Thrash metal – Page 51 – Wonderbox Metal

Achren – The White Death (Review)

Achren are from Scotland and play Black Metal. This is their latest EP.

This is Black Metal with a healthy melodic side and a hard, Thrash edge to some of the riffs.

The vocals are mainly high pitched screeches designed to strip paint and puncture ear drums. These are joined by the occasional deeper growl that sounds quite fearsome. The vocal rhythms used are in sync with the music and are much more catchy than a lot bands playing this style. This is especially noticeable in The Eschatologist.

The White Death has a good recording and everything sounds in-your-face, much like the band themselves.

The melodic Black Metal romps along at a fair pace with the Thrashier riffs adding some groove. The songs are well-written and the band clearly know what they’re doing. The melodies are memorable and there are some very good tunes here.

The more you listen to this the more you realise that these songs are very, very good indeed and this is a very, very talented band. There’s nothing especially new or original here, (the same can be said of almost every band), but their talent and skill shows in the songs themselves – these are just incredibly strong songs.

At only 3 tracks in 15 minutes this EP provides a decent intro to the band whilst also leaving you hungry for more.

Catchy, memorable and with a good degree of bite; this is a great EP.

Favourite Track: The Eschatologist. What a brilliant song. Can’t say better than that.

Pretty Little Flower – Ultimate Whirlwind of Incineration (Review)

This is the fourth album from US band Pretty Little Flower who play Grindcore.

This is savage Grind mixed with a bit of Old-School Death Metal and Punk/Thrash influences to some of the riffs.

The vocals are deliciously deep and guttural. A real pleasure to listen to. Total cookie monster vocals but they’re deeply satisfying growls that hit the spot nonetheless. There are also occasional high rasps but these are of the average variety.

There’s plenty of blasting and band seem quite content with keeping things fast, nasty and angry. Fine with me.

The nature of the riffs and the deep growls remind me of certain aspects of early Brutal Truth, which is probably why I found myself warming to this album so quickly.

The songs, as one would expect, are short and to the point, with most hovering about the 1:30-2:00 mark. This means they have enough time to build up a good head of steam before the relentless blasting and Grinding comes to an end.

The sound is fine and the drums in particular have a pleasing analogue sound to them.

This is for fans of simple, stripped-back-to-the-bone Grindcore that takes no prisoners and doesn’t even vaguely understand the concept of mercy.

An enjoyable release.

Untimely Demise – Systematic Eradication (Review)

Untimely Demise are a Canadian Thrash Metal band and this is their second album.

Straight from the go we’re into high octane Thrash territory with solos shredding and drums clanging. Technical riffing and rasped vocals lead the way while the rest of the music rips things up.

Musically this is Thrash Metal with a Megadeth/Testament/Death/Arch Enemy flavour. Extremely competent and played with feeling, Untimely Demise show from the off that they have talent.

The singer mainly uses a harsh rasp, but also uses some rougher semi-cleans that shows he’s capable of depth. It adds texture to the impressive playing of the rest of the band. A cross between Death and Arch Enemy, it fits the music well.

The band avoid the issues of the over-saturated Retro-Thrash scene by just being themselves and adding some harsher/technical/more European elements to their sound. It’s honest, direct and more worthwhile than 100 Retro bands trying to recapture old glories without any real feeling. Untimely Demise have come to show them how it should be done; a nod to the past, a spotlight on the present and a battle-plan for the future.

Villainy – I (Review)

This is the début album of Thrash Metal band Villainy who are from the Netherlands.

Villainy have a raw and savage sound that’s rough around the edges but not lacking in ability. They can play, and there are plenty of solos streaking out of the sharpened Thrash like lightning.

The band have a slight Blackened twinge to their sound akin to bands like Audiopain, as well as a bit of a Crust influence as well. These attributes raise the band up above the general throng of Thrash bands that saturate the scene at the moment and make them a more enjoyable prospect.

They’re also not completely predictable, which is a welcome change. For example; after two tracks in the aforementioned style, both under 3 minutes in length, track 3 is 7 minutes long and is more of a Doom-laden Celtic Frost-esque song. It’s a good change of pace and a good song overall.

This is another reason why this album is better than the average – the band don’t rest on their laurels and they also inject variety into proceedings. It keeps things interesting and makes the whole album come together.

This is a quality Metal album that doesn’t suffer from boredom after repeated spins. Check out Villainy and join their underground world.

P.T.O.M.A. – Shit Into Existence (Review)

This is the début album from Greek Thrash Metallers P.T.O.M.A.

This is riff-based Thrash with sharp, spiky guitars and a proper Old-School feel.

The vocals are loose and authentic with gang vocals backing the singer up. The entire thing sounds like it could be some long lost recording by an obscure Thrash band that has just been unearthed.

The recording itself is good and the band have a satisfying sound. The drums are nice and heavy, the guitars sound solid and the bass is surprisingly audible and runs through all of the tracks like a centre line.

The majority of the subject matter is distinctly non-serious, but that doesn’t stop the music from being composed better than I was expecting. There are some good solos too.

If you’re in the mood for some non-serious Thrashing around then you can do a lot worse than this album. Give P.T.O.M.A. a listen and see what you think.

Shards of Humanity – Fractured Frequencies (Review)

Shards of Humanity are a US Death Metal band. This is their début album.

The band play their Death Metal with a nod to Death and a Thrash Metal edge.

The songs are capable of following a good riff to see where it goes and giving it the time to develop and breathe. This sometimes lends the band a pseudo-Progressive edge, (again, akin to Death), and makes their songs all the more enjoyable for it.

For the most part Shards of Humanity’s songs are fast, precise and technically proficient, although they have an ear for a slower riff when the song calls for it.

They give me the impression that these songs have undergone a lot of changes in their history; not due to poor songwriting but due to natural development as there is an exploratory feeling to them.

The tracks feel like they would have been lovingly followed through to their logical conclusions by the band who would have wanted to see where they went to and what would become of them.

Solos are played well and the performance levels all around are good.

The recording is raw and sharp, recalling the Old-School but with more bite.

The vocals are savage, rough barks that are more than capable of competing with the music.

Overall, an enjoyable release. You could do a lot worse than look up this band.

Algebra – Feed the Ego (Review)

Algebra play Thrash Metal and are from Switzerland. This is their second album.

The music is complex and delivered by the band with a tight performance. Musically it’s an exciting cross between Slayer and early Sepultura. For all the popularity of these two giants not many Thrash bands seem to play styles reminiscent of them today, so this is a refreshing listen in this sense.

Vocally the singer spends the majority of his time legibly shouting over the top of the heavily aggressive Thrash. A cleaner style appears on occasion and these vocals are individual enough to enhance the songs rather than detract from them.

The songs Thrash their way through their playing time with a strong sound and furious drumming. Each track is played well and Thrash Metal is rarely executed as heavily as this. Solos are shredded and riffs are assaulted; this is a very satisfying listen.

Unexpectedly for a band who take their influences from the heavier side of Thrash Metal; the track My Shelf turns out to be somewhat of a ballad in the Testament/Metallica style. It shows a willingness on the side of the band to inject variety into the album, and overall I like it.

Algebra have produced a thoroughly enjoyable album that takes from the heavier and darker side of 80’s Thrash, the side that a lot of bands forget. Algebra remember, and they want you to as well. Pick up Feed the Ego and remember how good it feels.

Ecocide – Eye of Wicked Sight (Review)

This is the début album of Ecocide, a Thrash-influenced Death Metal band from the Netherlands.

After a very sci-fi intro the band start with a sprawling, heavy, mid-paced riff that showcases the fact that they have a nicely heavy sound and know what to do with it.

Old-School Thrash and Death Metal meet with a familiar feel and a welcome crash.

The singer has a very rough cookie-monster voice that sounds great set against the raging guitars. He reminds of the singer of Bolt Thrower, which is also a feeling given off by some of the music.

The band show good songwriting and use some memorable riffs during the running time of the album. They seem to have a clear vision of what they want to achieve; they know how to accomplish it and have the tools and skills necessary to do this. The result is Eye of Wicked Sight and very enjoyable it is.

Ignoring the intro there are only 7 songs here so the band make use of every second available to them to create crushing Death Metal. It’s a really good début that sticks in the mind after the last riff has faded.

If the band keep this level of quality up they’ll have a bright future indeed. Check out Ecocide. Do it now.

I Will Tear This World Apart – IWTTWA (Review)

I Will Tear This World Apart are from Norway and play modern Metal.

The band rage and tear their way through these 9 tracks, concentrating on keeping things heavy and groovy while providing a memorable basis for a good old fashioned headbang.

I hear snippets of Earth Crisis, Hatebreed and even a bit of Sick Of It All in places, so these should serve as starting reference points.

This release boasts a state-of-the-art sound that accentuates every piece of aggression that the band throw out.

The singer is angry and there are no niceties here that might otherwise see the band straying into the dreaded commercial pastures. Instead, we get modern Metal played with passion and fire with elements of both Thrash/Melodic Death Metal and modern Hardcore vying for top position, all the time watched over by the Metal Gods who like things just plain heavy.

The majority of the songs hover around the three minute mark; long enough to make their mark but not long enough to lose interest in what they’re doing.

I Will Tear This World Apart successfully combine the trappings of Metalcore with the song know-how of Thrash and the aggression of Hardcore.

An enjoyable romp through the mosh pit.

Deus Otiosus – Rise (Review)

Deus Otiosus are from Denmark and play Death Metal.

The band open the album strongly with Rising War and the rest of the album follows in this vein; strong, muscular Death Metal with a hint of Thrash and even a slight Rock influence to some of the riffs and leads.

The vocals are like crumbling granite. Deep and rough; they sound bestial but largely legible at the same time.

The songs are chunky and heavy with just the right amount of melody thrown in to keep things lively, but not enough to derail the heaviness that runs through the tracks like bedrock.

Well-written songs display an ear for dynamics and song structure whilst retaining a raw aggression tempered by a Thrash sensibility. If you imagine a merging of Morbid Angel, Deicide and Malevolent Creation then you won’t be too far off.

The production is crisp and clear, delivering the kind of sound that a lot of bands would kill for.

A top album. Death Metal to Thrash out to.