Album Review: Abandon Agony – Endbringer (Self Released)

Melodic death metal band, Abandon Agony will release their debut full length album titled Endbringer, independently on the 22nd of May 2026.

Abandon Agony formed in 2023 in Trollhättan, rooted in the Gothenburg sound but looking to push it in a more modern direction. Their music sits on that familiar Scandinavian foundation of aggressive riffing and melody, while adding a contemporary edge shaped by influences such as In Flames, Dark Tranquillity and Arch Enemy. Endbringer is the band’s debut full-length album and follows their 2024 debut EP Dark Matter, which helped establish their direction and has since been reissued, with all of its material now included on this album.

Recorded at Eternal Studios in Vänersborg and mixed and mastered by Robin Leijon, Endbringer is described by the band as a reflection of inner conflict, collapse and transformation. While melodic death metal remains the core reference point, Abandon Agony make it clear the aim is less about strict genre limits and more about capturing intensity, atmosphere and momentum.

“Endbringer is a reflection of everything we’ve built as a band so far – darker, heavier, and more focused. The album moves through themes of inner conflict, collapse, transformation and rebirth, both on a personal level and in a broader sense.
We all come from slightly different musical backgrounds, which naturally shapes the way we write and approach our sound. While melodic death metal is the closest way to describe it, we’ve never aimed to stay within strict boundaries – it’s more about capturing a certain intensity and atmosphere than fitting into a specific genre.

With a growing live reputation and a slot confirmed at Sweden Rock Festival in 2026, Abandon Agony are starting to build momentum heading into their debut album cycle.

Abandon Agony is Johan Hedström on vocals, Tobias Järvelä on guitar, Jonathan Wagerland on bass and Robin Toresson on drums.

We have ten tracks to get stuck into on Endbringer, starting with The Truth, and what a start it is. Flowing melody hooks you in before the drums and riffs combine with an extended roar to ramp up the energy and intensity. It is a raucous and riotous opener with deep harsh vocals, heavy death metal beats and layered melody that explodes into the chorus. The solo is excellent and the tonal melodic shift in the chorus is pure ear candy. It is a seriously strong start and sets a very high bar early on.

One that Abandon Agony comfortably reach again and again across Endbringer. Songs like Dissolved lean harder on screaming lead guitar melody while maintaining verses packed with venomously spat harsh vocals, pounding drums and crunchy, bass-heavy riffing. When the melody kicks in, it only adds more contrast and excitement. Blind Intentions follows a similar structure. A melodic intro transforms into heavier verses with splashes of melody enhancing key moments before the chorus layers things up further with subtle clean backing vocals and a stronger melodic focus. This is exactly the kind of melodeath balance that hits the spot.

Entropy, featuring additional vocals from Liv Jagrell, cleverly injects a bit of variety as the fourth track on the album. The opening guitar melody has an epic feel before the heaviness takes over once again. You will headbang and tap your feet along to the bouncy riffs and rhythms, while Liv initially adds backing vocals to the chorus before taking over a verse herself. It works brilliantly. Her cleaner vocal style alongside the harsher vocals of Johan Hedström creates a contrast that always lands well, especially in melodic death metal when done this effectively.

Sunrise and Lunar Storm follow, with the former going straight for the jugular. It is fiery, energetic and heavy, but still packed with melodic flair and another wicked solo that keeps everything ridiculously listenable. Lunar Storm sees Abandon Agony pull the pace back slightly, opening with lead guitars dripping with emotion and class. The heaviness still comes, but over a slower and thicker rhythm, allowing the chorus to hit even harder. I love the backing, the orchestral layer near the end, I love the flow and love the intelligence to position these slight changes to tone and style every few tracks on the album.

Rise From The Ashes brings a bit of acoustic melody in for a more subtle start, complete with whispered vocals that very quickly turn menacing. What might have seemed like a possible ballad transforms within seconds into one of the most direct and intense tracks on Endbringer. The vocals are darker, the riffs meaner and the overall sound more aggressive. The chorus is strong, bringing a bit more melody into things, while the instrumental section afterwards is superb. It is a banger. As is Writing On The Wall, which delivers groove and catchiness in spades.

It is the sort of rhythm that instantly has you headbanging with a grimace on your face. Arguably, there is not really anything unique or especially creative here that you have not already heard elsewhere on Endbringer, but it is still a superb melodeath track. Great music that balances heaviness and accessibility through melody. The drums are excellent, the bass and riffs hit hard, the lead guitars excite and the vocals are powerful. Abandon Agony are showing their class here, both on this song and across the album as a whole.

Sadly, we are nearing the end now, starting with the penultimate track Polar Shift and it is another strong song. I like the gentle melody that leads us in before we transition nicely into the heavier stuff. The vocals are great here too, harsh but never lacking clarity, delivered with pace and intensity. The drums and riffs are flying while the lead guitars tie everything together nicely, adding depth, layers and emotion over the heaviness. I really like the structural side of this song too, the way it transitions from heavy verses back into slower, more emotional choruses before picking itself back up again. Those smooth transitions and contrasts make it a very exciting track to listen to.

Endbringer comes to a close with My Redemption and, with this album having delivered absolute bangers throughout, expectations are naturally high. Thankfully, it does not disappoint. It is another great song and a really strong way to close out an album of such quality, taking everything great about melodic death metal, both past and present, and balancing heaviness and melody beautifully. Music to exhilarate you, enthuse you and make you want to get out of your seat and move. I love it, and albums like this remind me exactly why melodic death metal is my favourite subgenre of heavy music.

Endbringer is a superb debut and really ticks every box for my personal taste and for any fan of melodic death metal or just good music. Abandon Agony clearly know their roots, with that Gothenburg influence running right through it, but they don’t just sit in nostalgia. There’s enough modern edge and bite here to keep it feeling current, and that balance is what makes it work. The album flows, it stays well within the boundaries of the genre but still manages to inject creativity through tone, pace and melodic shifts making it also a superbly exciting album to listen to fully. I love this album.

Track List:

1. The Truth
2. Dissolved
3. Blind Intentions
4. Entropy
5. Sunrise
6. Lunarstorm
7. Rise from the Ashes
8. Writing on the Wall
9. Polar Shift
10. My Redemption

Abandon Agony Links

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