Heir Corpse One – Destination: Domination
Release Date: 6th February 2026
Label: Emanzipation Productions
Bandcamp
Genre: Swedish Death Metal, Death Metal, Old School Death Metal.
FFO: Paganizer, Entombed, Dismember, Lik, Grave, Unleashed, Puteraeon.
Review By: Rick Farley
Sweden’s buzzsaw death metal band Heir Corpse One was formed in 2020 by vocalist/guitarist Rogga Johansson (Paganizer, Massacre, Ribspreader) and bass/backing vocals Peter Svensson (Cales, Void Moon) with the goal of crafting classic Swedish death metal rooted firmly in the iconic “Sunlight Studio” sound. A sound well known for buzzsaw guitars, swaggering groove, and course gutturals. Rounded out by lead guitarist Kjetil Lynghaug (Mordenial, Vredesblod) and drummer Marcus Rosenkvist (Assassin’s Blade, To Descend), Heir Corpse One is back for their second slab of ghoulish death metal Destination: Domination releasing via Emanzipation Productions February 6th, 2026.
The band’s grotesque debut Fly the Fiendish Skies was a fleshed out concept story about wealthy passengers fleeing the sickly world of the pandemic. Their chartered private jet crashed in the middle of nowhere with the passengers and crew descending into chaos cannibalizing each other, in turn triggering a zombie outbreak. Picking up the narrative thread from their debut, the surviving undead managed to restore their plane and embark on a journey of undead world domination. With humanity ready to collapse under this horrific infection; butchery, death and Swedish death metal prevail.
Led by the classic HM2 chugging, serrated guitars, Heir Corpse One churns through its ten oozing tracks like a saw grinding through cadavers. Guitars that gnarl chunks of flesh and shards of bone, twist while grimy lead work tunnels through the dense mix like a hungry maggot. The hooky grooves are held together by a rock solid rhythm section. Boomy low end and powerful drums ensure that your body will move involuntarily towards its demise. Rogga’s low, screechy yet course growls are bellowing and terrifying. Everything about Destination: Domination is pure Swedish old school death metal with a wicked sense of modern blood-curdling atmosphere. This could easily fit in with the classics of the time, but there’s a level of songwriting and execution that feels energetically contemporary.
After a disgustingly brutal start to the record with anthemic opening title track Destination: Domination, track two Undeath From Above kicks off with twisty guitars, creepy shreddy solos and hooks that dig deep down to your innards. Every song attack with the same cannibalistic aggression, threatening world zombification. Riffs that crawl through the dark murky depths, drums that rip through your chest and vocals that smash skulls is exactly what you get on Reaping Human Harvest. This track immediately devours you with its frantic violence. Tons of crushing hooks and snarling bite delivered in a powerful chomp of your milky flesh. My personal favourite, closing track Undead Nation spits and spasms back and forth with headbanging groove and frenzied pace. Searing guitars blister the skin while the rhythm section forcefully stomps forward.
From front to back Destination: Domination is a fitting example of intense, yet highly infectious songwriting, execution, and interesting concepts coming together for one purpose. Eating the living. Old school death metal doesn’t always have to be a carbon copy of exactly what we’ve heard before. Granted Heir Corpse One isn’t really doing anything new, but it is absolutely doing Swedish death metal well and with enough of a modern twist. This record is incredibly fun, engaging, and easy to return to. What more do you need?
(3.5 / 5)
