Reviews for Nest Of Vipers...

Metal Temple

GREENLEAF are a Swedish ‘supergroup’ who are very well known in the Stoner Rock world. They formed in late 1999, and “Nest Of Vipers” is their fourth studio release. They’ve been through quite a few lineup changes since their formation, but they sound as good as ever.

This band is all about the riffs. They combine this with the heavy fuzz that they’re known for, and it’s a pretty sweet result. But thankfully, it’s not too reliant on the thicker fuzzy stuff, and GREENLEAF make it clear that they’re here to rock our socks off. Their Stoner Rock label is very apparent here, but there are quite a few songs with a faster tempo, changing things up a bit. The first three – “Jack Staff”, “Case Of Fidelity” and “Lilith” – are a great example of this, and hooked me into the album. Then “Tree Of Life” comes around, and things get a bit more psychedelic, but it’s still an excellent track, allowing the band to show off their skills in balancing the loudness and softness of the music. “Dreamcatcher” definitely show off their influences, I could hear DEEP PURPLE and BLACK SABBATH vibes while listening to the song. The longest and last song on the album is also the title track – “Nest Of Vipers (A Multitude Of Sins)”, and it features DOZER vocalist Fredrik Nordin, and OPETH keyboardist Per Wiberg. It’s an awesome track, a bit more Prog influenced (with the keyboards having a pretty prominent role), but with the Stoner elements ever present.

There’s no doubt that there is a lot of talent present on this album – GREENLEAF aren’t called a supergroup for nothing y’know. And although sometimes bands that are seen as ‘side projects’ often don’t live up to the hype, or get forgotten about, GREENLEAF are a fully established band, and they always leave the listener wanting more, especially with that final track. They manage to keep to their Stoner Rock beginnings, they manage to avoid getting boring by just having the sludgy fuzzy stuff all the way through (something I’ve encountered a lot in the past). They’re all about the good song writing, with both the instruments and the lyrics – sometimes Stoner Rock bands can take the ‘stoner’ part a bit too seriously, and just throw the songs together haphazardly. Saying all that though, on the whole, this album is still pretty laid back, but still rocking.

I wasn’t sure what to expect when I started listening to this, especially considering all the personnel changes they’ve had over the years, but I had nothing to worry about. “Nest Of Vipers” is an album that I would most definitely recommend, especially if you like your 70s Rock.

- Rebecca Miller

The Sleeping Shaman

Greenleaf seem to be something of a “stoner rock” supergroup featuring various members of the defunct Dozer and vocalist Oskar Cedermalm from Truckfighters…although the bulk of members are so heavily weighted in favour of members of Dozer that in personnel at least it almost seems like a reformation. Now, this is where I will show my ignorance as I’m not particularly au fait with Dozer and I’ve never heard a note of the Truckfighters but that at least allows me to approach this release without any expectations laid down by the members’ other projects.

Diving into this latest release from the band, given their heritage you may well expect some thick, syrupy stoner rock and, yeah, that is true to a certain extent but from the first few bars of opening track “Jack Staff”, it’s clear that Greenleaf are here to do one thing…rock!!! It does have its roots in stoner rock as well as the bygone days of big hairy 70’s rock but songs are tempered with big radio friendly choruses and almost pop like progressions. Don’t let that word pop put you off, this is far more than a band throwing a few riffs together and calling them songs. Greenleaf clearly show consideration for each part of each song and each element is designed to dovetail into one whole. The art of song writing is clearly the key here over showboating at flash.

The afore mentioned “Jack Staff” alongside “Case Of Fidelity” and “Lilith” are a strong opening trio that keep the pace and the vibe high. Dozer may have been accused in the past of sticking a little too closely to the Kyuss blueprint but here there is arguably more in common with QOTSA’s more commercial leanings, albeit with far more weight and sonic depth. Cedermalm’s voice is also a strong suit within the band possessing a classic rock tone that, to my grizzled ears, isn’t a million miles away from former COC, current Leadfoot front man Karl Agell albeit with more control and a keen ear for a good harmony.

After being smacked upside the head by the opening trio of tunes, “Tree of Life” flips the vibe on its head. More experimental and somewhat darker it displays a certain psychedelic side to the band and allows them to explore their different extremes between their loud/soft dynamic. Maybe not as conventional in structure as the songs that precede it, it still pulls together, albeit in several directions, to present a cohesive whole. On “Dreamcatcher” Greenleaf delve into big balled rock territory; a riff heavy 70’s vibed stomper backed up by some subtle organ textures that add weight to the Sabbath meets Deep Purple aesthetic they’re pushing.

“At The Helm” starts off with a more conventional stoner rock meets doom kind of sound but quickly evolves into something of a mini epic as it lurches from lighter passages to thicker, weightier grooves with consummate ease that belie the nautical theme of the song’s title. Although it may not be the most immediate song on the album, it is saved by a chorus that is pure pomp!!!

“Sunken Ships” is certainly something of a standout track riding on a deceptively simple yet effective guitar line but layered with almost haunting vocals from Peder Bergstrand and some truly beautiful harmonies all of which sit atop a driving and uplifting rhythm. This is where Greenleaf set themselves aside from the bulk of the stoner rock fraternity as few of their peers would be capable of creating anything with half the level of depth displayed here. Greenleaf take a small backwards step on “The Timeline’s History”. It’s still a strong song but steps further into stoner rock territory than the band have done thus far as it rolls along on an uptempo Sabbath style groove but doesn’t offer much more than a lot of other bands have done in this style. As the band have shown elsewhere, they are capable of producing work that is far more distinguishable and…well…interesting.

Clocking in at over 8 minutes and featuring the keyboard talents of Spiritual Beggars and Opeth man Per Wiberg on keyboards it is clear that Greenleaf are putting the title track out there as their big epic statement…and it works. The vocals of Fredrik Norden are restrained and clear as a bell. Wiberg’s organ takes centre stage (ooer) on a song that owes so much more to 70’s progressive rock than it does to the big assed heavy rock shown throughout the album so far…though at the halfway mark the song adds some more meat to its bones, ups the fuzz quota and brings the groove in no uncertain terms. In this one song alone, Greenleaf show they subscribe to the ethic of leave them wanting more.

Most bands that could be considered side projects do run the risk of falling prey to presenting sub standard material that doesn’t make the grade for the members’ day jobs or from having to rush to write and produce an album to fit various schedules. Not so Greenleaf, this is as fully realised and, in many ways, far more cohesive and structured than a lot of music that is around out there in the murky world of stoner and retro rock. Is it a classic, not really but this is certainly a strong foray into 70’s retro rocking goodness and worth a few spins at the very least, as repeated listens open this particular listening experience up each time.

- Ollie Stygall

The Ripple Effect

Pre-release emails from Small Stone are always something to get excited about so I usually download them right away. I snagged this advance for Greenleaf without checking the hype sheet and just started listening right away. First thing, I thought was "damn, this sounds a lot like Dozer!" I really loved their last album Beyond Colossal and played the hell out of it. After a few minutes, it was obvious that Greenleaf was somehow connected to Dozer. After referring to the bio, I was not surprised to learn that several members of Dozer, Truckfighters and the guy that has engineered their albums. Can't go wrong with that configuration.

While Dozer builds off of Black Sabbath, Greenleaf seems to use Alice Cooper as a base (mainly Love It To Death and Killer). This is good news for me since I LOVE Alice Cooper. The production is pretty dry with lots of room for all the instruments, very reminiscent of Love It To Death. Opening song "Jack Staff" even has some "Sun Arise" style muted string scraping. We're off to a good start! My all-time favorite Swedish band Union Carbide Productions were also huge Alice Cooper fans, as well as The Stooges, MC5, Mothers of Invention and Captain Beefheart. Dozer and Greenleaf continue in that tradition but veer more towards the heavier side of classic rock with a lot of Black Sabbath, 70's Judas Priest, early Grand Funk Railroad and Deep Purple. Probably The Doors, too. Can't go wrong with those influences filtered through potent beer and long months of darkness.

Fast and hard songs like "Lilith" sit along trippy workouts like "Tree Of Life" but most of the album is mid-tempo heavy rock. The guitars are very heavy but not overly distorted or tuned down, leaving lots of room for a nice big bass tone and booming drums. The vocals are cleanly sung with a bit of distortion to give them some bite. There's not a bad song on the album and the closing title track is an especially moody pounding jam with some excellent organ playing. Jon Lord and Craig Frost would be proud. The album is only available on iTunes right now but the physical CD will be coming out in June. Don't snooze on this one.

--Woody

SoulSeller

When getting music from Small Stone I’ve gotten used to receiving excellent Heavy Rock. This new material is excellent alright, but what’s new is that this great band ain’t from the U.S.A. but actually from around the corner of where I roam: Sweden. Not only this, but also this record is a mind blowing piece of Heavy 70ies infused Rock music, and those guys have been around for more than a dozen years now and I didn’t take any notice.

Only recently did I read the news that Android got signed to Small Stone. How fitting I thought, I also thought that this might be one of the rare instances that SS signed an Europe band. Little did I know how wrong I was. Greenleaf actually was the first European band that got added to the SS-catalog, but that was nearly ten years ago. Secret Alphabets released in 2003 was the first Greenleaf record on Small Stones. Since then the SS roster also includes European bands: Dozer, Skanska Mord, and Mother Of God from Sweden, Obiat from UK, Mangoo from Finland, and of course only recently Asteroid from Sweden.

Greenleaf was originally a side project by Tommi Holappa , Daniel Lidén, and Bengt Bäcke (all three from Swedish Stoner Rock Band Dozer), Nest Of Vipers is now their fourth long player. Just like on their last record Agents of Ahriman (2007) Oskar Cedermalm of Truckfighters fame is handling most of the vocal duties, on guitar we have Tommi Holappa and Johan Rockner, on bass it’s Bengt Bäcke, and drums are played by mighty Olle Mårthans. Guests are Per Wiberg (Opeth and Spiritual Beggars) playing organ on Lilith, and Nest Of Vipers, Frederik Nordin (Dozer) doing vocals on Nest Of Vipers, and Peder Bergstrand (Lowrider) singing on Sunken Ships.

The record gets instantly hold of the listener with kick ass-opener Jack Riff. Actually in mine case the first 4 seconds or so where enough to make me know that I’ll love Nest Of Vipers, the rest of the song totally confirmed my first impression.

The riff is a killer that instantly settles in your memory and stays there for good. The production is quite bombastic but not overdone in the slightest, it’s what Heavy 70s Rockers would have sounded like if they had the technology. The drums sound heavy, in a very Bonzoish kinda way. Ozo‘s vocals fit perfectly. Then, after the awesome 70s break and kick ass-solo it even gets better, the songs finale exceeds in a bombastic and energetic chorus for several voices and a guitar that makes you wanna listen to it over and over again.

The second rocker Case Of Fidelity doesn’t have to hide behind the impressive opener. Actually it’s as great as Jack Riff, quite similar also, but still totally has it’s very own right to exist.

Then Lilith. Besides having a soft spot for the mystical figure Lilith, she is said to have been the first wife of Adam, supplanted by Eve, and then went on to marry Lucifer, this song even tops it’s two predecessors. The already mighty sound-wall of Holappa, Rockner, Bäcke, and Mårthans is joined for the first time by Wiberg‘s organ, can Heavy Rock can get any better?

After this orgiastic trio of songs a first major change in the sound of the album: Tree of Life starts out as a psychedelic, jammy tune, but where most bands might have pursued the psychedelic or doomy vibe of the song Greenleaf prefer to break after yet another bombastic climax into a somewhat more basic balladesque verse just to finish off in the familiar kick ass Greenleaf fashion.

Dreamcatcher for me seemed at first a little like the first tune that might decrease the general quality level. But only until the awesome break at around 2:30, the then following part and solo gets my endorphin level back to opiate standards.

At the Helm follows. A mighty title for a mighty song. The first song on the record that might fully qualify as a whole ballad, but with all the might and sound that’s going on, a power ballad of course. No fucking Retro Heavy Rock Album would be whole without it.

The pace stays somewhat subdued while we listen to Peder Bergstrand‘s beautiful singing on Sunken Ships. If you like his voice as much as I do I urge you on to check out I Are Droid. Totally different but good stuff nevertheless.

The Timeline’s History start’s out with a killer bass riff before dropping back into Greenleaf‘s kick as Heavy Rock. Once more Ozo‘s different voices for the chorus turn out to be catchy to the max and the mighty guitars and rhythm section do the rest. It actually is a shame that this has to be the last but one tune, but with nearly a quarter of an hour playtime Nest of Vipers is surely not to short, just maybe too good.

The album concludes with Nest of Vipers (a Multitude of Sins), an eight minute long piece of epicness. The title-track of this awesome record does it all the honor it deserves.

The song starts out slow but grows and grows and peaks in a monstrous, bombastic Heavy Rock ending that leaves you wondering what mammoth just ran over you.
In case you didn’t realize already while reading this review, if you’re somehow into Rock music this record is a must have! Already a very strong contestant for record of the year.

- Bolle

Sputnik Music

Summary: Greenleaf find the middle ground between infectious stoner rock tunes and slow-burning psychedelic jams on their most accomplished album to date.

Swedish heavy rock scene has been on a roll for over a decade. Aside from delivering excellent riff-oriented rock, such notable acts as Truckfighters, Lowrider and Dozer managed to come up with their own vision of music that boasts with instantly recognizable features which include: dense drumming, heavily distorted bass lines, fuzzed-out guitar riffs and an aptitude for arresting melodies. All these constituents make for an admirably dense desert rock sound that distinctively characterizes so-called Swedish vibe. Borlange-based Greenleaf have always been committed to this style releasing three strong albums over the course of the last decade as well as experiencing numerous line-up changes in the process. Current Greenleaf comprise of three former musicians of Dozer accompanied by bassist Bengt Bäcke and singer Oskar Cedarmalm of Truckfighters fame. Given the fact that Bäcke has engineered plenty of Swedish stoner rock records, everything stays in the family with the quintet basically being a new incarnation of formidable Dozer.

In comparison to bluesy Agents of Ahriman from 2007, Nest of Vipers sounds grittier, punchier and more bombastic somewhat recalling the mix of the last Dozer outing with the open-air feeling of instruments, densely cascading drum beats and massive bass lines. The guitar work is appropriately groovy courtesy of immensely talented Tommi Holappa and Johan Rockner whose riffs range from boisterous to meditative. Holappa's soloing is tailor made for this kind of music striking an ideal balance between punchiness and flamboyance. The top-notch musicianship goes in line with the diverse song craft that captures the group finding the middle ground between direct, hook-driven tunes and slow-burning psychedelic jams.

A multitude of highlights includes infectious “Lilith” which relies on swift transitions making their way to a mellowed-out chorus that revolves around Cedarmalm's splendid vocal harmonies. “Dreamcatcher” proves equally irresistible with its powerful stomping rhythms in the verse leading to a superbly harmonized guitar onslaught in the song's captivating finale. In contrast, “Sunken Ships” interweaves breezy guitar work and powerhouse bass solo with enticing falsetto croons of Lowrider's Peder Bergstrand to startling effect. While these songs might be more instantly memorable, the actual selling point of Nest of Vipers lies with its lengthier brilliantly hypnotic cuts. Remarkably sustained “Tree of Life” enigmatically unravels only to climax in the vortex of rollicking riffs, while constantly evolving “At the Helm” takes its slow-burning guitar work and blends it with retro keys and Cedarmalm's most alluring vocal performance. The title track works as an icing on the cake utilizing unrecognisably vicious crooning of Dozer's Fredrik Nordin into an ambitious, progressive inclined instrumentation.

Even though several songs are devoid of apparent remarkable qualities, the strong points of Nest of Vipers clearly surpass the achievements of most other stoner rock bands working today. The album most definitely showcases Greenleaf at the top of their game serving as an epitome of everything that the greatest Swedish heavy rock has to offer.

- Greg Fisher

The Soda Shop

One of the first Small Stone Records bands that I instantly fell in love with has returned. This is a band is exactly what the doctor ordered so many years ago, and I’m still being given a prescription to this day. Of course, this is a band that is in need of no introductions, but who doesn’t appreciate the build-up, anyway? Greenleaf, the Swedish stoner ‘supergroup’, if you will, is back after yet another change in lineup, and the band blends seamlessly as ever. It’s been an agonizingly long 5 years since they last released new material, but it looks like the new material was well worth the wait.

For anybody familiar with their discography (i.e., everyone), you’ll find that Nest of Vipers sits somewhere between Agents of Ahriman and Secret Alphabets in style. It’s a mix that I was a little surprised to hear, but pleased nonetheless. As much as I love Agents, I’ve always had a soft spot for their earlier albums with Fredrik on vocals, and the mixing of the two styles is a wet dream come true. True to form, this is a Greenleaf album from tart to finish. The band maintains their masterful groovy fuzziness and catchy riffs that blurs the line between time and space. This album also has a noticeable amount of Dozer mixed throughout for good measure. All this culminates with the title track with two very special guests, Fredrik on vocals and Per Wiberg on the organ.

I’ve been anticipating this album ever since I learned they were back together and writing new material. I kept waiting for the release, and the suspense only heightened my want, my need, for the new material. Usually, this much hype dooms an album because there’s no way that it could live up to the hype that you’ve given it. Then again, there are the few bands that can not only meet your ludicrously high expectations, but they can shatter it, as well. Greenleaf has done just that with Nest of Vipers. After 12 years, several incarnations, and another hiatus later, the band is still rocking as hard as ever. This is a must-own treasure. Unfortunately, the wait is still not over. The album’s official release is set until 06/12/12, but there is a silver lining as this sure to be available for purchase through Small Stone prior to its release. It”s still not soon enough, but it’s the best we’re going to get. That is, unless you are a fan of digital-only, then you can pick this album up off of iTunes right now.

Broken Beard

Members of Dozer, Demon Cleaner, Truckfighters, and Lowrider have all posed for Greenleaf’s promo shots at one point or another during the band’s spotty 12 year career, which makes ‘em a catch and release program for some of Sweden’s stoner elite, but you might just call this current incarnation Dozer 2.0 with Truckfighters’ Oskar Cedermalm on vocals instead of Fredrik Nordin (although he does make a guest appearance, as does Per Wiberg of ex-Opeth and Spiritual Beggars and Peder Bergstrand of ex-Lowrider and I are Droid). But hey, if Dozer ain’t in the bullying business anymore, I’ll gladly be pushed around by its bloozier brother, Greenleaf, and they certainly haven’t forgotten how to shove a roach-stained finger into your chest since not having released anything since 2007′s Agents of Ahriman. But that’s the great thing about Greenleaf; they can disappear for a spell — like they did between 2003′s Secret Alphabets and Agents of Ahriman — and come back sounding as tight as ever, and Nest of Vipers is packed just so, with all the movement and danger of its namesake. Greenleaf have always sounded like they’re plugged into mile-long coiled guitar cables in the only desert that exists in Scandinavia, kicking up smoky riffs and fuzzy groove, which they do here in bold fashion (“Jack Staff,” “Lilith,” “Dreamcatcher”), but the thing that has always set ‘em apart and given ‘em that royal, powerful edge is their ability to incorporate that other Swedish rock n’ roll force into their tunes: pure swank. It’s casually slight, but there’s enough garage rock vibe on songs like “Case of Fidelity” and “Sunken Ships” to shake things up just right, and when you add the cosmic prog of “Tree of Life” and the organ-fried “Nest of Vipers (A Multitude of Sins),” you’ve got one well-versed and exceptionally executed trove of heavy venom.

- Jeff Warren

The Obelisk

Like a lot of bands, the story of Greenleaf’s now decade-plus tenure (their self-titled debut EP came out on Molten Universe in 2000) is one of a rotating lineup, but more than that, it’s the story of a rotating lineup of players who’ve helped define their country’s heavy rock scene for that decade and longer. The remaining founding members of the band are Tommi Holappa (guitar) and Bengt Bäcke (bass), trace their roots back to Dozer, in which Holappa played guitar and whose first two albums Bäcke produced as part of a discography that also includes Demon Cleaner’s transformative 2000 long-player, The Freeflight. Bäcke engineered the first several Greenleaf albums as well: 2001’s Revolution Rock, 2003’s Secret Alphabets and 2007’s Agents of Ahriman – but on their newest offering, Nest of Vipers (Small Stone), Bäcke takes a back seat in that regard, and Karl Daniel Lidén, who played drums on everything up to Agents of Ahriman and to whose VAKA solo-project Bäcke also contributed, has taken over engineering duties for the instruments and the mixing, leaving the vocals to be self-recorded by vocalist Oskar Cedarmalm. Cedarmalm, who also appeared on Agents of Ahriman, is full-time bassist/vocalist in Truckfighters, and laid his parts to tape at that band’s Studio Bombshelter, which anyone who’s yet seen the recent Truckfighters documentary (review here) is bound to recognize the name of.

Meanwhile, Dozer bassist Johan Rockner has signed on to this latest incarnation of Greenleaf, playing second guitar alongside Holappa, and Olle Mårthans, who drummed on Dozer’s 2008 apparent-swansong – I keep hoping they’re not really done – Beyond Colossal, has taken that position as well. It’s a complex (super-) grouping that ultimately results in the following Nest of Vipers lineup:

Oskar Cedarmalm: vocals/vocal recording (Truckfighters)
Tommi Holappa: guitar (Dozer)
Johan Rockner: guitar (Dozer)
Bengt Bäcke: bass (engineer for Dozer, Demon Cleaner, etc.)
Olle Mårthans: drums (Dozer)

And though he doesn’t actually play anything this time around, Lidén makes his presence felt in the sound of the album, which in terms of the mix and the open-air feeling of the instruments has a lot in common with Dozer’s Beyond Colossal and – especially in Mårthans’ drums – Lidén’s own VAKA project. The inherent heaviness of those sounds is a big shift in itself from how Greenleaf presented their material on Agents of Ahriman – which I’m more than happy to go on record as saying was one of my favorite albums of the last decade – but ultimately serves the songs well, as they benefit from Mårthans’ bombast and the overall grittier feel. Factor in guest appearances from Dozer guitarist/vocalist Fredrik Nordin and noted organist Per Wiberg (ex-Opeth/Spiritual Beggars) on the extended closing title-track – Wiberg also shows up on third cut, “Lilith” – and former Lowrider singer Peder Bergstrand (currently of I are Droid) on the later “Sunken Ships,” and the personnel becomes even more noteworthy for Nest of Vipers. Nonetheless, the album keeps continuity five years later with Agents of Ahriman (on which Bergstrand also guested) in its classic rock modernization, ultra-Swedish vibing and masterful songcraft, offering nine engaging tracks that vary in mood and groove and remain nonetheless impeccably structured. Unspeakably catchy when they want to be, but able to turn mood on a dime and maintain the flow, the only shame about Greenleaf in 2012 is that it took so long for Nest of Vipers to manifest.

They have a good excuse in that regard, given the work Dozer, Truckfighters and VAKA have done since 2007, and Nest of Vipers is quick to shake off any rust that might have accrued since the last outing. Opener “Jack Staff” is the first of three four-minute stunners, and followed by “Case of Fidelity” and the first of Wiberg’s appearances on “Lilith,” Greenleaf builds an immediate momentum of straightforward and hooky rock. Cedarmalm turns in a banner performance vocally, showing a depth of arrangement and layering that speaks to his thinking of the band as more than just a side-project, and as he tops Holappa and Rockner’s riffing with harmonized verses and choruses, Nest of Vipers establishes its melodic core. Underneath (or perhaps cutting through), Mårthans enacts the same kind of ferocity he brought to his snare work on Beyond Colossal, which Lidén, a drummer himself, excellently captures. His fills and tom runs on both “Jack Staff” and “Case of Fidelity” are a huge factor in the excitement the songs build, and Bäcke’s bass adds a rich and warm thickness to the more open verses of the latter while also standing up to the guitars for the bridge. With the addition of Wiberg’s Hammond to “Lilith,” the song earns its place as third in the line, feeling like the grander culmination of Nest of Vipers’ first three tracks before the longer “Tree of Life” slows the album’s progression down and changes to a more psychedelic atmosphere. Mårthans again excels on “Lilith,” and his drums are prominent in the mix but not overbearing, and it feels like the guitars have rightly taken a step back to account for Wiberg, but the solo in the song’s back half shines through all the same before a final verse and chorus thunder it to its finish.

Breaking Nest of Vipers into thirds isn’t a bad way to go about it. The first three songs mark an “over before you know it” kind of spearhead, and the next slow down and develop a diverse sense of structure and approach, and the final trio offer further development and, finally, summation of the whole experience. Certainly a shift is underway as the first three minutes of “Tree of Life,” which is only five, start a slow build more or less from scratch. Cedarmalm’s vocals arrive for the lone verse at 3:17, and although Mårthans keeps a near-frantic beat on his ride cymbal for most of the time, switching to the crash and hi-hat as one of Nest of Vipers’ many righteously-fuzzed leads takes hold, Greenleaf are never entirely unrestrained. Where a lot of bands would jam out parts like these, and where that may well have been the foundation on which the song was built, the point is it was built, and control over it is maintained. The track feels long at five minutes, but that proves mostly a function of the more atmospheric take, as the centerpiece “Dreamcatcher” takes hold for the shortest single duration of Nest of Vipers (3:53) and nonetheless continues the same mood, or at very least adds a little funk to it with start-stop riffing and Bonham-style heavy tom landings that underscore the beat as much as they propel it. Holappa and Rockner stand out on guitar in the chorus, and another fuzz lead ties “Dreamcatcher” to “Tree of Life,” even though it picks up its pace for a more hurried ending, Cedarmalm retreating deeper into the mix so as not to compete with a raucous instrumental finale as much as become part of it. As ever, Lidén shows his contributions behind the scenes can be as formidable as any out front.

“At the Helm” brings back a riffier feel from the earlier tracks, but tempers it with a laid-back verse that trades off into a heavier chorus with gloriously predictable pauses, as though Holappa, Bäcke, Rockner and Mårthans were taking a breath (one of the guitars keeps playing, so I guess it’s not everyone) before unleashing it. Cedarmalm counters with some of Nest of Vipers’ most accomplished vocal melodies, the cycle repeats, and a bluesy solo bridge leads to just a flash of doom before the final chorus kicks in. Now two-thirds of the way in, Greenleaf haven’t yet shown all of their stylistic breadth, but at least most of what they have to offer is on display within the first six tracks, which makes “Sunken Ships” perfectly positioned as the seventh for bringing in Bergstrand’s guest spot on vocals. Having also contributed to “Black Tar” on Agents of Ahriman, Bergstrand adds here a casually crooned verse and switches to a sweet, Homme-ian falsetto for the chorus that’s no less ably delivered. Mårthans seems momentarily restrained on the hi-hat for the verse, but adds punctuating snare stomps to the chorus, picking up from “At the Helm”’s finish and still managing to add flourish to a well-earned Bäcke bass solo. Unlike some of the material in the previous third (the middle third), “Sunken Ships” seems less geared on affecting a musical build than exploring a richness of melody, and as Bäcke returns to the fore to start “The Timeline’s History,” it’s clear what the song has been building toward. The momentum of “Jack Staff” and “Case of Fidelity” (I’d include “Lilith” here as well, but its organ spot is yet to find companion on the closer) is revived, and Greenleaf confirm that at the core of Nest of Vipers is a current of excellent songwriting.

To that I’ll also add that although one might look at the tracklisting – on which six of the nine tracks hover within 10 seconds of being four minutes long – and think that some kind of redundant formula is at play, that’s simply not the case. Even as “Jack Staff,” “Case of Fidelity” and “The Timeline’s History” follow a similar course, they each have a personality within that course and seem to be driving for a different feel. Aiding that argument is the surf rock solo break in the back-half of latter, which Bäcke and Mårthans handle beautifully and cut with a snare to launch back into the final chorus. Cedarmalm’s vocal confidence makes me look forward to the next Truckfighters more than I already was, and soon enough, “Nest of Vipers (A Multitude of Sins)” begins its unfolding, Wiberg’s organ complementing the guitars as Dozer’s Nordin takes the fore vocally with a falsetto of his own. At 8:12, the title-track is the longest on Nest of Vipers by more than two full minutes, but it also accounts for almost every turn Greenleaf make on the eight songs preceding, and allows room for a killer organ-into-guitar solo in the middle from which the band embarks on the album’s instrumental ending – a subtle but undeniable build for which Mårthans saves his finest and most bombastic drumming. Fills seem to go in two directions at once amid the driving guitars, bass and organ, but ultimately, it’s the latter that has the distinction of capping Nest of Vipers as the other instruments cut away and the organ notes sustain like the waving flag of Greenleaf’s classic rock allegiance.

Given Wiberg’s characteristically excellent contributions and Nordin stepping into the vocal role, one might think of “Nest of Vipers (A Multitude of Sins)” as a sequel to “Bound for Greatness” from Dozer’s Beyond Colossal, but the instrumental build at the end sets the two songs apart more even than (somewhat) different players’ involvement could. Still, some of the same ideas are there in the beginning, and it’s one more subtle example of Greenleaf’s overarching refinement. Holappa and Bäcke have developed this band from a side-project curiosity into a bullet-pointed summary of modern Swedish heavy rock’s course since these players began helping set it in the late ‘90s. Like the best of its genre from any nation, Nest of Vipers is unabashedly classic in its influence but still pushing into new territory, and the heft added by Lidén’s production only makes these songs more dangerous. It’s been a long time coming, and I feel like a bit of a fanboy glowing over it so much, but Greenleaf’s fourth full-length has met every expectation I could have put on it, and like its predecessor, it’s a record I look forward to engaging with on a longer term than a simple review can encompass. No doubt in my mind it will stand as one of 2012’s finest releases, and for anyone who ever wanted to garner some understanding of what Swedish heavy rock should and can and does accomplish when so well executed, Nest of Vipers is a textbook whose lessons are waiting to be read. Highly recommended and then some.

- H.P. Taskmaster

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1. Jack Staff
2. Case of Fidelity
3. Lilith
4. Tree of Life
5. Dreamcatcher
6. At the Helm
7. Sunken Ships
8. The Timeline's History
9. Nest of Vipers (a Multitude of Sins)