Artist: Distillator
Release Title: Summoning the Malicious
Year: 2017
Label: Empire Records
Genre: Retro Thrash Metal
Tracklisting:
1.Blinded by Chauvinism
2.Mechanized Existence
3.Estates of the Realm
4.Summoning the Malicious
5.Enter the Void
6.Algorithmic Citizenship
7.Stature of Liberty
8.The King of Kings
9.Megalomania
Following up the success of their previous work, Dutch thrashers Distillator have been bound and determined to add onto their burgeoning success by taking the old-school sound and influence popular in their work to the next step by adding more of these elements to the mix. Coming back with another concept album about freedom, the trio’s sophomore album was released May 1, 2017 on Empire Records.
Building off the success they had previously, the group is in fine form here as there’s a boundless sense of energy and enthusiasm coming off these tracks. Firing off tight, ferocious rhythms in blinding patterns, raging through plenty of ferocious tempo changes rather nicely as the band tackles the ripping energy from the old-school scene in grand fashion. Buoyed by a thunderous rhythm section, this one effectively bridges rather nicely the same tight patterns from the past with a more relentless modern-day viewpoint which manages to generate an effective main attack here with the solid old-school riffing on display. Likewise, once the album switches into the more mid-tempo realm there’s far more emphasis on steady, chugging leads and straightforward rhythms that make this one incredibly fun. There’s still prominent amounts old-school rhythms and leads in the riff-work which leads to a nice amount of variation present to help offset this. That does lead into the main issue to be had here in that, much like most of the work in this scene, it’s all pretty much a repeat of what came before. There isn’t a whole lot of creative or original work to be had here, leaving in far too many references to the past and really making it hard to take the group seriously with the amount of recycled work here. Still, it’s the enthusiasm that should win out here.
While nowhere near as original or creative as many other entries in the style, the fact that there’s still quite a lot to like here with the bands’ general attitude and intensity in their approach that it does serve as an intriguing choice for those looking for more revivalist-style or old-school thrash in general.
Artist: Maze of Terror
Release Title: Ready to Kill
Year: 2016
Label: Empire Records
Genre: Thrash Metal
Tracklisting:
1.Rotting Force
2.Lycanthropes
3.There Will Be Blood
4.Violent Mind of Hate
5.World's Dead Side
6.Bringer of Torture
7.Protectors
8.Executio Bestialis
9.Blooded Past, Burning Future
10.Gilles de Rais
The debut album from Peruvian thrashers Maze of Terror features quite a wide amount of work here to give this one of the most impressive and engaging debuts in the genre in a long time. From the start this one manages to feature the kind of ravenous, swarming thrash that’s built on the revivalist trends of aping the bay-area attacks from the past, leading to utterly stellar riffing dripping with speed, taking the sort of frantic rhythms and pounding drum-work carrying the kind of arrangements expected to be found in that style. There’s a savage serie sof riffing on display that comes from the swirling, up-tempo patterns here where this one really brings up some imaginative and varied attacks to the table that enables this speed-driven style to stick out even better by being surrounded by the dynamic change-ups offered. It enables a far more intensive effort here with this one creating such an infectious and ultimately appealing when it thrashes away with reckless abandon while still offering the kind of dynamic and varied approaches to the craft that it manages to keep from being a one-trick affair. Though it still manages to keep the same rhythms running throughout here when it is thrashing along lending to some tracks bleeding together it’s such a minor detriment as to be almost completely useless and overdrawn here.
The first half here provides an engaging and enjoyable start to this one. Intro ‘Rotting Force’ uses howling winds and a sampled countdown to turn into an utterly frantic and raging series of swirling rhythm alongside pounding drumming keeping the utterly dynamic patterns racing at full-throttle speeds into the chaotic solo section and carries through the final half for an explosive and enjoyable opener. The utterly frantic ‘Lycanthropes’ features swirling riff-work and fiery rhythms charging along through a frantic mid-tempo series of rhythms with steady riff-work bringing the charging intense paces along through the intense paces charging along with plenty of blistering drumming in the fiery solo section into the charging final half for an utterly enjoyable highlight track. The brutal ‘There Will Be Blood’ uses thumping intense rhythms and pounding drumming into a frantic mid-tempo series of thrashing riff-work buzzing along to the utterly frantic drumming blasting through the utterly frantic and chaotic rhythms twisting through the solo section into the finale for a truly frantic and enjoyable effort. ‘Violent Mind of Hate’ takes a thumping mid-tempo drumming intro into a thrashing mid-tempo series of tight thrashing riff-work and pounding drumming charging along on a fairly steady pace that launches into the molten solo section on though the charging final half for a decidedly decent effort. ‘World's Dead Side’ uses a swirling series of riffing building to a frantic charging pace with plenty of thumping rhythms buzzing along with the twisting riff-work blazing along with the fiery solo section and extended instrumental interludes leading through to the extended second half on through the finale for an over-the-top and explosive highlight.
The second half carries on the good-will from the first half. ‘Bringer of Torture’ uses a droning bass-line intro that settles into a fine mid-tempo pace with steady riffing and plodding drumming that keeps the same rhythms charging along throughout the same mid-tempo pace leading into the fiery and frantic thrashing through the blistering solo section on into the final half for an awesome finish to a bland beginning of this one. ‘Protectors’ features thumping stylized riffing swirling through a steady up-tempo pace with pounding drumming and frantic blasting chugging throughout the steady patterns along the sprawling mid-section rhythms as the frantic rhythms fire through the solo section into the finale for an enjoyable if not spectacular effort. ‘Executio Bestialis’ features a tight mid-tempo series of buzzing riff-work blazing away into scorching up-tempo rhythms thumping along to utterly blistering patterns charging along through utterly infectious riff-work dripping with plenty of speed into the blazing solo section and on through the chaotic final half for another engaging highlight. ‘Blooded Past, Burning Future’ blasts through explosive, tight rhythms laced with blistering drumming and explosive buzzing riff-work through utterly frenzied patterns leading through the solo section and continuing on into the frantic finale for a fun, engaging short bruiser. Lastly, the epic album-closer ‘Gilles de Rais’ takes a slow-building twist through the steady rhythms and mid-tempo churning riff-work that explodes into the raging series of thrashing riff-work that keeps the insane blistering speed continuing on throughout the extended mid-section patterns carrying on into the chaotic solo section and keeping the extended speed driving throughout the elongated final half to truly end this on a spectacular ending note highlighting the grandness of this one in fine fashion.
This here is a near-perfect assault of blistering, finely-formed thrash that plays with such conviction and enthusiasm that it can win over any audience out there and perfectly paves the way for the band to set out on their career, leaving this one to obviously settle in so well for revival thrash fanatics or fans of the old-guard looking for the young generation to make an impression.
