Artist: Harlott
Release Title: Extinction
Year: 2017
Label: Metal Blade Records
Genre: Retro Thrash Metal
Tracklisting:
1.Extinction
2.First World Solutions
3.The Penitent
4.Whore
5.No Past
6.Conflict Revelation
7.Better Off Dead
8.Violent Conspirator
9.And Darkness Brings The Light
10.Final Weapon
11.Parasite
12.Epitaph
Drawing from their storied history, Australian thrashers Harlott have emphasized the 80's Bay Area thrash scene and blending it with the Teutonic melody and grit, they focus on high energy, up-tempo music with lyrical influence from war, religion, chaos and the human condition. Bringing new guitarist Jake Weber onboard, the groups’ third full-length effort was released April 7, 2017 on Metal Blade Records.
Offering their strong, raging sound to it’s fullest, there’s not a whole lot to dislike here as the band brings their full-throttle attack to its fiery best. Based mainly on a churning, driving series of riffing that brings out plenty of utterly ferocious rhythms here, this ends up diving and bombing into galloping territory which bringing out the fullest intensity in these rhythms. Playing most of these tracks are dynamic speed-drenched numbers complete with crunchy patterns, a thunderous rhythm section and a truly intense drive to crush forward with the oppressive riff-work featured here as the need for the fastest, most ferocious riffing possible carries this one for the most part here. When this one drops off that intensity for melody there’s still plenty of ferocious rhythms around this blistering attack that it really manages to hold itself quite nicely here as the deeper churning patterns allows this to feature plenty of blistering sections while managing to sound close enough to their general sound without being recognizably off from the general attack. There is a case to be said here about the album being somewhat overlong with a few too many tracks here which make it feel somewhat like a slough in the second half to plow through even more of the same general attacks over and over again. It works nicely but trim this by a song or two and it would improve significantly.
An utterly impressive and near-flawless release, this is a truly ferocious and fiery retro thrash offering that covers the gamut of the old-school thrash scene in fine form which makes this one of the standout groups in the scene and an easy choice for fans of their past works or the style in general.
Artist: Amon Amarth
Release Title: Jomsviking
Year: 2016
Label: Metal Blade Records
Genre: Melodic Death Metal
Tracklisting:
1.First Kill
2.Wanderer
3.On a Sea of Blood
4.One Against All
5.Raise Your Horns
6.The Way of Vikings
7.At Dawn's First Light
8.One Thousand Burning Arrows
9.Vengeance Is My Name
10.A Dream That Cannot Be
11.Back on Northern Shores
One of the first bands in the style, Swedish melodic death metal mainstays Amon Amarth have been steadily employing their blend of black and melodic death metal into being one of the best bands in this style. With long-time drummer Fredrik Andersson stepping down and the studio parts recorded by Tobias Gustafsson, the bands’ tenth full-length effort was released March 25, 2016 on Metal Blade Records.
As has been the case from the start, the group here certainly knows their way around melodic death metal riffing, and that continues here with this one generating the kind of fiery melodic rhythms that has long been apart of the group’ core sound. Blazing with hummable, dynamic riffing that’s filled with swirling melodic leads alongside the deep, driving charge that propels the songs forward, the melodic tendencies of the band are at the forefront of the album overall. With the main rhythms adopting their signature swirling tremolo-picked patterns while alternating between the glorious, triumphant marches, full-speed thrash-paced frenzies or a more relaxed mid-tempo pace with a deeper, churning crunch pattern to the main rhythm-work, there’s quite an impressive mix of their usual work featured here that creates a driving blend of black, death and minor elements of thrash into the overall package that’s found here. This usual amount of variance creates a wholly appealing ebb and flow within the album as the different pieces take prominence on select tracks which is always wrapped up with melodic lead-work that’s all tight, frantic and off-sets the vicious work on display here as the album does continually shift gears to a fault. There’s way too many sections within this one that could’ve been handled with a slightly more upbeat vibe as the attempts to showcase the metalcore-leaning riffs don’t gel well with their sound at all. It’s just obviously attempted to interject a variety into the tracks but the mechanical, chugging rhythms are out-of-place and stick out quite obviously against the more natural-sounding riffing elsewhere here. As well, it’s all too familiar and does the same thing too many times over, but as it’s been there since the beginning it’s not that bad of a detriment and doesn’t hurt it that much.
Still sticking with their formula through thick-and-thin, the group’s obviously patented sound that hasn’t bit them before continues to serve them well as it generates a strong overall effort that while not as important or dynamic as what came before it still has plenty of appeal for fans of the band so far as well as those looking for genuine melodic death metal acts.
Artist: Artillery
Release Title: Penalty by Perception
Year: 2016
Label: Metal Blade Records
Genre: Thrash Metal
Tracklisting:
1.In Defiance of Conformity
2.Live by the Scythe
3.Penalty by Perception
4.Mercy of Ignorance
5.Rites of War
6.Sin of Innocence
7.When the Magic Is Gone
8.Cosmic Brain
9.Deity Machine
10.Path of the Atheist
11.Welcome to the Mindfactory
The seventh full-length from Danish thrash veterans Artillery overall is as strong and effective as they were back in the heyday during their assaults in the late-80s. Continuing on the theme from their last album which introduced their new singer, this material is much in that same manner of utterly pummeling thrash rhythms and crushing drumming barreling along through engaging up-tempo work-outs that can maneuver through a strong variety of tempo change-ups due to the incredibly strong riff-work at the forefront of the record. Being able to drive through tracks with an intense speed-driven straightforward thrashers or more melodic mid-paced efforts that contain a fair amount of toughened churning riff-work alongside the power-metal accented flairs in place throughout the tracks, it gives this a rather intriguing amount of variety makes for a wholly engaging dynamic throughout here. It readily thrashes when necessary, eases off into the mid-tempo when appropriate and offers the kind of melodic tendencies that don’t diminish the full-scale blistering tempos featured. Surely, the ballad might not be for everyone’s personal tastes and it can seem to drone on a little too long at times but it still holds up well enough overall.
The first half here expertly plays off what’s going on here. Opener ‘In Defiance of Conformity’ uses an ambient forest-sound intro with simple guitars slowly build into pounding drumming, furious riff-work and a stylish up-tempo gallop as the melodic vocal croons rip through the charging rhythms with the harmonies melodies mixing along with the tight chugging thrash riffing into the solo section with the fine melodic riffing continuing into the final half for an exciting opener. ‘Live by the Scythe’ utilizes grandiose melodic riff-work turns into heavy-handed rhythms and surging riffing through a charging up-tempo pace loaded with melodic flurries charging through the intense riff-work with the soaring melodic solo section leading into the frantic, heavy-handed rhythms of the finale for another exciting highlight. The title track uses a slow-burn intro with a gradual turn into heavy mid-tempo chugging with scorching leads pounding along with the lively rhythms into the solo section and pounding through the chugging riffing of the final half for another heavy, enjoyable effort.‘Mercy of Ignorance’ uses furious tribal drumming and churning riffing into a stylish mid-tempo chug as the churning rhythms allow for a series of frantic, pounding patterns and frenzied paces through the solo section and carrying through into the blazing finale for a strong effort overall.‘Rites of War’ starts with rumbling riffing and pounding drumming into a steady up-tempo full of frenzied rhythms charging along to the dynamic pounding thrash rhythms into the mid-tempo churning solo section and continuing through the final half for a solid enough effort. ‘Sin of Innocence’ takes an extended series of tribal drumming and swirling riff-work into a strong series of churning rhythms full of blazing riff-work and toughened melodies touched off with the churning mid-tempo riffing carrying through the solo section into the finale for yet another powerhouse thrasher.
The second half is slightly weaker if still enjoyable. The ballad ‘When the Magic Is Gone’ takes a series of melodic riffing and softer rhythms offering plenty of romantic arrangements along the light, breezy pace while generating more traditional pounding spurts while dropping back into the lighter patterns for the solo section and carrying into the final half for a decent-if-unmemorable effort.‘Cosmic Brain’ takes blistering drumming and charging drumming along through a stylish up-tempo pace with stuttering rhythms and heavy chugging riff-work carrying through the dynamic patterns full of scorching riffing into the solo section and keeping it through the finale for a strong highlight effort. ‘Deity Machine’ takes steady mid-tempo rhythms and pounding drumming keeping the steady mid-tempo riffing swirling through a series of bland rhythms with the steady pace holding through into the solo section and keeping the rhythms intact through the final half for the first really bland effort overall. ‘Path of the Atheist’ features a steady, rumbling series of riffing with majestic pounding drumming taking a heavy, churning series of riffing along through the fine plodding mid-tempo sections with the crunchy riffing leading into the solo section and on through the finale for a rocking-if-unessential effort overall. Finally, ‘Welcome to the Mindfactory’ utilizes a solid series of rocking up-tempo riffing swirling with raucous thrashing patterns and pounding drumming leading through the swirling technical rhythms around the blazing solo section and carrying the energy through the final half for an exciting and wholly engrossing lasting impression/
Certainly well on-par with many of their more fruitful and explosive efforts of the past even if this one doesn’t overwhelm like their true knock-out efforts did, this is still prime-era thrash at it’s greatest done by an entity around at the birth of it all which makes this one welcome enough for any raging thrash aficionado or fans of classics old-school metal.
Artist: Negligence
Release Title: Coordinates of Confusion
Year: 2010
Label: Metal Blade Records
Genre: Thrash Metal
Tracklisting:
1.Mind Decay
2.Screaming Fear
3.Addicted to Aggression
4.Disharmony
5.The Way To...
6.Insane Asylum
7.The Q Box
8.Sickened
9.Shark Attack
10.Coordinates of Confusion
The second full-length from Slovenian thrashers Negligence offers a fairly engaging and enjoyable mixture of thrash throughout here that makes for a pleasing and engaging listen. Essentially taking the cue from most modern thrash acts in utilizing the basic riff-work and driving drumming from the classic Bay-Area scene, at it’s core this is a steady revival act intent on focusing more on driving the rhythms along rather than flashy riffing or complex patterns. Instead, it tends to save that flash for their explosive soloing throughout the album, offering up plenty of engaging work with the additional use of light power metal-styled rhythms that give off sparkling bits of melodic flurries alongside the tight thrash. Offering a nice groove alongside the raging thrash riff-work, it gives this one a steady, straightforward series of rhythms that make for an overall enjoyable time here without much really holding this back beyond this one singular attack-pattern. This one doesn’t really change up much beyond the straightforward attack, keeping this one locked into a more one-note than initially expected as the variation is more centered around tempo and pacing rather than in terms of dexterous riff-work which gives this a bland feel on the second half. As well, the epic ten-minute closer is a bit out-of-place with the band clearly uncomfortable stretching their style out to that distance when their other songs were tighter and more concise which isn’t the case with that one particular track and sticking out quite obviously. Beyond these two factors, there’s not much else wrong here.
The first half here nicely sets up the album’s qualities from the beginning. Intro ‘Mind Decay’ takes immediate rumbling drumming and scorching intense riffing with plenty of dynamic rhythms pounding long to the melodic leads running alongside the explosive drumming driving the charging mid-tempo paces through the solo section and into the charging finale for an explosive, highlight-effort opening blast. ‘Screaming Fear’ features charging riff-work and thumping rhythms driving along blistering paces with melodic leads bringing along tight, pounding rhythms scattered with the melodic runs driving the solo section on through the charging final half for another exciting and ripping thrasher. ‘Addicted to Aggression’ takes rumbling rhythms and tight patterns with scores of heavy mid-tempo patterns charging along at a straightforward chug and plenty of pounding drumming carrying through the solo section and taking the scalding rhythms through the finale for a decent enough effort. ‘Disharmony’ uses a scalding grooving chug riff with pounding drumming along a dynamic stylish mid-tempo charge with plenty of heavy rhythms keeping the straightforward crunchy patterns through the scalding solo section on through the final half for another stellar highlight. The mid-album instrumental breather ‘The Way To…’ uses harmonious middle-eastern melodies over swirling guitar-work makes for a fine interlude that doesn’t really damage this one way or another.
The second half isn’t all that bad but doesn’t have as much enjoyable aspects as the first half. ‘Insane Asylum’ uses a stylish series of swirling rhythms over a galloping mid-tempo charge with plenty of thumping, driving drumming bringing along more intense patterns driving the charging rhythms along with the raging riff-work throughout the blistering solo section and on through the explosive finale for an exciting highlight. ‘The Q Box’ takes strong swirling riff-work and plenty of pounding rhythms alongside the stellar mid-tempo crunch offered with the heavy, thumping rhythms holding off the sprawling chug-riffing through the blazing solo section and charging throughout the final half into another strong effort. ‘Sickened’ uses a steady, mid-tempo charge with the pounding drumming keeping the intense rhythms along throughout the melodic early solo section and into a sprawling mid-tempo charge featuring plenty of driving riff-work with pounding drum-patterns keeping this driving into the secondary solo section finale for a decent enough offering overshadowed by the other great tracks elsewhere here. ‘Shark Attack’ settles nicely from a gradual lead-in to a steady series of charging mid-tempo riffing with plenty of pounding drumming and a strong series of chugging grooves leading into the solo section and through the finale for another strong effort overall. Lastly, the album-closing epic title track takes rattling drumming and a steady series of swirling riffing charging along at a steady pace with strong pounding drumming and a variety of extended varied sections offering tight, sprawling patterns and dexterous drumming leading into an extended acoustic guitar fade-out for the finale to end this on a decent-if-unsatisfactory note.
Though it’s somewhat undone by a few middling areas that in the grand scheme of things aren’t all that detrimental, this one more than holds itself up as a solid, engaging listen with plenty to like about it and earning itself a listen from those who cannot get enough revival-flavored thrash or are simply curious what other countries have to offer the market.
