Soilwork

Soilwork continue their recent journey into alternative metal territory on their seventh album, stepping further away from their heavily influential melodic death metal roots. Focusing on muddled distortions in place of wailing, clean guitars, and prizing sing-along vocals to guttural growling, this "nu" direction has been dubbed an "Americanization" of the Swedes by longtime fans, who see the move as something of a dumbing down. Regardless of criticism, though, Soilwork call Sworn to a Great Divide their most diverse album yet.