This is the second album from Belgian thrash metallers Sanity’s Rage.
Way back in 2012 I encountered You Are What You Swallow, and I liked it a great deal. Over the years, it’s stood up well, and always reminds me that thrash metal can still be hugely enjoyable when played well. Then after that, nothing. No idea why. But now, unexpectedly, something. The Dead Don’t Run, in fact; 47-minutes of well-written, well-built thrash metal.
Bar the band’s singer, the lineup on The Dead Don’t Run is now completely different. As such, and given the vast amount of time between releases, The Dead Don’t Run has a feel and style that’s similar to its predecessor, but also distinct. The music’s aggressive thrash core is still there, but the sound of Sanity’s Rage in 2025 is more melodic, more developed, and has generally longer songs, on average.
Presenting primarily as a mix of Destruction and Kreator, with the occasional touch of Anthrax, Metallica, and Slayer, The Dead Don’t Run is energetic and upbeat. The band bring the riffs, but also the hooks. And more riffs, lots of those. There are memorable moments aplenty, and some catchy choruses that dig in hard. Sanity’s Rage offer up a feast of classic thrash metal tastiness, and they know how to pen a good tune. They’ve stepped up their melodic game, and between the molten guitar solos and the bursts of vocal aggression, there’s always something to electrify or grasp hold of. Not to mention the riffs, those deliciously old-school thrash riffs. Have I mentioned them yet? Riffs, riffs, riffs!
Riffs.
I don’t have anywhere near as much time for thrash as I used to, but I have time for this. The Dead Don’t Run is not only a love letter to the genre, it’s also a fun and very enjoyable slab of thrashy goodness. It’s great to have Sanity’s Rage back where they belong, tearing out thrash metal hymns like it is the last thing they’ll ever do.
Very highly recommended.
Wonderbox Metal 