Jansson bass playing and the constant percussion are the bond in their sound that holds everything together. The title track “The Great Equalizer” slows things down a bit. The drums once again sinks its teeth into you first thing. The hi-hat tapping gets the rhythm going and everything else falls into place. This track also showcasing two vocal tones that at times overlap one another. The overlapping gives the track an incredible sound. Though it’s harsh vocals its delivered in a delicate manner that is immediately impressive. Of course I can’t talk about this album without mentioning the hilariously titled “Kill Me, I’m Liberal”. Some of the lyrics include “To Jesus we’re all Judas
To Prometheus, Zeus. A true liberal shuns real heroes, ‘Cause we can’t stand to see things change.” The satire within the lyrics makes it difficult to see which side of the coin Valdsamt Motstand is truly on, but that’s the fun of it. The other portions of the lyrics include some much more dark humor that you should check out. The band certainly boasts a grindcore sound and also when it comes to the length of the tracks. Most conclude just past the 2 minute mark. “Moses” is the longest track on the album coming in at 4 minutes and 30 seconds. Martin Abraham’s vocals become much more throaty on this track than they have on previous songs. The drumming takes center stage here with a chugging guitar riff that excels and changes the pace of the song creating a variant sound. This album is a true grindcore album but with some modern metal twists. One of the unique things about this album is that each member takes over vocals on certain songs. Guitarist Micke Larsson sings on ‘Dying of the Light’. Bassist David Jansson on “Fuck Your Scene” and “Watch Your Back” and full time vocalist Martin Abraham sings on the remaining songs. ‘The Great Equalizer’ consistently gets better with each track through the album. All 11 tracks hold up well on their own, but together build a great collection of cohesive songs that give this album true raw power. Highly recommended for any grindcore fan.
