Swedish band Nine are about to release their 5^th full length. Their first offering on their new label Spinefarm, after having released most of their catalogue through one of Sweden’s finest labels Burning Heart Records. A change of labels doesn’t necessarily mean a change of style, as it becomes very obvious while listening to the follow-up to 2003’s Killing Angels.

Nine might be labeled as Swedish hardcore, but the truth is they don’t sound that Swedish at all. Don’t expect Raised Fist, Refused or 59 Times The Pain like hardcore offerings. The band stands closer -soundwise- to American examples as Pro Pain, Pantera and Motörhead. Does this band perform at the same level as aforementioned bands?
Unfortunately not. Nine know how to write good guitarriffs, and explore the possibility of the chord structures, they know how to obtain a dirty sound and they might be pretty good in making some groovy songs, but it still lacks that little extra other bands in the genre do have. Most of the songs have the same pace and follow the same patterns, which gets dull after a few songs.

It’s Your Funeral is a decent album, but it doesn’t get exciting anywhere. Opening track 'No Air Supply' kicks off with a Pro-Pain like guitar with a massive distortion, backed up by a bass that just follows the guitar patterns and is backed up by a steady drumbeat. Add the distorted vocals to it and you have an idea of the whole record. While 'Nothing Left For The Vultures'  is in fact a somewhat slower song where the band has added some more melody to both vocals and guitars, it stands out right away. Unfortunately Nine doesn’t go back to that level in the next six songs.

For Nine fans this album will probably be another great record. For hardcore and metallovers who don’t want their albums to be difficult, filled with solos, blastbeats and gangvocals, this might be interesting. For anybody who wants more from a record than ten songs that -to be honest- all sound the same, this might not be the one to buy.