Saboter - Mankind is Damned

Artist: Saboter
Release Title: Mankind is Damned
Year: 2016
Label: Witches Brew
Genre: Heavy/Power Metal
Tracklisting:
1. Purifier
2. Assassins
3. Prevailing Dictators
4. Marching Death
5. Impaler
6. Ghost in the Machine
7. Sacred Catalyst
8. Sands of Time

Forming just in 2014, Greek heavy/power metallers Saboter have come together to showcase their shared passion for old-school heavy and power metal while taking into account the thrash influence from the members’ previous act to quickly pump out their first release. A captivating concept album that portrays a dystopian world, the group’s full-length debut was released July 6, 2016 on Witches Brew.

For the most part here this is a pretty dynamic old-school assault of traditional heavy and power metal mixed together into a truly enjoyable burst of energetic material. With the majority of the material here decidedly based on the mid-tempo assaults mixed together with spurts of charging up-tempo power metal-styled melodic rhythms in the riff-work, it has the kind of pleasing approach of offering thumping, hard-hitting rhythms rumbling alongside harmonious melodies scattered prominently across the album. This is a rather fun and impressive style of attack that still offers up the kind of hard-hitting riffing and powerful rhythm section to give the material a nice heavy crunch when necessary yet doesn’t really get too far into that type of material before it snaps off a series of rather fun and fine melodies which combine together into a fine, majestic feel that conjures up the epic material created back in the genre’s heyday. This type of attack ends up bringing about the album’s main flaw here which is that the album’s pace is decidedly a one-note variation which really does come off with the same general attitude throughout here that holds it back with the same tone. That leaves it quite bland at times once it reveals the tricks of it’s trade, and there’s some rather troubling work with that unvarying attack which is featured in this. It’s still quite enjoyable, but does have some troubling factors.

Though there’s some rather minor moments here that come up in holding this one down, the fact that it’s still somewhat enjoyable enough to be listenable makes this a somewhat intriguing effort for fans of old-school heavy/power metal or those that like the slower, more melodic aspect of traditional metal.

Score: 75/100

Does it sound good? Order it form here:

http://www.witchesbrewthrashes.eu/shop/index.php?lang=en

Acid Age - Like a Runaway Combine Harvester in a Field of Crippled Rabbits

Artist: Acid Age
Release Title: Like a Runaway Combine Harvester in a Field of Crippled Rabbits
Year: 2016
Label: Witches Brew
Genre: Crossover Thrash Metal
Tracklisting:
1. Like a Runaway Combine Harvester in a Field of Crippled Rabbits
2. Shotgun in Your Mouth
3. Hell Is in the South Sea
4. Manifesto de Hyper Thrash
5. Try to Hide from Frankenstein's Bride
6. Thrash Novelty
7. Bloodthirsty Jawbreaker
8. The Prank Call

Following the success of their past release, Irish thrashers Acid Age has soldiered on with plenty of critical support and live dates that has honed their hyper-thrash style into a fervent cocktail of explosive metal. Bringing their style to the forefront on their second full-length album, this was originally released June 24, 2016 on new-label Witches Brew.

For the most point this one here manages to readily explore the kind of feverish up-tempo thrashing found in the kind of modern crossover styles with the riffing here generating the kind of frantic, straightforward patterns that simply bleed speed. The blinding technicality and ability to deftly maneuver through a variety of dynamic tempo changes that manages to feature plenty of work here from choppy crossover-fueled rhythms to stuttering mid-tempo thrash and then frantic full-throttle modern-tinged rhythms here all with a fine ease. There’s plenty of spectacularly rabid riffing in these sections where it really overwhelms with it’s speed and technically-proficient pattern changes, though it also signals the start of the album’s minor flaws. The album’s rather one-note approach here with that riffing style is what somewhat hurts this one as there’s just not all too many chances to really focus on the ravenous riffing as there’s simply not much to the album. It’s too short and really condensed with only a few real chances to get this going as it’s blistering riff-work runs this through so quickly that it’s onto it’s next track before it really gets a chance to explore these rhythms even more, and it’s really the only thing that holds this one back.

With plenty of rather enjoyable elements here really upset only by the fact that there’s too much one-note work that gets exposed only through the lack of chances here, it’s really fun and exciting enough to work itself out to be a solid choice for hardcore crossover thrash aficionados though others might want to heed caution with this one.

Score: 78/100

Does it sound good? Order it from here:
http://acidage.bandcamp.com/album/like-a-runaway-combine-harvester-in-a-field-of-crippled-rabbits

Lethal Shöck - Evil Aggressor

Artist: Lethal Shöck
Release Title: Evil Aggressor
Year: 2016
Label: Witches Brew
Genre: Heavy/Speed Metal
Tracklisting:
1. Sulfur Heart
2. Atomik Obedience
3. Up the Voltage
4. Endless Midnight
5. I Am Your Hero
6. Fear (the Devil's Child)
7. Iron Fisted Assault
8. I Rock (in Hell!)
9. Evil Aggressor

Formed back in 2008, Chicago metallers Lethal Shöck has endured a host a line-up problems that has prevented the band from securing any kind of real output until their debut EP just last year. With the amalgamation of Steve Beaudeth and Justin Fernal into the lineup alongside leader Patrick Shöck, the band produced their crushing debut album on July 22nd, 2016, released by Witches Brew.

Offering up plenty of attitude and old-school influence, there’s a rather enjoyable amount of work to be had here as this one manages to employ plenty of high-speed punk-influenced speed metal patterns into their attack. This simplicity and generally tightly-wound rhythm section here allows this one to fly through rather nicely here with their up-tempo attacks and rather straightforward approach that evokes the rumbling patterns found in the trad-metal attacks of the past. Though simplistic, there’s a great deal of fun to had with their relentless energy and charging drive that erupts due to the up-tempo work found throughout here, keeping the tracks firmly in the ravenous off-the-rails intensity favored by the speed-metal assault while also making for a great balance once it goes into their solo sections which features some more traditional metal rhythms as they still manage to engage with some strong tempos and rhythms featured here for an overall impressive attack. Though this is the case here, the bands’ simplistic approach does work against them especially in the case where it’s juvenile attitude is concerned here which is a somewhat problematic course when this one really gets going as it’s sometimes tough to really figure out whether or not the band is serious. The hard-hitting approach certainly favors the serious side yet their overall attitude does make it seem questionable at times and this might work against them, especially when taking into consideration the overall shorter length and brief song-lengths that further this conundrum quite heartily. Otherwise, this one has some solid parts to it.

As it’s somewhat hard to get a gauge on whether or not the bands’ seriousness is really apparent in here, it’s a problem that does hinder this one somewhat even though the rest of the album has more than enough going for it to really make an impression for fans of high-energy speed metal or traditional metal as well.

Score: 81/100

Does it sound good? Order it from here:

http://lethalshock.bandcamp.com/releases