Masterful Maga'zine:

"Withering Existence "
According to that, what was declaring the guitarist Juha, second Strangulation demo sounds much better and more brutal than "Carnage In Heaven" and I feel here their stronger tendency to American way of playing. Indeed the Swedish trio didn't fully deprived the harshness, which I stigmatized on the occasion of "Carnage...", but it isn't so atrocious technical and condensed music, that it should be specially clear and selective. It still isn't also anything unique in matter of brutal death metal. Fast tempos and very classical riffs are dominating here, but anyway in a matter of compositions refinement band made the biggest progress, by much widening the range of brutal schemas, what for sure is a point of technical evolution of instrumentalists. I think that now the principal matter in Strangulation progress is searching for their own style, and I hope that next release, which has to be a full-length album, will be much bravely exceed the nice in listening, but strongly hackneyed, American patents.

Olo

Note: 6,5

Multum in Parvo:

"Withering Existence" is a next after "Carnage In Heaven" proposition of Swedes from Strangulation, which I have a pleasure of reviewing at MIP pages. And believe me, there is something for review, because this Scandinavian commando has been changed a lot!
The first visible change is the vocalist, which is at last a full rights band member - Jonathan O.G. His voice advantages are strongly enriching the "Withering Existence" contents. Second change is the music... if only we can say about any changes in Death Metal. I think that at "Withering Existence" Swedes added a Satan to guitars, thanks to what their music lost the clarity but gained the brutality. There are still dominating fast, muddled up riffs, and their quality is higher from those at "Carnage In Heaven", however the American classics heritage is still felt.
"Withering Existence" is for Strangulation a decided step forward. Finally their music looks like it should. Now it is only need to wait for their big album, because I think that with such stuff they are able to attain some interesting deal.

DoobaN

Note: 7,5/10

Unholy Kingdom:

"Withering Existence"
I'll start from a silly question - is there something more enjoyable than listening to a good demo of band playing the music, at point of which to have a complete craze? I know, few more enjoyable things can be found, but they have nothing to do with music. Strangulation is a Swedish band. Those nice buddies are cutting out death metal inspired by American scene. If you want comparisons, then "Withering Existence" I would associate with Suffocation's debut, it smells also a little of Fleshgrind. Similar sound, where speed, excellent growl and really good arrangements are dominating. It is a brutal music, but without an exaggeration - we will not find here any grind strikes, rather considerated, technical and faultless compositions. That is just the strongest band point - it is listened with a pleasure. I don't have no greater reservations - maybe beside the one. Why this release contains of only 4 tracks? It is worth to strain the eyes and ears, because soon there has to appear their debut album.

Benton

www.rockmetal.pl:

"Withering Existence"
Swedish Strangulation exists from 2001. Current band discography are the two demos: "Carnage In Heaven" (with Dennis Rondum from Spawn Of Possession on vocals) and "Withering Existence". Not long time ago the Swedes prepared also a debut album titled "Atrocious Retribution", which has to appear soon edited by British Retribute Records. Meanwhile felt into my flippers a re-edition of second from mentioned demos released by Kampf Records & Promotion, a new independent label from our beautiful land.
Short opening intro and after a while Strangulation goes to the point. For dozen or so minutes Swedes are trampling and ill-treating the brutal, old school death metal. None of solo grace-notes, none combinations, mostly faster speeds ("As It Will Be") and crushing slower paces ("Beneath the Surface"). Those four tracks at this demo are rolling like a roller - low tuned guitars, guttural vocals and dirty sound are crushing. Strangulation doesn't shock with virtuosity, stuff is recorded solidly and correctly, it destroys with its weight and brutality.
Perhaps "Withering Existence" doesn't belong to awfully original discs, but for sure it is a piece of not bad death metal craft, very pleasant for ears. I hope that Swedes will not sink in a multitude of metal bands (what unfortunately is possible), and soon in my player will turn their debut album.

Subjective note (from 1 to 10): 7

m00n

Multum in Parvo:

"Withering Existence"
Strangulations are playing solid and precise death metal with the beginnings of 90's climate. We have here non-subtle, obscene and non-lyrical metal face. Those handsome and how beautiful Swedes prefers to gorge themselves with a relishes stuffed with a minced meat, than coconut with sunk almond Rafaello. Such titbits are treating with warm urine, stinking with a sulphur and alcohol. The sperm, with which they are spattering at their instruments, is burning them, like a sour rains the Katowice's buildings.
They have also a nice sound, which is extracting as from behind the partition, what given an effect of slight deaden, bassing and suitable weight. They are galloping across the most part of this demo, only in "Exit the World" they afford for a more fop's speeds, by which they again are crushing as Israeli tanks the Palestinians homes.
It felt like saying: what, that from Sweden? Strangulation prefers the American school of death metal and you will be not mistaken if another Swedish band will fall into your heads - Vomitory. This band isn't the top of extreme, but for sure this music will not be the soundtrack to a rest cure in a kindergarten. Only for climate I give three points, two for ideas and 1,5 from a sympathy for the beginning of 90's, when my favourite interest was kicking a football with fellows.

Pawel Gredzinski (6,5/10)

MetalruleZ:

"Withering Existence"
I know few persons, who haven't to do with some band, and seeing by it two labels: death metal and Sweden, immediately says: "it HAS to be good!". In Strangulation's instance this theory seems to be the most rightly. This band has only three years, and "Withering Existence" is their second demo. I didn't have any contact with their earlier band achievements, so I can't ascertain how much and if generally the Strangulation's music did evolved. However I can write that this demo is giving us an aggressive, brutal death metal in American sauce. As for my taste clearly audible are here the influences of such Titans from beyond the ocean Cannibal Corpse or Morbid Angel. We will hear here as well the furious and distorted riffs as the rolling slower paces. As it were nothing new, but this music has "something" in it... As for second demo "Withering Existence" presents very good (however there could be more one or two compositions). Because this record has almost a year, and Strangulation prepares something new, I hope that soon I will hear their debut, full album.

Prezes

Note: +7/10

Dusk Forest:

"Withering Existence"
Swedish Strangulation plays death metal in the most pure form, far from originality and experiments, however at the same time meaty and not devoid of the primary simplicity. It is the music, which should hit to average death metal fan in 100%, however listener will not find here nothing surprising with an originality. As every album, also "Withering Existence" has worse and better moments, here the decided faults are the guitars, in my opinion they should be louder. If concentrating at sound valuation, in my feeling it is not very clear, for sure to music, which Strangulation plays, could fit the more finished up and selective production. The stuff is also decidedly too short, only four 2-3 minute's compositions, which after the first few hearings makes an impression of very similar. Vocal is a typical growl, average as for death metal "standards" and as well interesting as a manual of a bore hammer. In one sentence - Strangulation's music is just kept in average speeds, not too technical death metal and just as good this statement could close the whole "Withering Existence" review. Only for the fanatic maniacs of death metal massacre.

/ Ankhou /

Innsmouth webzine:

"Withering Existence"
I like death metal just like this. Without any compromises, without too many slower paces, without finger breaking on strings, which in musicians intention had surely to make their music attractive, but in fact makes it very boring and devoid of fire (Sceptic!). Swedes from Strangulation fortunately aren't playing at such freaks and are serving very tasty, strictly meat-dish. Nice to know that in this country there still exists someone who knows how to play brutal and intensive death metal and isn't playing at some melodies in type of In Flames and all the rest of these long time ago out-of-dated notabilities, trying in vain to regain their old splendour. "Withering Existence" has unfortunately only four tracks. I say unfortunately, because these four compositions are really respectable and I wouldn't mind listen more of such music. Maybe Strangulation for now isn't a threat for such names as Cannibal Corpse, Immolation or Morbid Angel, but undoubtedly the Swedes have something to say. I didn't have any occasion to hear their first demo, but as far as I know "Withering Existence" against a background of previous disc, presents much better. Anyhow I'm with them. Such initiatives as Strangulation, showing that Sweden is standing not only with insipid melodic death, should be supported!

Note: 7+/10

Nidhogg

Heretyk'zine:

"Withering Existence"
Thanks to new promotional initiative named Kampf Records & Promotion leaded by a certain Marcin Maciaszek from Tulowice, demo of Swedish Strangulation reached our ancient Slavonic Land and is spread here. As a matter of fact even if they wouldn't write where are they from, then in any case I suspect that most of you wouldn't have any problems with indication of country, from where this music comes. Because Strangulation is so typical Swedish Death Metal representative as much as possible. Of course I have on my mind this brutal version of Viking walloping, and not its Goteborg's mutant. So Strangulation wallops furiously and sharply. The sound is adequately heavy. Vocals are from the deepest abysses of bowels and liver. The only my notice is the length of compositions. I don't believe that this band wouldn't have any ideas for longer than two minute's playing. Also it would come in handy to work out more the compositions, then it will be just lovely in general.

Krzysiek Lapicki

Diabolical Holocaust'zine #2:

"Withering Existence" is a second demo of Swedish Strangulation. Unfortunately I wasn't privileged to hear the first demo. Band was created in 2001 in order to playing aggressive, brutal and furious Death Metal (I read it in biography). Rather with success. "Withering Existence" consists of four compositions. Maintaining in convention, that's just it. It is almost not audible that come from Sweden, well maybe only Grave, but in very small degree. As I would compare to some bands, then it would be old achievements of Cannibal Corpse, some of Deicide, some of Suffocation, as I write, old records. So now we know in what regions Strangulation is moving. Brutal death metal. However there are heard even some grind parts. What is only adding more attraction to this demo. They try to diversify their death, and not only play it monotonously. So they are slowing down here and there, drums one time are slowing down but second time are achieving the terrific speeds, there are also a distorted riffs sometime with additional grind supplement. And there's only the describing of vocal left. It is a typical, brutal growl, and at "Exit the World" even a furious screams (decidedly there could be more!). Sometimes it seems like it is a little "sterile", as if vocalist were afraid of "crossing the bounds". It is not bad, but for sure not extraordinary and going above the mediocrity. It became released once again by Polish young label Kampf Records (they have just on their score a Bestial Raids demo release - "Necrowar Holocaust"). This stuff has almost a year and I know that Strangulation is just working upon their first full-length album. It is only left to wait, because it can be very interesting!

Note: 4,75/6

Mariusz

Bad Taste #1(4)/2004:

"Withering Existence"
Mr Kind sings "Ball at Dung's"... ups, sorry, not that book. Mr Kind from Kampf Records (I don't investigate with what Mr Kind "kampf") asked for two separate reviews, stressing that recorded at one disc Bestial Raids and Strangulation are two separate releases, so now here will be a separate review of Swedish Strangulation, which plays an American Death Metal. That's a pity, because this stuff is pretty well realized, four lively songs, unfortunately with a strong Bush'land complex. It couldn't be more Death Metal. Puffing foots, nice, fleshy guitars, model-gurgling vocalist. It could be first-class, where it not that Strangulation don't have something like own identity at all. When only like a shot speeds up with joyful, right away they must play some dismal slower pace, which I heard a thousand times. For kind fanatics as much as possible, for me on the shelf and if I will return to this disc, then only for performers from Poland. That's all because it is a waste of place. Gentelmen, record some smash-hits and then come back.

Andzej