When I say "Melodic Death Metal" a lot of you will likely wince, considering the glut of bands plying their trade in that genre. Sweden's (naturally) Decreation is most assuredly Melodic Death Metal but they throw a few twists and turns into the music on The Pandemonium Light in an effort to separate themselves from the throng. The riffs are thrashy and they pack a lot of snarl without being overly technical. The "male" vocals are a raspy, almost Black Metal bark and Decreation adds operatic female vocals, for a change of pace, both handled by singer Lisa Delin. There's plenty of melody and with the "beauty and the beast" vocals, The Pandemonium Light could almost pass for a Gothic Metal record. Lyrics like "I once dreamt that I craved for you like dying grasses cry for rain" aren't the type you normally hear in Death Metal. While I like some of the guitar work, the songwriting is generally unspectacular and, as a singer, Delin doesn't have much charisma. She just sings her lines like it is something she has to do rather than something she wants to do.
The Pandemonium Light isn't going to leave you breathless, but Decreation is a young band. There is potential but the road ahead is long.