LAIR OF THE MINOTAUR - I Hail I review

 

LAIR OF THE MINOTAUR - I Hail I

The Grind-House Records

So there's a lot to unpack here. As far as anticipated albums go this was an obvious pick for me as far as 2026 goes. This band's last album, Evil Power, from 2010 is definitely a classic in my book. It was their fourth album and definitely their best. Plus I was already a fan of them from two previous albums.

LAIR OF THE MINOTAUR hail from Chicago, Illinois. They started out in 2003 as a three piece Sludge Metal / Thrash act. Now for you ignorant types, Sludge Metal came about when late 1980's Hardcore musicians started listening to BLACK SABBATH. They started incorporating the fast meets slow ideal. There are way too many early examples but by the 1990's you had bands coming out in the Metal scene who were Sludge Metal. 

When LAIR OF THE MINOTAUR finally hit the scene it was easy to like em because they came from Chicago, Illinois which had a history of Extreme Metal acts who didn't color inside the lines when it came to certain genres of Metal. Hell I'm still a USURPER / BONES fan till this day and that's just two name drops. 

So that was then and this is now some sixteen years later. As far as the line-up goes it's still Steven Rathbone as vocalist, guitarist and he adds the keyboards. Drummer Chris Wozniak is still in the fold. But on bass they have a new recruit who is well known in the Chicago area not only as a musician but a producer. I'm talking about Sanford Parker. 

As far as I Hail I goes it's not a great come back album as one would hope for. The first half of the album is reminiscent of their past aggressive work. I like that to a point other than being more causal than extreme. "Fucked Inside Out" and "Prowler Twin Sister" are memorable tracks. Everything else is kinda lackluster. It's kinda like drinking a six pack and by the fourth beer you're like I think I'm done. 

The last two cuts on this album sealed my overall opinion. "Vulture Worship" was a throwaway track but "Tartarus Apocalypse" is a seven minute plus Sludgey Doom boring opus of banality. Hey you were hot years ago but now your dead. Trust me, it comes with age. Except it or look pathetic.

https://www.thegrind-houserecords.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://lairoftheminotaur.bandcamp.com/album/i-hail-i-2

LOWCARD DE LA MORTE / KILLSEDUCTION Split EP review

 

LOWCARD DE LA MORTE / KILLSEDUCTION Split EP

Horror Pain Gore Death Productions

OK bias alert because this split release reminds me of the 1980's Underground Hardcore / Speed Metal era when you only heard good music via tape trading. What we have here are two bands from Japan who not only nail the sound and fury. But the production is time honoring perfect. The fucking attitude is a slam pit smack to the face. 

First of there's LOWCARD DE LA MORTE who deliver six cuts that are pure old school sounding Hardcore / Speed Metal. I mean short songs, meaty riffs, aggro vocals with plenty of tongue in cheek lyrics. It's serious music for the not so serious but want to get crazy to. 

The second band here is KILLSEDUCTION who deliver five cuts in a different way. Yeah it's Hardcore, Speed Metal as well as Thrash and Grind. That latter touch is obvious since guitarist Takafumi Matsubara of GRIDLINK is in the band. Musically their songs are a psychotic speed trip which would be more enjoyable if I was still a coke head. But for right now their short sharp and diverse extreme shock is pretty cool. 

Like all split releases I judge em as wrestling matches. I mean real wrestling and not like that BS on TV today. This is Japan style Wrestling from decades ago in a exploding barred wire match with tacks on the mat. Although KILLSEDUCTION seem to walk into this ring as the predominant winner and heals. I'm choosing the baby-face LOWCARD DE LA MORTE who do a better job jumping off the ropes and pinning. 

NUFF SAID!

https://www.horrorpaingoredeath.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://hpgd.bandcamp.com/album/kill-de-la-morte

NINTH REALM - Damnation's Veil review

 

NINTH REALM - Damnation's Veil

Transcending Obscurity Records

I've said it before but I'll repeat myself. Thrash Metal in these modern times is boring as shit. Some bands sound cool only because they remind ya of a past favorite. Then you've got these other acts who just go off the rail and end up boring. That's why I like Blackened Thrash because I know what to expect. It either sounds damm good or it's generic garbage. 

Which brings us to this latest full length from Maryland's NINTH REALM. The band started back in 2018 and has been putting out plenty of short form releases. Their first full length, A Fate Unbroken, came out in 2022. So here's their second full length. The genre tagline on here is Crossover / Thrash Metal. Personally I don't get the Crossover part because I don't hear 80's Hardcore. But everything else is cool.

With the exception of the intro cut, which is boring. This is a damm good album. NINTH REALM just excel in aggressive, violent, pummeling sounds. It's the equivalent of a dozen bullet belt, jean jacket cut-off wearing hessians kicking into your house and beating the crap out of you. That's if you're a hipster. If it was my house, I'm armed so the first nine of ya would be shot and I'd have a second magazine in the chamber fast enough to finish the next three. 

Be that it is I think violence is a quality motive when listening to this release. NINTH REALM are all into that with rapid galloping riffs, a pounding / savage rhythm section and a damm violent sounding vocalist. This is my kind of Thrash in 2026. 

https://tometal.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://ninthrealm-label.bandcamp.com/album/damnations-veil

DEATHSTORM - Cascophonies review

 

DEATHSTORM - Cascophonies

Dying Victims Productions

So here we have the fifth full length by Austria's Thrash veterans DEATHSTORM. I originally got into this three piece act years ago when they were on another label. But it was their fourth full length from 2020, For Dread Shall Reign, which really made me go holy shit this is cool. 

Now let me bore you with a thing I've said for years now. Mainstream Thrash sucks. Twenty years ago you had that Thrash revival which was cool for a moment and then the genre just blew chunks. The only reason I still give a fuck about Thrash is because of bands like DEATHSTORM as well as some Blackened Thrash acts who are not generic. 

So what's cool about this new album by DEATHSTORM? Well let's be honest here. The people of the great nation of Austria are very nice except for these three guys. Hate is the handshake they give to the world and it shows well on tracks like "Body in a Barrel", "Horripilation", "Mask of Sanity" and the final cut "Mortuorum Flies".

Musically it's speed infused hate filled old school Thrash. To me that's the best of the genre with plenty of cool soloing and riffs that want you to punch someone in the face. The drum work as well as bass lines are cool as fuck. The vocals are angry, pissed off and totally real guy sounding. 

The bottom line is if you're into Thrash in 2026 then this is the band you should be listening to. Nuff Said. 

https://dying-victims.de/

LISTEN HERE:

https://dyingvictimsproductions.bandcamp.com/album/cascophonies

BAPHOMET'S BLOOD - Satanic Metal Attack Reissue

 

BAPHOMET'S BLOOD - Satanic Metal Attack Reissue

Dying Victims Productions

So if you read this blog, and frankly who doesn't, then you know of the Italian Thrash band BULLDOZER. They came out in the mid-1980's with a sound that was Euro Thrash meets MOTORHEAD. Their first album, The Day of Wrath, is a must own full length release. Everything after that is up to you. I finally saw BULLDOZER a few years ago and it was a bucket list moment for me. 

Which brings us to BAPHOMET'S BLOOD, who I've said in a review of their last full length release, are the children of BULLDOZER. That release was 2016's In Satan We Trust. They're not influenced by Teutonic Thrash or VENOM like BULLDOZER was. But they have the Speed Metal attitude and the whole satanic aura. 

This debut album of their's from 2006 originally came out on Dies Irae Records. Iron Bonehead Productions reissued it in 2016. So here we are a decade later with Dying Victims Productions giving it another chance. And all I can say is hell fuckin yeah. I mean with songs like "Blood, Vomit and Satan", "Satanic Beerdrinkers", "Speed Metal Warriors" and onward. Yeah this is a cool sounding Extreme Metal release. And it's from a band I like in the modern era.

https://dying-victims.de/

LISTEN HERE:

https://dyingvictimsproductions.bandcamp.com/album/satanic-metal-attack

BELITH - Hounds of Hell EP review

 

BELITH - Hounds of Hell EP

Godz ov War Productions

So here we have a cool debut EP from a Polish four piece act who are musically a bit of a few things. There's four cuts on this release. Some come over as Thrash while others are in the vein of Black Metal. The weird part is that the two never meet as in true Blackened Thrash.

Obviously this band is searching for an identity. I really like their first song "Shepherd of Wolves" and the fourth cut "War Dogs". Both songs are evil sounding Thrash. Plus the bass is so prominent. The riffs are dark plus the guitar soloing is cool fluid sounds with sparking tones. The two other cuts fall in with a Melodic Black Metal style. But it's damm fuckin Polish all the way. 

What's wild is that BELITH is made up of one guy and three women. That's kind've a twist since it's usually three guys and a woman who's either the vocalist or bassist. But times have changed and a Polish band leads the way.

 

Specifically you've got Andrzej Plaszczyk producing the caustic vocals. The damm cool guitar sounds are provided by Maria Kopciuch. The bass work which I like so much on this release is performed by Kalina Krzemianowska. Finally Milena Dmochowska provides a robust drum sound throughout. 

It's a decent release as I said earlier. Personally I'd like to see what they'd do on a full length with more song writing activity placed at their disposal. 

http://godzovwar.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://godzovwarproductions.bandcamp.com/album/hounds-of-hell

ZERRE - Rotting on a Golden Throne review

ZERRE - Rotting on a Golden Throne

Dying Victims Productions

I'd file this one under the genre terms of Thrash, Crossover and Speed Metal. I've listened to it a few times now and I like it a lot because it reminds me of past greatness which I remember so well. This five piece act hails from Germany. I seriously doubt you'll see em on a stage at Wacken Open Air. Then again you might catch em playing at the worst club in Berlin. I'm thinking some basement underneath an Indian restaurant. After hours the place smells like spilled beer, sweat and curry. 

Be that as it may this is the fourth full length by ZERRE. Years ago after two albums a German Speed Metal band would be doing Power Metal. Obviously that's the case here. This release has nine cuts on it but actually it's eight with a boring intro. These guys are into long stretched out songs. Whatafuck, ya think you're Germany's version of METALLICA? Well maybe they do influence wise. 

While listening to these songs I had to laugh a few times. The actual opening cut is "Pigs Will Be Pigs". Yeah you guys are too young to know who the Stasi where. "Concrete Hell" is a damm good cut and should be a video hit. The title track is where these Germans show their EXODUS influence. Which is cool as fuck to me. 

The bottom line is that ZERRE's fourth full length will be better received by young underground enthusiasts as opposed to shiny over produced bullshit mainstream Thrash.Hey that's why I like it and it's a fuckin winner. 

https://dying-victims.de/

LISTEN HERE:

https://dyingvictimsproductions.bandcamp.com/album/rotting-on-a-golden-throne

 

MEGADETH - Self Titled review

 

MEGADETH - Self Titled

BLKIIBLK Records

OK so this is it, MEGADETH's final album, alright sure but let me get out a few things. In all honesty I haven't kept up with MEGADETH of late. In fact I had to search the racks to find that the last release I have by em is Endgame from 2009. Maybe that alone should disqualify me to write about this latest release. But hey that's up to you the reader. 

As far as my history with MEGADETH goes well yeah I'm an old fuck so I was there since the beginning. I still think their first three albums in the 1980's are their best. After that it's a pick and choose kinda thing. I say that because when you get my age, average just ain't good enough. Now I will say that the band's 2007 full length, United Abominations, was pretty good. In fact I've listened to that one more than any other releases they put out previously in a long time. 

Which brings us to this their last album. Now obviously when a band says this is our last album, it's gonna suck.It's a fuckin given fact it will suck because the band has admitted it has nothing left to give artisically. We're looking at death throws, get it. But no don't pull the sheet over my face yet. 

So let's start with what I don't like about this album. I think the production sucks. Now sure most MEGADETH albums have what I'd call a "dry sound". That's why when you play their early albums you've got to tweek the knobs on your stereo to bring about a fuller sound. So I hate the sound on here which is OK since I doubt this label had the cash to put into it. 

Now what I like, opener "Tipping Point" is pretty cool. But the next track "I Don't Care" is a winner with an aggressive Thrash attitude of Fuck You. I also like "Let There Be Shred" because of the chorus; 

The second half of this release is less Thrash and more Hard Rock music with boring lyrics, odinary song structures but good solos. "Made to Kill" is decent musically but lyric wise it sucks. "Obey the Call" is worse but hey great solos. Mustaine sounds good on here. I'll give em that prop. But in all honesty this is what I expected aka: an average sounding MEGADETH album.  

https://www.blkiiblk.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8NCM96mIQ4U

MORTAL SCEPTER - Ethereal Dominance review

 

MORTAL SCEPTER - Ethereal Dominance

Xtreem Music

MORTAL SCEPTER's second album answers the question which is what if SODOM continued on the evil path instead of shitting the bed. Yeah I'm serious. Look I'm old and so are the bands I remember from back in the day. Instead of just hoping for nostalgia from my faves I look for some new acts who will carry the torch to the future. 

MORTAL SCEPTER, a four piece Blackened Thrash act from Dunkirk, France are oddly enough carrying the torch of Teutonic Blackened Thrash to the hilt on this release. This is their second full length on the Xtreem Music label. And just for the record Xtreem Music is the go to European label for Extreme Old School Metal. Yeah that's a free plug. 

But anyways musically these guys really take the SODOM & DESTRUCTION influences then add in their own flavor which makes this a great release. The vocals come across sounding like a young Angel Ripper. The riffs are dark and maniacal. The guitar soloing is like lightning from Valhalla. The drum work is actually perfect. It's just solid with the song structures. You can barely notice the bass. 

Oh yeah MORTAL SCEPTER write good songs that are memorable which in 2025 is unusual. Personally I'd rather have a band like this playing music I remember from the past then certain old acts hanging on just for name recognition. 

https://shop.xtreemmusic.com/english.main.index.php

LISTEN HERE:

https://xtreemmusic.bandcamp.com/album/ethereal-dominance

BLOODRIDE - Deafening review

 

BLOODRIDE - Deafening

WormHoleDeath

Thrash from fucking Finland, oh hell yeah I'm interested. This is my first time checking out BLOODRIDE who are a five piece Thrash act. The band has been around since 2000 and has sporadically released a bunch of stuff. This is actually their fifth full length. In all honesty if you're into Thrash 2025 and looking for something new and cool then here ya go. 

Deafening is a twelve song album, actually there's an intro so it's really eleven cuts in a little over thirty seven minutes. Time wise this falls into that perfect sound limit since over forty minutes is too long for Thrash. Musically BLOODRIDE's sound is traditional US Thrash which I'm cool with. They're more into the fuckin aggro style which is always great to pit to. 

The vocals are on the pissed off angry side of things. There's some great riffs on here that push the aggressive point across. But they do know to add some sort of melody without sacrificing there mean attitude. The drum work is full on dynamic which it needs to be. I can barely hear any bass lines. But the guitar lead work is vicious without being over bearing. 

All in all this is a damm good Thrash album and in 2025. Yes I'm shocked, shocked I say, that it's a fucking Finnish band who comes out with some enthusiastic sounds that sure have influences. But Fuck You Mr. Jaded Old School Thrash POS (who probably got into the genre twenty years ago). If someone like me, who remembers the early days of Thrash, can like a cool modern band and give em props. Well that just means I'm cool and BLOODRIDE need to be on the main-stage at Wacken. 

https://wormholedeath.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NTyMVdclhxY

OR HERE:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YRjkGiZuHCY&list=OLAK5uy_mMZbhcjVSZ3J4omirrkmzq1a3mmI4OYgE&index=2

VINDICATOR - Whispers of Death review

 

VINDICATOR - Whispers of Death

Self Released

There's a lot to unpack here so let me start by saying I first learned about this Ohio Thrash band back in 2018. I was checking out / writing about another Ohio band release by SHED THE SKIN. One of that band's members, bassist Ed Stephens, plays in VINDICATOR as well as RINGWORM. 

So I followed the stream to the river and discovered VINDICATOR has some pretty good albums. I have their The Antique Witcheries full length from 2010 which came out on Heavy Artillery Records. And their United We Fall full length from 2012 which came out on Slaney Records. Overall VINDICATOR has five full lengths that includes this one plus a bunch of short form releases and compilations. I mean the band has been around since 2005. 

Now on this new release what we have is a Thrash band that's totally involved in what Thrash Metal is all about. I'm talking great fuckin riffs, sick fuckin vocals and a dynamic rhythm section. It's 2025 and we fans are always faced with false Thrash bullshit which is trash. Just listen to the cool as fuck soloing as well as timing within these cuts. 

Hell yeah VINDICATOR are the best Thrash Metal act that I've heard this year. Not that I concentrate on Thrash Metal releases, unless their Blackened Thrash. But hey give this band a listen and you'll be a convert. I'm just surprised they're not on a cool label ya know like Hells Headbangers. 

LISTEN HERE:

https://vindicator.bandcamp.com/album/whispers-of-death

AVENGER OF BLOOD - Revenge Is My Name EP review

 

AVENGER OF BLOOD - Revenge Is My Name EP

M-Theory Audio

Well of course you hope the title really means what it says. More on that later. So for those of you who just don't know or remember here's some history for ya. AVENGER OF BLOOD were this four piece act outta California who were part of the late 2000's Thrash Revival. I still consider their second full length, 2008's Death Brigade, to be one of the better releases from all those Thrash revival acts. All in all they have four full lengths out. Their last release was Completely Re-Annihilated from 2023 which I never heard.

After I gave this EP a listen I pulled out the band's Death Brigade CD, yes I own it, to compare how the they sounded then compared to now. Oddly enough I now consider Death Brigade better than I remember. It's a fuckin Thrash classic from that era which makes me laugh at all the crap people who consider themselves genre enthusiasts push out as good. Fuck em!

Getting back to this EP, it's four cuts which is fine since there's no filler. Musically the band's sound is fierce and violent. The vocals are menacing with decent enough song structure riffs. Soloing is also decent. It reminds me of their material from Death Brigade but with better production and song writing. Of course a new full length would've been better to judge em properly. But hey they're back and this release proves that their position in the US Thrash world is highly under scored.

https://www.m-theoryaudio.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://avengerofblood.bandcamp.com/album/revenge-is-my-name

HELLCRASH - Inferno Crematorio review

 

HELLCRASH - Inferno Crematorio

Dying Victims Productions

This is the second full length I've checked out from Italy's HELLCRASH. The last time around was a few years ago with their second full length Demonic Assassination which came out in 2023 on Dying Victims Productions. If I remember correctly I called HELLCRASH the spawns of fellow countrymen BULLDOZER. For me that's a compliment.

Now as much as I liked their previous album which was heavily influenced by their love of VENOM, SLAYER and yeah BULLDOZER. This new album definitely sees HELLCRASH coming into their own way. Sure it's Blackened Speed Metal and the influences are there. But on Inferno Crematorio this three piece makes it sound fresh and cool as fuck. 

I give props to songs on the second half of this album like "Oathbreaker" , "Mark of the Beast" and the closer "Templar's Curse". I mean the song writing is cool. The vocals still sound like Cronos. And the the overall feeling is let's hear this again and again but a bit louder please. HELLCRASH's new one is a winner in my book. 

https://dying-victims.de/

LISTEN HERE:

https://dyingvictimsproductions.bandcamp.com/album/inferno-cremat-rio

ATOMIZATOR - Nuclear Booze Patrol review

 

ATOMIZATOR - Nuclear Booze Patrol

Witches Brew

As anyone who reads the reviews on this site (and frankly who doesn't) knows that my opinion on modern day Thrash is low. Look I was around when Thrash started out and it was cool. I liked those bands plus the others that added other genre styles to it aka: Death Thrash and Blackened Thrash. I also supported the Thrash Revival in the late 2000's. But to get me going for you as a band nowadays ya gotta show me something which I'll not be bored with three songs into your release. 

Case in point here we have the debut album by ATOMIZATOR who are a four piece Thrash act from the great nation of Switzerland. Now obviously when you look at Switzerland you think of their banking system, the fuckin alps and of coarse CELTIC FROST. How many people that you know will honestly say "Dude I'm really into the Swiss Thrash scene because it's killer"? Ah yeah whatever. 

So hey here we have a decent contender for some modern day Thrash. But hey look at these guys. They look like a couple of troublesome dudes who came into a place where I've worked at. They drink their shite beers. They probably added on a few shots of cheap booze as well. And of course they got quarters to play pool. An hour or two later I'm throwing these assholes out the door. Yeah I used to be a bouncer at a Punk/Metal club. Surprised?

Be that as it may the opening intro "U-235" on here is not OK in my book. But don't let that sway you because the real opening track "Permanent Injury" is a cool sounding rager with a decent enough riff and vocal attack. ATOMIZATOR soundwise remind me of cool 80's Speed Metal from the US. But sure they're Thrash in your face with some killer extras. 

I really like Philip Lindholm's vocals. He mixes real guy singing with some high pitched 80's Heavy Metal screams. Hell I was while listening to this Lindholm let out one of those screams and my beer bottle started to shake. I thought it was gonna be one of those is it live or is it Memorex moments. OK you people are probably too young for that one. 

Be that as it may Nuclear Booze Patrol is twelve cuts of cool sounding Thrash / Speed Metal. I don't think there's a bad track on here except for the instro opening. Musically this band wants to start a fight with you and to me that's cool. Along with the great lead vocals and Hardcore backing gang vocals I give credit to guitarist Bastien Roth. The guy is a great riff master. 

Add to that ATOMIZATOR has a fuckin amazing rhythm section in bassist Dale Brighouse who makes his thick line playing known throughout this album. Then there's drummer Gabriel Cotting who's a fuckin dynamo behind the kit. Real drumming and no triggers. Yeah to me this album is killer. 

https://witchesbrew.eu/en

LISTEN HERE:

https://witchesbrewthrashes.bandcamp.com/album/nuclear-booze-patrol

TANKARD - The Morning After Picture Disc Reissue review

 

TANKARD - The Morning After Picture Disc Reissue

Hammerheart Records

When it comes to the Big 3 of Teutonic Thrash you have SODOM, KREATOR and DESTRUCTION. Number four was always TANKARD and ironically they turned out to be the most consistent act overall. Don't argue with me on that point alright. I mean those three bands mentioned put out absolutely amazing stuff in the late 80's. But once the 90's hit they all changed their tune, threw away the evil, got into social / political stuff and became generic. TANKARD stuck with what the know best. Sure the results over the years haven't always been perfect but they stuck to their guns.

So why not give one of TANKARD's best albums a picture disc reissue treatment. I mean it is one of their best album covers. When I first got this one way back when, aside from the music, the album cover got me. I was that guy on the cover plenty of times in my early days. If you're older like me then you might understand what I'm talking about.  

Now as far as being a TANKARD fan I'll always say that their second album, Chemical Invasion, is my favorite. The Morning After has always been my second favorite album by em. Yeah you know this is classic sounding German drinking Thrash. But it's a picture disc so it's for fans only.

https://www.hammerheart.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lnO15Yc9BAU

KOSUKE HASHIDA - Outrage review

 

KOSUKE HASHIDA - Outrage 

Horror Pain Gore Death Productions

I described this guy's debut album, Justifiable Homicide, from last year as "just short of seventeen minutes of audio Japanese murder mayhem". I'm sure it's still available on HPGD Productions for you to check out which you should for good reason. 

This is Death Grind pure and simple. It's also another great album by Kosuke Hashida from Tokyo Japan , a one man manic when it comes to this type of music. In the past he played guitar for the Death Metal act WORLD END MAN. But nowadays, obviously, he's putting out solo albums where he performs all instruments. 

On Outrage ya got just eleven savage cuts which is really full blown Death Grind with a little Thrash influence. To me it's all about Kosuke Hashida's fuckin guitar riffs which are so evil so crazy diabolical sounding. I mean this is something you wanna hear right before you leave your home to face the world whether it's going to work or to the store. 

All I can say is stick this in my veins! Sick sadistic music is so fuckin cool especially when it sounds so raw. Kosuke Hashida's vocals come across as one pissed off individual who's covered in blood and has a few issues other than the obvious ones you can see.  

So I have to tell ya this. I know I've got a crazy ass smile going on. Then I remember working with this one guy who was telling me about people in the hood who walk around with the "crazy face". Then he would give us this weird facial expresion and me plus the other co-workers would laugh our asses off. So while this album was blasting I went into the bathroom to look in the mirror and holy shit I've got the crazy face. 

So yeah this second full length by Kosuke Hashida rules and it'll give ya the crazy face. 

https://www.horrorpaingoredeath.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://hpgd.bandcamp.com/album/outrage

AXETASY - Withering Tides review

 

AXETASY - Withering Tides

Dying Victims Productions

The promo info on this band is that they're Heavy Metal from Germany. There's also mentions of Speed Metal and Thrash. OK sure I'll give em that but in all honesty if you're a Power Metal fan than this should be the first album you pick up in 2025. 

This is the debut full length by AXETASY a four piece act hailing from Stuttgart, Germany. Now for a band who just started out in 2020 you'll be surprised in how accomplished they sound on their nine tracks. I mean these guys should be on the main stage at Wacken. Sure let's start off the year with some hyperbole. 

But I'm serious here people so let's review. AXETASY have a kick ass guitar attack which combines some speed metal / thrash riffage, plenty of galloping melody and frantic Power Metal style soloing. Next the vocals vary from high end Heavy Metal vocals, screams and then just real guy vocals with gang chorus' added. 

Next up you've got a relentless rhythm section that carries through the accelerated song paces as well as all of the crazy breaks and shifts in the song structures. Finally the song writing on here is so catchy and furious. It's like being grabbed by the collar and screamed to listen. And it's their fuckin debut. I'll go out on a limb and say if you're still into the early days of HELLOWEEN or ICED EARTH then Hell Yeah this is for you.

https://dying-victims.de/

LISTEN HERE:

https://dyingvictimsproductions.bandcamp.com/album/withering-tides

BLOOD FEAST - Infinite Evolution review

 

BLOOD FEAST - Infinite Evolution

Hells Headbangers Records

A couple of things to mention here as far as credit to goes. First off to guitarist and now vocalist Adam Tranquilli who has kept this band going (in a way) since starting out in 1986. Secondly thanks to Hells Headbangers Records for giving them a home label that's stood behind em for quite a while now. I mean this label put out their 2017 comeback album The Future State of Wicked which is still one of my favorite Hells Headbangers' releases. Add to that you have their Chopped, Sliced and Diced EP from 2018 which was also killer. And hey a bunch of years later we've got this new one. 

But before I get into this new one there needs to be some historical baggage unloaded. So let's go back to the late 2000's when you had that whole Thrash Revival. Now you had plenty of new bands just copying original Thrash from the 80's sounds. But you also had renewed interest by young fans in Thrash bands from the 80's who were not the Big Four or had major label releases. One of the many past bands which got renewed interest in was BLOOD FEAST from Bayonne, New Jersey which was not far from my NJ roots. BLOOD FEAST had a decent sounding debut full length titled Kill for Pleasure in 1987. Their four song EP Face Fate also from 1987 is also cool to collect as well. 

So in 2007 after about being broke up for seventeen years Adam Tranquilli decides to resurrect the band with some new people and hell yeah they're doing shows and fans are wanting more. So fast forward to this album here, because I've already gone through their recent history. The whole reason why I like em and this new album is that BLOOD FEAST are not bullshit artists. You listen to this release and it's pure late 80's Thrash. The production is still of that era. The song structures are still late 80's intact. They haven't changed to meet with the styles of popular ideas or tech advancements. 

Regardless of Adam having a line-up of people with him for ten years and less. Plus he's doing vocals now after the departure of Chris Natalini. Infinite Evolution is a cool as fuck album. I think there's a lot of irony in the title. But musically I think this nine song release makes the old school fan in me get excited. I wanna hear songs like "Eye of Glass", "Outbreak" and "Ravaging the Loins of Mary" live mixed in with classics from their past. I mean trust me this album is better than anything new by KREATOR or EXODUS. 

https://shop-hellsheadbangers.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://blood-feast.bandcamp.com/album/infinite-evolution

PANDEMIC - Phantoms review

 

PANDEMIC - Phantoms

Dying Victims Productions

OK so long time readers of this blog (and what are the rest of you waiting on?) know that I'm the biggest proponent of Polish extreme metal albeit I'm not Polish. Truth is it's just great music created by amazing people from a damm good nation. Now aside from the usual Death Metal, Black Metal, Grindcore as well as avenues into Doom and Speed Metal hell yeah Poland rules. But when it comes to Thrash I'm thinking yeah but no one comes to mind. 

Be that as it may here we have the second full length by PANDEMIC a four piece Thrash act from Krakow, Poland. This band has some storied baggage since starting out in 2015. But I'm gonna forgo that part and concentrate on their sound. So in all honesty I'm sure some modern day jaded Thrash aficionado could pick this album apart with their negative bullshit. That's not me, thankfully, because if the music sounds cool and gets you excited then it's good Thrash. 

What makes this eight song album by PANDEMIC so damm good in my not so humble opinion is the musicianship. They're a fuckin great band. You've got Gniewko Jelski on bass and vocals. As far as the latter goes he's got a clean yet aggressive vocal style which I like. He kinda reminds me of Kurt Brecht from DRI. But hell his bass lines are thick and powerful as fuck on these songs. Next there's guitarist Marcin Konieczny who's a damm good savage riff master who's totally schooled in 80's era Thrash without being a copycat. 

Next up you've got the shredder in guitarist Wiktor Lobarzewski. This guy is damm good whether he's ripping your face off or laying down some melodic lead work. Finally there's drummer Filip Worek who has to follow up with all of this fierce music and keeps it all organic sounding as well as exciting. 

PANDEMIC's Phantoms is one of the best straight up Thrash albums I've heard this year. There are times when I listen to a song of theirs and think yeah these guys like US Speed Metal as well as Thrash. Call it what you will but hey I just like it a lot. Eight perfect cuts for you to slam pit to. Yeah I'd love to see this band perform at a show and watch people go fuckin nuts. 

https://dying-victims.de/

LISTEN HERE:

https://dyingvictimsproductions.bandcamp.com/album/pandemic-phantoms-lp

BLACKEVIL - Praise the Communion Fire for the Unhallowed Sacrament review

 

BLACKEVIL - Praise the Communion Fire for the Unhallowed Sacrament

Dying Victims Productions

So this came in under the tag line of Blackened Thrash from Germany. Actually this three piece calls Bavaria home but be that as it may. Just look at these guys and yeah you know or at least can take a guess as to what type of music you're expecting. 

Then you give this, their third full length, a listen and go whoa! I mean a year ago someone I know in a FB Metal group told me there is Blackened Power Metal. So I was like OK name some. He named a couple of bands and I was no their not Power Metal at all. But here I have a band who would meet his needs. 

BLACKEVIL combine a lot on this seven song release. Yeah this band pushes the epic touches. All of the typical characteristics are hear. There's plenty of thrash meets NWOBHM style which just makes it an exciting listen. The black metal influence is of the late 90's melodic era. Yeah this is like a blackened version of HELLOWEEN's second album. 

That last sentence is fuckin blasphemy to Power Metal fans but so what. It took a few listens to this in order to Get It. And I'm so glad I did. There needs to be some diabolical influences into Power Metal. I believe BLACKEVIL has a niche for the genre stalwarts to recognize. Plus the production on here is damm good. I had the house speakers blasting this one. Unfortunately I forgot that the outdoor speakers were on as well. So my neighbors got a two song dose of BLACKEVIL before I turned em off. Thankfully they didn't call the cops on me again.

Epic Blackened Power Metal and I've gotta send this to that guy who came up with stupid suggestions. With that said it's on this release's final track, "Towards the Carpathian Winter Battle" that BLACKEVIL show their roots to say the least. In the end it's fucking unique and an interesting listen.

https://dying-victims.de/

LISTEN HERE:

https://dyingvictimsproductions.bandcamp.com/album/praise-the-communion-fire-for-the-unhallowed-sacrament