For nearly a decade, Johan Ruborg has been crafting heartland rock anthems that channel the dusty poeticism of Springsteen and the highway soul of Tom Petty through a distinctly Swedish lens. But beneath those Americana-tinged melodies and introspective lyrics, a heavier beast was always lurking, fed by teenage obsessions with Black Sabbath, Ozzy Osbourne, and the earth-shaking riffs of Deep Purple. With “The Descent,” Ruborg finally unleashes that darker beast through his new project Electric Bone Rattle, and it’s a full-throated roar that refuses to be ignored.
This isn’t a side project in name only. Backed by a formidable lineup featuring Marcus Blom on bass, dual guitar assault from Johan Söfringsgård, and the combined drumming power of Glenn Welman and Nuno Oliveira, Ruborg transforms his veteran songwriting prowess into something altogether more visceral and uncompromising. Gone are the stripped-down, lo-fi textures of “Gravel and Gold”, in their place, a high-voltage, riff-driven assault that pays homage to the classic heavy metal that shaped Ruborg’s earliest musical DNA, while maintaining the compositional character that’s made his solo work so compelling.
“The Descent” stands as both a homecoming and a revelation, proof that sometimes the music that first set your teenage heart on fire never really leaves you. It just waits for the right moment to explode. Let’s descend into this electrifying evolution.
Starting off with “Bloodbath Romeo,” the band wears their influences on their sleeves like Black Sabbath yet genuinely expresses themselves in a way that doesn’t feel derivative. The verses have bone-crushing old school heavy metal riffs and the choruses have powerful catchy vocals.
“Prelude To Possession” is more like a direct homage to Black Sabbath’s self-titled song’s intro with how it uses bells and guitars to signal doom and indeed possession of evil spirits. This is in great taste since this album drops on Hallow’s eve.
The title track works like a descent into madness as the lyrics paint a gradually more vulgar image of violence, degeneracy, and occult rituals. The instrumental is pulled back here to put more focus on the lyrics until the final act of the song where we get an instrumental section with guitar octave harmonies to fade us out. Intentional or not, it works really well with the descent theme.
My personal favorite track on the album is “Ol’ Witching Waltz,” simply because it’s a great performance by all the band members. The band’s chemistry really shines here, compositionally it’s like a Rainbow song, though the guitar solo follows a more contemporary melodic style, unlike Ritchie Blackmore’s neoclassical approach.
“Death Train” is a highlight on the album with its dark bluesy undertone. The guitar tone and texture is reminiscent of Robin Trower and those 70s guitar sounds. That palette really compliments Johan Ruborg’s vocal style in my opinion.
“Save Me From Myself” is, as the title implies, a somber ballad about one’s internal struggles. We are all our own worst enemies for the most part. It might even be too much to handle, so Johan asks for external help. The lyrics explore that theme of being lost in an internal maze of your own broken dreams brilliantly. It’s a great rendition of an 80’s ballad complete with a great guitar solo and chorused bell-like guitars for the harmony.
“Skeleton Jesus” earns a highlight here because of its provocative title. However, it’s not as crazy as you might expect. It’s straightforward 80’s rock here with a shreddy solo in the first 12 seconds of the song. Though the lyrics have levity to them, the instrumental doesn’t stray away from the standard format.
“Red Alert” is the final track of the album and makes quite the first impression with a headbang-inducing riff immediately to signal the band going out with a bang. The riff style in this song is definitely more contemporary, more like modern metal, but the structure of the song itself and the vocals are still very 80’s. It’s an interesting combination of textures that makes the song fresh and the album ends on a high note.
Electric Bone Rattle’s “The Descent” delivers exactly what it promises, a straightforward heavy metal record that honors the classics without imitating them. This is music for those who still believe in the power of the riff.
