ORBIT CULTURE is a band that's on the fast track to mass appeal, especially over the last 2 years or so. They hail from Sweden, a land rich in Metal history, and they carry that torch with reverence to the past, but while also standing firmly in the present.
”This record represents change, a new beginning...”, says Orbit Culture guitarist, vocalist and songwriter, Niklas Karlsson. “It brings up a lot of good and bad emotions but it’s a big change for the better. It feels like a rebirth...”
Karlsson was inspired by a steady diet of METALLICA, GOJIRA and STATIC-X, all of which can be heard within the music on the band's newest, and possibly best album to date, "Death Above Life", released on October 3rd, 2025. I also hear influences from bands like IN FLAMES.
“Inferna” kicks off the festivities in grand fashion! This track almost reaches the 7 minute mark, which can be tough for some listeners, but it never feels bloated or boring, making for an enjoyable listening experience.
“Bloodhound” starts off with a riff that is as heavy as Thor's mighty hammer. Which is a fact that continues throughout the verse sections, but when he growls “You fucked it up, you fucking asshole”, that's when you really feel the power of this track. Then the band matches it with some groove heavy riffs, some nifty electronic elements, and killer vocal performances. This is one heavy track, serving as a perfect example of what Orbit Culture is all about.
For a bit of back story, Orbit Culture had done an arena tour with SLIPKNOT in early 2024, which helped to open the band’s eyes to bigger possibilities. “If we never did the Slipknot shows, for instance...” says Niklas. “I would never have written a song like ‘Bloodhound’ on the new album. Just watching them every night, there was an intensity and furious rage that we got to see closely, first-hand, it pushed us...”.
“The Tales Of War” begins with a bit of orchestration, setting the mood for what is to follow perfectly. When the riff kicks in it also kicks your ASS, utilizing intricacy and groove in order to get your asses into the pit as soon as you hear it. This is one of those tracks that I feel is indicative of all the cool elements that this band has at their disposal.
“Inside The Waves” pulls in an influence that hit me hard when I realized what I was hearing, as I'm a huge fan of this band and their now deceased original singer … the one, the only, Wayne Static and Static-X. This influence is subtle, but it is most definitely there nonetheless. You wouldn't know it by listening to it, but … [Editor: Then...how did you know???]
“For me, that was going into a LINKIN PARK phase...” Karlsson freely admits. “I wanted to write something that was easy and singalong friendly. Of course, it’s not written for the masses, because if I tried to do that, I would fail miserably!”
“Hydra” crushes from its intro, and will steam hammer its way into a lot of playlists, mine included. This one has the heaviest vibe thus far, and not because it's fast or complicated, but instead because of the undeniable power of the main riff. “Hydra” is in the Top 3 as far as my picks for the best of the best in Death Above Life.
Other standouts tracks include “Nerve” and “Death Above Life”.
I listened to this album for about the thousandth time while at work today, and didn't stop banging my head the whole time, all while customers looked at me like I was weird for that and for mouthing the lyrics like I was in the band.
In other words, I recommend that you go check out this album immediately! It's full of everything that the modern metal head loves, and I feel it will become a staple in your daily listening habits. Words: Tom Hanno.
”This record represents change, a new beginning...”, says Orbit Culture guitarist, vocalist and songwriter, Niklas Karlsson. “It brings up a lot of good and bad emotions but it’s a big change for the better. It feels like a rebirth...”
Karlsson was inspired by a steady diet of METALLICA, GOJIRA and STATIC-X, all of which can be heard within the music on the band's newest, and possibly best album to date, "Death Above Life", released on October 3rd, 2025. I also hear influences from bands like IN FLAMES.
“Inferna” kicks off the festivities in grand fashion! This track almost reaches the 7 minute mark, which can be tough for some listeners, but it never feels bloated or boring, making for an enjoyable listening experience.
“Bloodhound” starts off with a riff that is as heavy as Thor's mighty hammer. Which is a fact that continues throughout the verse sections, but when he growls “You fucked it up, you fucking asshole”, that's when you really feel the power of this track. Then the band matches it with some groove heavy riffs, some nifty electronic elements, and killer vocal performances. This is one heavy track, serving as a perfect example of what Orbit Culture is all about.
For a bit of back story, Orbit Culture had done an arena tour with SLIPKNOT in early 2024, which helped to open the band’s eyes to bigger possibilities. “If we never did the Slipknot shows, for instance...” says Niklas. “I would never have written a song like ‘Bloodhound’ on the new album. Just watching them every night, there was an intensity and furious rage that we got to see closely, first-hand, it pushed us...”.
“The Tales Of War” begins with a bit of orchestration, setting the mood for what is to follow perfectly. When the riff kicks in it also kicks your ASS, utilizing intricacy and groove in order to get your asses into the pit as soon as you hear it. This is one of those tracks that I feel is indicative of all the cool elements that this band has at their disposal.
“Inside The Waves” pulls in an influence that hit me hard when I realized what I was hearing, as I'm a huge fan of this band and their now deceased original singer … the one, the only, Wayne Static and Static-X. This influence is subtle, but it is most definitely there nonetheless. You wouldn't know it by listening to it, but … [Editor: Then...how did you know???]
“For me, that was going into a LINKIN PARK phase...” Karlsson freely admits. “I wanted to write something that was easy and singalong friendly. Of course, it’s not written for the masses, because if I tried to do that, I would fail miserably!”
“Hydra” crushes from its intro, and will steam hammer its way into a lot of playlists, mine included. This one has the heaviest vibe thus far, and not because it's fast or complicated, but instead because of the undeniable power of the main riff. “Hydra” is in the Top 3 as far as my picks for the best of the best in Death Above Life.
Other standouts tracks include “Nerve” and “Death Above Life”.
I listened to this album for about the thousandth time while at work today, and didn't stop banging my head the whole time, all while customers looked at me like I was weird for that and for mouthing the lyrics like I was in the band.
In other words, I recommend that you go check out this album immediately! It's full of everything that the modern metal head loves, and I feel it will become a staple in your daily listening habits. Words: Tom Hanno.
RSS Feed