Dimension Zero is an all stars band, consisting of some of the most celebrated performers in the death metal capital of Gothenburg, Sweden. This review is based on that fact. When legends work together you expect them to deliver grade A material. That is not what you get from Dimension Zero.

The musical commander of the outfit is obviously Jesper Strömblad, who seems to be having trouble separating his main project – In Flames – and Dimension Zero. An untrained ear wouldn’t be able to tell the difference. Many diehard In Flames-fans (and I know a rather large lot of those) will find, that they now have two favorite bands instead of one. Good for them, but not for the rest of us.

Strömblad has recruited the help of Daniel Antonsson (strings of Soilwork) and Jocke Gothberg (ex-drummer/vocals of Marduk). Jeff Waters (guitar of Annihilator) makes an extended guest appearance throughout the album, as the lead guitarist. Basically every band member performs a slightly tuned down version of the band they originate from. Thus Dimension Zero sound – at the same time – as In Flames without the groove, Soilwork without the blood-and-guts energy, Annihilator without the pounding rawness and viciously wicked riffs, fronted by the former singer of a legendary black metal band who is lost and can’t find his way home. Not very impressive at all, though the experiment could have had some very interesting results. 

It doesn’t help that the cover looks like a, by now, famous scene from the cartoon series Metalocalypse (“Wow! Blood-puke! That’s a good song title…”). Swedish people really shouldn’t drink that much cherry wine, if they can’t hold their liquor! And speaking of the mythology of the Swedes: The wikipedia article about the album promises two cover songs – one of them, Rövarvisan, being a very funny children’s song that is also quite popular in the rest of Scandinavia. Well I, for one, don’t have these songs on my copy of the CD, which is a shame really. I want to make a deal with this band: I’ll drink a Swedish beer if you send me those two tracks! To hear Gothberg sing “Stayin’ Alive” by Bee Gees would be worth the punishment.

A final note: This music is not bad or annoying. As mentioned initially, its just disappointing, when you take into account who made it. That’s why the rating doesn’t fit the spiteful review.