BAND OF THE DAY: REMASCULATE

A celebration of all that's great about Sweden, Stockholm bruisers Remasculate wed the fist-clenching, blastalong fury of Nasum to the driving, Slayer-referencing, syrup thick riffology of Dismember, and even some moments of swaggering grind 'n' roll that'll get Entombed nodding along in approval at this summer's utterly crucial Obscene Extreme.

Forming in 2004 and gathering current and former members from underrated new(ish) school brutalists like Insision and Demoniacal, Remasculate swagger through modern death metal like a leather-clad biker gang hitting some scumbag dive bar and spoiling for a fight. Their sole full-length to date, 2008's 'Perversemonger' (on Unexploded Records), is the sound of a line of shots being knocked back and the empty glasses being smashed against your head.

A couple of years ago they were promising a split with the superb Exhale and haven't uttered a word since. Possibly because, as befitting the sleazy rock 'n' roll image they've expertly cultivated, they're sponsored by a local sex shop and got Remasculate branded ball gags out of the bargain. So, y'know, if you're in the market...