---

I admit that I'm not familiar with all of Rogga Johansson's back catalogue (there simply isn't time enough in the world to listen to all that material - the Swedish guitarist/singer/song writer is the Charles Dickens of death metal!), but everything I've heard and reviewed for this website always bordered for quality old school death metal. Bone Gnawer, the project Rogga did with Kam Lee (Massacre) was especially right down my alley.

I've seen Johansson cite Paganizer as his main band in an interview somewhere, and, yeah, they have a good thing going on. Definitely old school and definitely death metal, the four piece with Rogga performing the vocal duties tear through 13 solid pieces of brutality.

It's probably because of the voice and the fact that Kam Lee was in Massacre, but I can't help comparing the two projects, bands, whatever you want to call it, and I can't help thinking that Bone Gnawer is more hardhitting and interesting. Rogga's voice is less characteristic, more normal if you like (if such term can be used in death metal), and the musical side of it...well, it's less sharp methinks.

'Into the Catacombs' is a brutal, solid and very death metal album, but it certainly doesn't break any new ground. For fans of the old school only!

---