Swedish death metal titans LIK have returned with a vengeance, dropping their blistering new single “Deceased”—the opening salvo from their freshly released fourth album, Necro, out now via Metal Blade Records. With this track, the Stockholm quartet reaffirms their status as modern torchbearers of the classic Swedish death metal sound, channeling the genre’s legendary past while injecting it with a shot of contemporary brutality.
Accompanying the single is a grisly music video, perfectly matching the band’s love for shock-horror aesthetics. The album’s zombified cover art, crafted by Stockholm tattooist Jens Olsson, further cements Necro as a love letter to the grotesque and the extreme. LIK have always embraced the theatrical side of death metal, weaving tales of zombies, necrophilia, murder, and dystopian decay into their music—and “Deceased” is no exception.
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A Homage to Entombed
“Deceased” is more than just an album opener—it’s a mission statement. Vocalist and guitarist Tomas Åkvik describes the track as “a total Entombed homage,” blending mid-tempo grooves with ferocious skank beats in a way that would make the godfathers of Swedish death proud. Lyrically, the song tells a macabre tale: a man clawing his way back from the grave to avenge his own murder, a fitting narrative for a band whose very name means “corpse” in Swedish. The song’s relentless pace and grisly storytelling set the tone for the carnage that follows across Necro’s ten tracks.
Old-School Roots, Modern Execution
LIK have always worn their influences on their bloodstained sleeves, drawing inspiration from seminal acts like Dismember, At The Gates, and, of course, Entombed. But with “Deceased,” they manage to pay homage without descending into mere imitation. The track’s production—helmed by longtime collaborator Lawrence Mackrory (Meshuggah, Katatonia)—captures the raw, live energy of the band, with all music tracked live over just three days at NBS Studio (Necromorbus Studio) in Söderfors. The result is a sound that’s both classic and contemporary: razor-sharp, unpolished, and utterly uncompromising.
Critical Acclaim and the Road Ahead
Early reviews have praised Necro as “the musical equivalent of a classic shock-horror movie that’s drenched in blood and gore and packed with over-the-top extremities”. Metal Hammer Germany lauds the album as “fresh, spicy, and deadly precise,” while Aardschok highlights the band’s consistency and ability to leave “many other Swedeath devotees behind”. With “Deceased,” LIK prove that Swedish death metal is alive and well—and still as menacing as ever.
Fans can catch LIK bringing their blood-soaked spectacle to stages across Europe this summer, including festival appearances at Maryland Deathfest, Summer Breeze, and more. For those craving a taste of death metal’s past, present, and future, “Deceased” is a must-listen—an explosive reminder that in the world of LIK, only death is left alive.
