The band was formed in the summer of 1990. The members would explain that Centinex is a meaningless word invented by singer Lamppu in a bout of drunkenness. Death metal for years and years, Centinex has allowed a decade to pass before some real recognition has come its way. The band's first recording is the March 1991 rehearsal tape and showcased a band with two singers. This is to be followed by many tapes and singles like July 91's End Of Life demo (recorded at Sunlight Studio) and a split 7" with Inverted in 1994. The band changed singers in 1998 and operated with a drum machine (named Kalimmaa) between 1995 and 1999. The band signed to Candlelight in 2001 and played its first American show. The release of Centinex's split picture EP with Nunslaughter was postponed to the autumn of 2001. In Fact, it arrived two years late. The band has also cancelled an appearance at Germany's Party San Festival to appear at The Milwaukee Metal Festival. In 2002, Jonas Kjellgren, Carnal Forge drummer Stefan Westerberg, and former S.I.B and Turabus singer and bass player Mikael Danielsson formed a new doom metal band called World Below. It was announced in 2003 that the band would release the forthcoming album, Decadence - Prophecies Of Cosmic Chaos, in January of 2004 through Candlelight Records. This date was later postponed to March, 2004. The album was recorded at Black Lounge Studio in June and July. The band also parted ways with drummer Kennet Englund. Ronnie Bergerståhl, formerly of Julie Laughs No More and Amaran, joined the band behind the drums. The band released World Declension on June 27th of 2005 through Cold/Regain Records. The album was issued through Candlelight in America later that year. Demonical was a new death metal band featuring Johan Jansson, Ronnie Bergerståhl and Martin Schulman in 2006. In the meanwhile, the band cancelled its farewell gig on May 13th of 2006 following officially throwing in the towel two months earlier.
The former Wild Rags’ band reformed in 2014 after an eight-year absence. Martin Schulman had brought Centinex back and was to play a comeback show in September at the Kill Town Death Fest in Copenhagen, Denmark. The 2013 Teutonische Invasion EP featured older Kreator and Sodom covers the band had performed. Diabolical’s Sverker Widgren was on guitar. Alexander Högbom of October Tide was singing.
It all started with Nihilist, Carnage and Afflicted Convulsion. From there on emerged Necrophobic, Dismember, Grave and At The Gates. To this day the flag of Swedish death metal flies high and proud. On the heels of Sacrilege, Crown Of Thorns and others comes the third album of Sweden's death titans Centinex. In the game of Swedish death metal, the stakes have been raised yet again. For this five men are another extremely competent act which now pushes the standard one notch higher with the release of Reflections. Unsurpassed musicianship in Centinex is no less than thundering rhythms and whirling riffs, coupled with an interchange of blasting and rhythmic machine drumming which through a myriad of time changes holds on to your attention. Everything is kept within the boundaries of extreme heaviness. Prime examples being Before The Dawn with its full force finale or My Demon Within which should set all Edge Of Sanity fans on fire. Unfortunately, cliched phrasing and unanalytical lyrics do not display the same maturity as the musical aspect; yet, paying full attention to the crystal clear sound achieved by Hypocrisy's Mikael Hedlund, as well as the aforementioned qualities, Reflections is a must for all fans of Edge Of Sanity, Necrophobic and beyond. - Ali "The Metallian"
Even if the band photo on the CD shows four members, the band is seemingly a five piece now, with two of the members (a guitarist and vocalist borrowed from Osmose's Dellamorte) being the newcomers since I last heard the band. I've never had the fortune to hear the band's early Wild Rags releases, but whenever I hear something from these guys the one word that comes to mind is 'under-rated'. Simply put Sweden's Centinex shred. Their brand of down-tuned, mega speedy death metal is complete in every sense imaginable. Pick this up and you will discover a band that stays tight during high speed passages, solos which rise from the depths of hell and a vocalist who competes with the rhythm section to spew out metal madness - a must for fans of everything from Dissection to Dismember. Proceed to the nearest store which carries metal and look for the cover which like the new Marduk sports a tank rolling unto you. Consider it a preview of what the music will deliver.
Here is the new full length - late in typical Repulse fashion - from Sweden's metal maestros Centinex. All hail Centinex: this rages. I can start and end this by insisting that fans of quality Swedish death a la Dissection, Dismember, Vomitory or The Crown must pick this up. But here is the reason why: Hellbrigade has turned out to be a creatively-crushing album with many instances where the leads interact with the rhythm guitar to devastating effect. The band has the riffs to pull it off, and creates a thick and complex sound that batters the mind. Now armed with a real drummer, a track like Towards Devastation is not an idle threat. Listen to the main riff! One With Eternity is weaker with its synthesizer, but never mind that as close by is the album's best song, the punishing Emperor of Death. The track has a rolling start very similar to Kreator's Lambs to the Slaughter, but the fret acrobatics make it a dynamic death metal marvel. Nightbreeder introduces horde-like chants that you would normally expect from a band like Enslaved, but the band marches forward with heaviness. Then there is the speed riffing of the title track that doesn't let up at all. This reviewer can surely continue, but the mixture of the quality solos, effective rhythm changes and the speed outlined above translate into a metallic ride best described as the difference between getting slammed against the wall and being taken on a race in a Formula 1 rocket. Hellbrigade has them both.
Centinex has achieved remarkably little commercial success for a band that has been active and recorded such superior music for 15 years. The oft-delayed World Declension is going to remedy the situation. The band has suffered at the hands of distraction and preoccupation with other projects, worthless record companies and endless line-up changes. World Declension, though, is second to none.
The album is divided into two chapters, Visions Of Armageddon and Earth Inferno. Both are apt titles for the music on the album, but there is little distinction in the chapters' music. The band's music is swift and agile Swedeath with comparisons to Hypocrisy, Dark Funeral and Vomitory. This is fast and heavy death metal played by veterans. The guitars cut like a knife with the leads particularly impressive and inventive, the multi-layered vocals mean horrific business and the swift drumming is produced with all impact intact. Sworn is an outstanding song as is Synthetic Sin Zero and Flesh Is Fragile. The latter title might be warning mere mortals might want to heed when facing this album. - Ali "The Metallian"