Mactätus is the perfect example of the current trend in black metal: melodic and bombastic with straightforward thrash-like guitar riffs; a certain success formula to rise to stardom in the black metal scene. Whether or not this trend should be called black metal is in my opinion really not an issue here. What is more important is that nowadays 90% of the black metal bands try to follow the godfathers of this trend, Dimmu Borgir, saturating the scene to the point of utter boredom. However, with “Suicide”, Mactätus seems to have changed their style or at least the booklet of this album hints at that; no more corpse paint and no more satanic lyrics, but lyrics about death and murder instead. Has Mactätus finally taken the step towards a more original direction?

Unfortunately not, after the first time I had heard this album I came to the conclusion that really nothing much has changed since “The Complex Bewitchment” and “The Provenance Of Cruelty”, Mactätus’ previous two albums. Okay, the music has become more aggressive but it is still completely in the vein of Dimmu Borgir with some minor older Emperor influences. Although, to be completely fair, it has to be said that Mactätus does once in a while manage to sound refreshing but unfortunately not too often. Listen for instance to the super aggressive “Measurement Of Discipline”, which displays some minor death metal influences and features Peter Tägtgren on vocals!

So, what then sets this band apart from the masses of other Dimmu Borgir sound-a-like bands? The answer is fairly simple; although being not too original, Mactätus is still a very talented band that knows how to write ‘catchy’ songs. Of course the word ‘catchy’ really doesn’t have anything to do with black metal, but like I already said before, whether or not Mactätus can be called black metal is not an issue here.

Fact is that “Suicide” is a very decent album that actually manages to challenge the godfathers themselves. Powerful guitar riffs, decent bombastic keyboards with excellent screaming vocals mixed in a compact package. The level of variety of this album is high and Mactätus simply offers an excellent listening experience with not a single dull moment. Songs like “Dead And Alive”, “Sanctity In Murder” and the album’s absolutely best song, “Bringer Of Silence”, show that this band knows how to write songs with excellent lead breaks and outbursts of speed that, combined with bombastic doom-like parts, blend into a perfect mix of aggression and melody.

Of course this album has been recorded in the famous Abyss studios, and of course who else than Peter Tägtgren is responsible for the production of this album, another sad trend in melodic black metal! It is however not really any wonder, this man simply knows how to produce an excellent album and “Suicide” is no exception. The sound is unbelievably heavy and each and every instrument is mixed in perfectly, but unfortunately another reminder of Dimmu Borgir.

“Suicide” is a very decent album that is high above the average melodic black metal release but unfortunately nothing new. Nevertheless if you dig this kind of music then I can only urge you to give Mactätus a chance, because this band sure as hell is talented. I only wish that bands like Mactätus would steer away from their current course and leave the Abyss studios and Peter Tägtgren far behind. This band has the potential and talent to take some risks, the above mentioned “Measurement Of Discipline” more than proves my point, and in that way the safely played “Suicide” is a disappointment.