The Pit

Ben, could you please add One Machine?

June 2025

1. Warbringer – “The Sword and the Cross” (from “Wrath and Ruin”, 2025) [Submitted by Shadowdoom]

2. Anthrax – “Now It’s Dark” (from “State pf Euphoria, 1988) [Submitted by Sonny]

3. Metallica – “No Remorse” (from “Kill ‘Em All”, 1983) [Submitted by Sonny]

4. Skeletonwitch – “Sacrifice for the Slaughtergod” (from “Beyond the Permafrost”, 2007) [Submitted by Saxy)

5. Sacred Reich – “Crimes Against Humanity” (from “The American Way”, 1990) [Submitted by Sonny]

6. Confess, George Kollias – “Slaughterhouse” (from “Destination Addiction”, 2025) [Submitted by Vinny]

7. Machine Head – “Atomic Revelations” (from “Atonement”, 2025) [Submitted by Vinny]

8. Grave Digger – “The Rich the Poor the Dying” (from “Bone Collector”, 2025)

9. Artillery – “Death Is an Illusion” (from “My Blood”, 2010 [Submitted by Sonny]

10. Parkcrest – “Dwelling of the Moonlights”, 2019) [Submitted by Sonny]

11. Vektor – “Tetrastructural Minds” (from “Outer Isolation”, 2011) [Submitted by Sonny]

12. Venus – “Sons of Grus” (from “Obscured Until Observed”, 2023)

13. Smiqra – “I Am the Broken Generation” (from “Rɡyaɡ̇dźé!”, 2025)

14. Antichrist – “Death Rays” (from “Forbidden World”, 211) [Submitted by Sonny]

15. Whipstriker – “Heartrippers” (from “Cry of Extinction”,2025) [Submitted by Vinny]

16. Black Mass – “A.S.H.E.S.” (from “Feast at the Forbidden Tree”, 201)

17. Satan’s Wrath – “At the Strike of Twelve” (from “Die Evil”, 2015)

18. All Hell – “Suffer for Me” (from “All Hail the Night”, 2023)

19. Frightful – “Into the Phantom Hearts” (from “What Lies Ahead”, 2025) [Submitted by Vinny]

20. Oxygen Destroyer – “Awaking the Malevolent Destroyer of Heavens and Earth”, 2024)

21. Extorted – “Deception” (from “Cognitive Dissonance”, 2024)

22. Combust, Terror – “Paid with Pain” (from “Belly of the Beast”, 2025) [Submitted by Vinny]

23. Doomsday – “Holy Justice” (from “Never Known Peace”, 2025) [Submitted by Vinny]

24. Stress Test – “Suffer” (from “Stress Test”, 2025) [Submitted by Vinny]

25. New World Man – “Murderworld Pt. 2 (Murder Is What's on My Mind)” (from “Peeling Through the Skin”, 2025) [Submitted by Vinny]

26. Crimson Storm – “Outrageous” (from “Livin' on the Bad Side”, 2025)

27. Refore – “Illusion of Existence” (from “Illusion of Existence”, 2024)

28. Korrosive – “In the Name of Destruction” (from “Katastrophic Creation”,2024)

Sacrilege - Behind the Realms of Madness (1985)

Because I lived in a nowhere industrial town in England's north Midlands back in the day, I had to rely on magazines and music papers to suggest new bands for me to try so I could expand my listening. Unfortunately, they only really covered already fairly well-known bands or those who had created a bit of a buzz (usually begun by industry insiders), so many great releases from the 1980s escaped my notice until much later. Seeing as the UK had very few decent thrash acts it is weird that Sacrilege never got any coverage from the music press and it also means that I almost missed out on a brilliant slab of crusty, Discharge-influenced thrash metal from my own neck of the woods. The production is crap, but this only adds to the album's crustiness and gives it a DIY air that I really love. It has the kind of energy the majority of thrash bands could only ever hope to possess. Pity they were never this good again, but, hell, to make one record this awesome is more than most manage.

As an aside, listen to "Shadow of Mordor" and tell me if you think Curt Cobain ever heard it before writing "Negative Creep".

5/5

While I certainly have a bit of time for "Behind the Realms of Madness" (3.5/5), I do have to admit that I've never found it to be as essential as other old-school fans seem to. I actually prefer 1987's "Within the Prophecy" (4/5) which I consider to be a really solid thrash record & a step up from the debut.

It's that Discharge-derived, crusty sound that I love so much about this. 

This month in The Pit clan, it is my turn to nominate the feature release ans I have gone with Megadeth's 2009 album "Endgame".  It was one of the albums that I first picked up after a brief hiatus from metal and I have always held a special place for it as a result.  Feel free to comment, review and shoot the shit below.

https://metal.academy/releases/127

Nuclear Assault - "Handle with Care" (1989)

The third full-length from these Queens-based thrashers was my introduction to Nuclear Assault at the time of release & is still my pick of their discography to this day. I've always liked the band's 1980's records with releases like 1986's "Game Over" & 1987's "The Plague" E.P. receiving regular replays from me in the several decades since. "Handle with Care" is perhaps a little more consistently thrashy than some of their earlier efforts though & I think that probably helps its cause with someone like myself. It's bookended by two absolute belters in "New Song" & 
Trail of Tears", both of which sit amongst my favourite Nuclear Assault tracks, & this certainly holds the album in good stead but the rest of the twelve-song tracklisting is consistently engaging too with only the confusing inclusion of the fairly redundant novelty tune "Funky Noise" failing to capture me. The gritty vocals of front man John Connelly are right up my alley while I also enjoy the hardcore edge that the band display at times. While I wouldn't go into "Handle with Care" expecting to hear anything terribly original, there are some great thrash riffs on offer & I'm surprised at the fairly lackluster ratings of our regulars thus far because I would have thought this would be essential listening for most of our The Pit clan members.

For fans of Anthrax, Overkill & Vio-lence.

4/5

Ripper are yet another of the superb thrash acts hailing from the Santiago / Valpairiso area of Chile, forming in 2007 and still going strong. That said, the lineup that recorded 2016's Experiment of Existence is very different to today's with only band founder, guitarist and vocalist, Patricio Spalinger, remaining. The entire album was written by bassist Pablo Cortés who departed in 2019 and is now to be found in death metal acts, Suppression and Ancient Crypts. As is fairly typical for the chilean thrash scene, Experiment of Existence is very tightly performed and especially aggressive deaththrash that captures the essence of something like Seven Churches, but with more ambitious songwriting and a greater emphasis on technical skill.

One thing you may have come to expect when you spin a chilean thrash album is that you are gonna get some killer thrash riffs along with electrifying soloing thrills and Experiment of Existence certainly doesn't disappoint with Ripper delivering in spades. One particular area where the chileans excel though is in the rhythm department and, again, Ripper tick that box too. Drummer Nicolás Villanueva, who was also sticksman for another favourite of mine, Parkcrest, is an excellent thrash drummer with a powerful and busy style that never misses a beat and his timekeeping drives the tracks at considerable velocity throughout. As I mentioned earlier, bassist Pablo Cortés wrote the album and this may be one of the reasons for the prominence of his driving and fairly complex basslines although, in truth, a prominent bass presence in the mix is yet another telltale sign of the modern chilean thrash scene. Patricio Spalinger's vocals are are of a vemomously ascerbic style that sounds like it takes a lot from Chuck Schuldiner's influence.

So, basically, Ripper have reached back to one of the most interesting times in metal's development as thrash was inexorably metamorphosing into death metal and given it a modern makeover with generally better production values and technical competence whilst never losing sight of what made those times so exciting in the first place. The tightness of the performance is a testament to the four guys' ability and you will be hard-pressed to find a metaphorical musical hair out of place here. Experiment of Existence is a triumph of high velocity, aggressive and muscular thrash metal that proves that thrash didn't die in the 90's - it just moved south!

4.5/5

[Apologies as it appears that this isn't on Spotify. I caught up with it on Bandcamp and have ordered a CD from Discogs so I don't have to bend over backwards next time I want to give it a spin.]

A marvelous blend of progressive complexity and thrashy aggression with catchy vocal hooks:

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0Ol69xpg6H4DzZrQLYsdT6?si=04f1166fce804f2a

1. Warbringer – “The Sword and the Cross” (from “Wrath and Ruin”, 2025) [Submitted by Shadowdoom]

2. Anthrax – “Now It’s Dark” (from “State pf Euphoria, 1988) [Submitted by Sonny]

3. Metallica – “No Remorse” (from “Kill ‘Em All”, 1983) [Submitted by Sonny]

4. Skeletonwitch – “Sacrifice for the Slaughtergod” (from “Beyond the Permafrost”, 2007) [Submitted by Saxy]

5. Sacred Reich – “Crimes Against Humanity” (from “The American Way”, 1990) [Submitted by Sonny]

6. Confess, George Kollias – “Slaughterhouse” (from “Destination Addiction”, 2025) [Submitted by Vinny]

7. Machine Head – “Atomic Revelations” (from “Atonement”, 2025) [Submitted by Vinny]

8. Grave Digger – “The Rich the Poor the Dying” (from “Bone Collector”, 2025)

9. Artillery – “Death Is an Illusion” (from “My Blood”, 2010 [Submitted by Sonny]

10. Parkcrest – “Dwelling of the Moonlights”, 2019) [Submitted by Sonny]

11. Vektor – “Tetrastructural Minds” (from “Outer Isolation”, 2011) [Submitted by Sonny]

12. Venus – “Sons of Grus” (from “Obscured Until Observed”, 2023)

13. Smiqra – “I Am the Broken Generation” (from “Rɡyaɡ̇dźé!”, 2025)

14. Antichrist – “Death Rays” (from “Forbidden World”, 211) [Submitted by Sonny]

15. Whipstriker – “Heartrippers” (from “Cry of Extinction”,2025) [Submitted by Vinny]

16. Black Mass – “A.S.H.E.S.” (from “Feast at the Forbidden Tree”, 201)

17. Satan’s Wrath – “At the Strike of Twelve” (from “Die Evil”, 2015)

18. All Hell – “Suffer for Me” (from “All Hail the Night”, 2023)

19. Frightful – “Into the Phantom Hearts” (from “What Lies Ahead”, 2025) [Submitted by Vinny]

20. Oxygen Destroyer – “Awaking the Malevolent Destroyer of Heavens and Earth”, 2024)

21. Extorted – “Deception” (from “Cognitive Dissonance”, 2024)

22. Combust, Terror – “Paid with Pain” (from “Belly of the Beast”, 2025) [Submitted by Vinny]

23. Doomsday – “Holy Justice” (from “Never Known Peace”, 2025) [Submitted by Vinny]

24. Stress Test – “Suffer” (from “Stress Test”, 2025) [Submitted by Vinny]

25. New World Man – “Murderworld Pt. 2 (Murder Is What's on My Mind)” (from “Peeling Through the Skin”, 2025) [Submitted by Vinny]

26. Crimson Storm – “Outrageous” (from “Livin' on the Bad Side”, 2025)

27. Refore – “Illusion of Existence” (from “Illusion of Existence”, 2024)

28. Korrosive – “In the Name of Destruction” (from “Katastrophic Creation”,2024)

I really loved Cryptosis debut, Bionic Swarm, it being one of my top albums of 2021. Since then, however, they seem to have dropped off my radar and I am behind on both 2023's The Silent Call EP and this, their full-length follow-up to Bionic Swarm. First impressions are that this is a much less fevered and more progressive album. The debut, despite the science fiction premise, turned in some pretty brutal riffs and blistering tempos for the most part, where this feels to be a more sophisticated affair in the main. Don't get me wrong, this still delivers some great riffing and has some breakneck pacing too, which is obvious as early as the first track proper, "Faceless Matter", but the increasing emphasis on atmospherics such as synths and jangling tremolo embellishments lends it a more expansive aura, rather than the tight, jet-fuelled blowtorch attack of the debut. With vocalist Laurens Houvast favouring a more black metal style of delivery this time around, alongside the atmospherics, it leads me to ponder whether the band were aiming for a kind of thrash metal Emperor sound, a question worthy of consideration I think.

Subsequent listens, when the atmospherics had had time to sit with me and so not stand out so much, it was more than evident that the tightly focussed core of the band's sound is still present and correct, delivering supercharged riffs and blistering drumming that drives the tracks forward at a hyperkinetic tempo. This time round, though, Cryptosis are unafraid to slow down and allow the listener time to catch up, take stock and appreciate exactly what is going on around them. Static Horizon, for example, kicks off at a fair old lick, with absolutely loads going on: a melodic and memorable main riff, a prominent bassline doing all sorts of interesting things and jangling leads, keyboards and choral effects providing a thick atmosphere. Then for the last minute the pacing slows and the keys provide a serene calm eye in which the listener can process the previous four minutes.

Assuredly this is still a technical / progressive thrash metal release, but the vocals and jangling tremolo leads give it a decidedly frosty atmosphere that more than dips its toes into black metal waters. I am undecided at the moment whether this difference in atmospherics makes this a better album than Bionic Swarm or not. Or it could be that they are equally great, just... different. Everything I loved about the debut is still here, but it has been refined by an increase in atmospherics and a slight shift in songwriting aspirations. I haven't yet decided if that has blunted its effect or enhanced it, so for now I must sit on the fence with this one, although it is still pretty good, no matter what - I'm just not sure how good.

4/5

Machine Head - 'Unatoned' (2025)

Here we are again. Another Machine Head album, another handful of tracks to unpick, another round of discerning if Robb has settled on any direction this time around. By now notorious for injecting virulent amounts of nu-metal, alt metal and even rap metal into their music, any new record from MH certainly gets greeted with the guard somewhat up. My absolute horror at the shitshow that was Catharsis from seven years ago was probably the peak of my derision with Flynn’s continued dilution of their core groove metal sound. Sitting here in 2025, I felt kind of desensitised to anything that Unatoned could throw at me, and so listening to the usual plethora of styles being blended across a lengthy twelve tracks did have me once again rolling my eyes in frustration that the skip button was out of reach.

The main frustration I have had with latter day output from MH is that when they stick to straight forward groove metal, MH are simply one of the best groove metal acts around. Tracks like ‘Atomic Revelations’ and ‘Unbound’ more than prove this. These tracks are clear examples of MH at the pinnacle of their powers. Think of recent releases by Exhorder and you are in the right ballpark for these two tracks. Unfortunately, there is very little of any comparable quality beyond these on the rest of the album. Heavily front loaded, Unatoned fades badly from around the mid-point of the record. Whilst it may not actually tank altogether, it clearly suffers from filler after the passable ballad ‘Not Long for This World’.

I can stomach the strive to write catchy tunes (‘Outsiders’) and I can even tolerate the chiming electronics that accompany some tracks (even though I have heard Bad Omens, Sleep Token and Architects do them much better). However, there is still the problem of the album lacking much in the way of identity, or much in the way of direction. Even though it has started to sound more cohesive with repeated listens, Unatoned lacks any assured purpose overall. There are some great riffs and leads present across the record, however they are too disparate in distribution and for me should have had far more consistent focus across the album. I will say though that this record is probably the best record MH have done since Unto the Locust and it proves there is more than enough life in the old dog yet. They just need to settle on a pathway.

3.5/5

Thanks Sonny

S.I.C. = Screaming in Churches AND Spastics Inflicting Carnage.

So just like that we find that a new month is upon us which of course means that we’ll be nominating a brand new monthly feature release for each clan. This essentially means that we’re asking you to rate, review & discuss our chosen features for no other reason than because we enjoy the process & banter. We’re really looking forward to hearing your thoughts on our chosen releases so don’t be shy.

As it is my turn to nominate this month's feature for The Pit I have gone with an album I enjoyed a fair bit at the time, but which I haven't listened to in a while. That is Minneapolis thrashers Antiverse's 2018 album "Under the Regolith". Let us know what you think of it below.

Cool Voivod shirt, Daniel! Sad that it has to go.

Alchemist - "Demo '90" (1990)

This is the best of the three Alchemist demo tapes in my opinion, closely followed by 1987's "Eternal Wedlock" tape. Alchemist were still a progressive thrash metal act at this stage although there are clear avant-garde & death metal leaning on show at times that hint at the Canberra four-piece's future. All four songs are worth hearing with the title track from their 1993 debut album "Jar of Kingdom" being presented in a similar format to the one we'd hear three years later. The vocal duties have been taken over by band leader & guitarist Adam Agius (The Levitation Hex) but still take more of a clean thrash direction than the grunty death metal one he'd adopt shortly afterwards. The rest of the lineup is completely different to the one we heard on "Eternal Wedlock" with short-lived second guitarist Andrew Meredith & bassist James Preece having joined the fold for this recording as well as iconic long-time drummer Rodney Holder. This cassette isn't likely to become a permanent fixture in your collection but I think that most members of The Pit & The Infinite will find it interesting nonetheless as the ambition is certainly there along with a reasonable amount of musical prowess for such a fresh-faced group of young dudes.

For fans of Voivod, Atheist & Alarum.

3.5/5

Black Widow - "See Our Evil, Hear Our Evil, Speak Our Evil" demo (1985)

A one-off demo tape from a particularly underground Brisbane-based act that are often referred to as being one of the earliest Aussie thrash metal acts but who, in reality, were actually speed metal band with heavy metal influences. The production job on this six-song cassette is really good for the time but the song-writing & vocals aren't strong enough to make it worth tracking down in my opinion. Interestingly, vocalist/guitarist Kevin Dreise would go on to form thrashers Iron Lightning while drummer Darryl MacDonald would find himself with heavy/glam metal act Vice during the late 80's.

For fans of Alice Cooper, Motorhead & Venom.

3/5

Here we are, another month gone by and another feature release needed.  For The Pit this month I have selected Atrophy's sophomore album, Vioelnt by Nature. After a strong debut in Socialized Hate from two years earlier, the band had the job of trying to follow that up in a strong year overall for metal in 1990.

As usual, feel free to give us a review or simply get a conversation going in this thread about your thoughts on this record.

https://metal.academy/releases/14481

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6h9mnrM4K34WHNhXNFlVqi?si=d856459ef24247e4

Apologies this is late.

1. Metallica – “Welcome Home (Sanitarium)” (from “Master of puppets”, 1986) [Submitted by Sonny]

2. Prong – “One Outnumbered” (from “Cleansing”, 1994) [Submitted by Vinny]

3. Power Trip – “Crossbreaker” (from ”Manifest Decimation”, 2013)

4. Onslaught - “Bow Down to the Clowns” (from “Generation Antichrist”, 2020)

5. Sepultura – “Last Time” (from “Quadra”, 2020) [Submitted by Daniel]

6. Hobbs Angel of Death – “The Journey” (from “Hobbs’ Satan’s Crusade”, 2003) [Submitted by Daniel]

7. Rampage – “Terrortaphobia” (from “Veil of Mourn”, 1988) [Submitted by Daniel]

8. Agressa - “Tunks” (from “Nuclear Death”, 1988) [Submitted by Daniel]

9. Mass Confusion – “Die by the Ward” (from “The Demos 88-92”, 1992) [Submitted by Daniel]

10. Celtic Frost - “Fainted Eyes” (from “To Mega Therion”,1985) [Submitted by Sonny]

11. Kingdom of Hate- “Prayer” (from “The Search”, 2009) [Submitted by Sonny]

12. Massakre – “Red September” (from “Crematorium”, 2005) [Submitted by Sonny]

13. Mayhemic – “Triumph Portrait” (from “Toba”, 2024) [Submitted by Sonny]

14. Nimrod - “Mortality of the Sea” (from “Legacy of the Dead”, 2023) [Submitted by Sonny]

15. Possessed – “Burning in Hell” (from “Seven Churches”, 1985) [Submitted by Sonny]

16. Razor – “Edge of the Razor” (from “Violent Restitution”, 1988) [ Submitted by Sonny]

17. Fallen Angel - “Ice” (from “Faith Fails”, 1992)

18. Grinder – “Hymn for the Isolated” (from “Nothing is Sacred”, 1991)

19. Impaler – “Vicious Dreams” (from “Wake Up Screaming”, 1990)

20. Ulysses Siren – “Leviathan” (from “Above the Ashes”, 2003)

21. Pest Control – “P.M.C.” (from “Year of the Pest”, 2024)

22. Despair – “Decay of Humanity” (from “Decay of Humanity”, 1990)

23. Witchtrap – “Lemmy” (from “Trap the Witch”, 2015)

24. Violent Sin – “Malicious Stirring” (from “Serpent’s Call”, 2023)

25. Warbringer – “A Better World” (from “Wrath and Ruin”, 2025) [Submitted by Vinny]

26. Sadus – “it’s the Sickness” (from “The Shadow Inside”, 2023)

27. Heathen – “Dead and Gone” (from “Empire of the Blind”, 2020)

28. Battlecreek – “King of Rats” (from “Maze of the Mind”, 2024)

29. Take Offense – Assassination” (from “T.o.tality”,2024)

30. Refore – “Illusion of Existence” (from “Illusion of Existence”, 2024)

31. Megadeth – “Lucretia” (from “Rust in Peace”, 1990) [Submitted by SaxyS)

Hirax - "Faster Than Death" [California speed/thrash metal]

Warbringer - "Wrath & Ruin" [Californian thrash metal]

Well, this was a neat little find as I went through the feature releases this month. My usual excuse of not having the time to listen to much of the releases was left to one side by virtue of this being an EP. That twenty-one minute run time was perfect for me to perform a few smash and grab raids on Contra iglesia y estado on breaks between work calls and it even accompanied a few workouts this past week also. What kept it on such frequent rotation was the obvious passion for their art that Dekapited clearly have. As thrash metal continues to be viewed with that regurgitated/retro lensed glasses on, it is clear that this band are just out for the fun of it. High energy levels with a consistent and scathing attack make for a very entertaining experience indeed for me.

Laden with Sepultura and Sodom vibes, Contra iglesia y estado does little to reinvent the wheel, and it is stronger as a result of this in my book. I cannot point to any weak tracks on here, even though the overall rating still sitting below a five star mark does mean that I equally cannot flag this EP as being truly remarkable overall. However, what is here is powerful sounding stuff. The blows hit with a consistent level of force and are certainly not pulling any punches as they rain down on the listener. The ferocious form of Chilean thrash that we have come to know and love (well me at least) from the likes of Critical Defiance and Ripper is certainly coursing through the veins of Dekapited as well.

The appeal of this EP for me is its earthiness. It sounds like a true reflection of the band. Never tryingto be something that they are not, Dekapited here simply play the music they love and provide a fine celebration of thrash metal at its best. Short, sharp and succinct whilst being delivered with a hell of a level of grit this leaves me full of promise for further exploration of their discography. My only reservation is how they make this style of balls to the wall intense thrash metal interesting across a full length release, but I guess I will have to wait and see.

4/5

01. Reign In Blood

02. South Of Heaven

03. Seasons In The Abyss

04. Decade Of Aggression: Live

05. Live Undead E.P.

06. Haunting The Chapel E.P.

07. Show No Mercy

08. Divine Intervention

09. Hell Awaits

10. God Hates Us All

11. Repentless

12. Christ Illusion

13. Diabolus in musica

14. World Painted Blood

15. Undisputed Attitude

Excursion Demise is one of those albums that wants to put its fingers in both of the cooler styles of thrash's pies while not really committing to either. In this case, brutal thrash on one and tech thrash on the other. In theory this could be very nice, but this is dragged down by a few factors.
To start with, the production job is on the softer side, which wouldn't hurt a tech band, but when it goes more brutal it doesn't really work to the strengths of such an assault but keeps the weaknesses. On occasion, I found myself annoyed by the spots of brutality, since it can and does degenerate into noise. It's not that this part is bad, it's competent but not very notable in of itself.
The technical half, meanwhile, feels half-hearted. I can tell it is supposed to be there and it isn't people on the internet making something up. They're too spotty, just sort of there because they liked it, but not with enough confidence to fill it out more. There are even distinct shifts between the two modes, which shows the stronger side of what they were trying to do. But it just doesn't shift enough to make that worthwhile.
It has some nice ideas, and it's pleasant, but it's not interesting enough to really recommend.

3.5/5

1. Exumer "Possessed by Fire"

2. Anthrax "Caught in a Mosh"

3. Metallica "Whiplash"

4. Tyrus - "Bubonic Plague"

5. Megadeth "Holy Wars... The Punishment Due"

6. Exodus "Deathamphetamine"

7. Slayer "Raining Blood"

8. Destruction "Curse the Gods"

I love me some Voivod, but that track is just speedy heavy metal at best, and its original album is from the band's dive into classic heavy metal in the 2000s. I replaced it with this Destruction track that I listened to a couple years ago and still think it's a classic from a well-known thrash band. The aggressive riffing and drumming can easily cause listeners to headbang and air-guitar to this tune. The riffing will stay in your head due to all of its catchy fun. If you ever wanna play some of those impressive mind-blowing riffs on guitar for your friends to hear...why not? "Curse...the GODS!!!!"

Just finished reviewing Mayhemic's Toba and yes, that is the thrash metal album of the year for me. I have given the Hemotoxin a couple of listens but I don't yet think of it as highly as even the Critical Defiance album. Maybe that will change, but so far I'm not that impressed.

So with the start of a new year it's once again time to have a look at the covers for all the releases for each clan. I personally like to rate a whole stack of covers all at once, rather than doing them one at a time throughout the year, as it allows me to get a better feel for where each cover sits in comparison to others. With that in mind, I've just rated every cover for releases in The Pit for 2024.

Below are some of the releases that are currently competing for the prestigious 2024 The Pit Cover of the Year Award. The winner will be announced on the 1st of February, so there's still time to get your ratings in.

The following link will take you to the Gallery, displaying the top Pit releases that you have not rated yet: CLICK HERE

Thanks all.

I've never really listened to much Sepultura. I've listened to most of the albums from the classic period, and while I've liked some, I've never really revisited them. They're certainly one of the oddest groups, going from near death metal to nu metal sellouts is one heck of a career trejectory. I haven't heard anything since Roots or so, but people love these guys again, so clearly they did something right.
What surprised me when I first listened to this album was how much it sounded like modern Testament, which forced me to ask the question, who did it first? I mean, Testament did start off like Metallica before getting heavier, so I took a moment to check. The answer's complex, since I think Testament hit on the exact package first, but vocally they only thing they really stole, as such, was the way the vocals here sounded. It's very clearly an influence, since both are gruff, deep guys who frequently do near growls.
As an album, it's pretty good, feeling like a mix of their best moments. Songs tend to blend more sell-outy parts with harsher bits. Normally, that's not really a combination that I think works, usually the style differences seem awkwardly sewn together. But these guys make it work, which I find amusing since I gave up on them because they were getting crappy because of some elements. Here they blend the two pretty well, sometimes even in the same song. It comes off as unique, like if it weren't them you'd get something incredibly mediocre.
What I was surprised at was the occasional bits of prog leanings that sneak in. Never an entire song or anything, but a strong undercurrent. Even some of the requisite tribal music is thrown in. That said, a lot of times it feels less like a genuine attempt at expanding and more like someone got really into listening to Joe Satriani during the recording of this album. Sometimes it seems like passages are copied note for note.
I ultimately enjoyed this, as the negatives generally seem minor. I daresay this might even end up being my favorite Sepultura album.

4/5

Checked out the playlist whilst working in the garage earlier today. Another nice list, Vinny, thanks a lot. 

Some "new to me" bangers on this one - the new Destruction, Acid Force, Enforced, Lich King and two of the best were left for last with Urn and Ragehammer both killing it. I had originally nominated Altar of Sacrifice for next month, so that's obviously a real winner for me, along with Indians (it's always good to hear tracks from Among the Living) and Sodom. I love the Antiverse album, so their's was a winner. The Sepultura track was pretty good as well - I've never listened to them post-Max, so maybe it's time for that to change. Extol was the only track that did nothing for me, so all-in-all a very successful list that has turned up some new discoveries for me to check out.

Thanks Sonny, that Sepultura album is the Feature for The Pit this month.

Oh, right. A good opportunity to check it out then.

Well said Sonny. "Flag of Hate" was a HHUUGGEE record for me during my formative years & it still well & truly hits that spot today. One criticism I will make is that the more expansive song structures do sound quite pieced together when I listen to it with my more experienced modern-day ears but the raw intensity has lost none of its potency. I regard "Flag of Hate" as my second-favourite Kreator record behind "Pleasure to KIll" these days.

Apostasy - Fraud in the Name of God (Demo) 1989

Apostasy formed in Valparaíso in 1987 as Damn Soul, but changed their name in 1988 before releasing anything. "Fraud in the Name of God" is actually their second demo after a rehearsal tape containing two tracks, "Deceased in Funeral" and "The Night", both of which appear on this later cassette. In all "Fraud in the Name of God" contains four tracks, well actually three, with a short instrumental titled "The Sullen", serving as an intro to "Deceased in Funeral" and the title track being the other 'new' track. Apostasy were one of the fortunate early chilean thrash bands that managed to get a deal to release a full-length (1991's "Sunset of the End") and all four of these tracks eventually made it onto the album.

The three 'proper' tracks are all fairly lengthy affairs, clocking in at over seven minutes each and display an impressive level of songwriting nous for such a fledgling outfit. The vocals have a roughened, death metal-derived edge, which ups the tracks' savagery and aggression levels another knotch. The high-quality riffing exudes a visceral energy that will have you yearning for the fevered fury of a heaving moshpit, driven along by a furious rhythm section, Julio Jerez's drumming in particular sounding especially manic, yet also controlled, thus avoiding any tendency for the whole to descend into a chaotic mess. The solos are firey, explosive affairs, but mostly remain quite brief with Apostasy seeming to understand that the key to thrash metal is held in the riffs, which totally dominate this demo - and desevedly so, because they are great. The throbbing main riff of "Deceased in Funeral" is of particular note, pulsing with threat and menace it lays the foundation for the tape's best track.

Of course, this being a demo, the production is thinner than the material deserves, but it is good enough to impart a sense of the guys' quality and is by no means terrible. Listening to "Fraud in the Name of God" it is easy to hear why Apostasy managed to gain a record deal where so many of their compatriots failed, because this is seriously great thrash metal and it is a total injustice that these guys weren't bigger than they proved to be, ultimately splitting in 1996, having only released the one full-length. Obviously they reformed, in their case in 2013, and are still going to this day, having put out new albums in 2018 and 2021 which I am definitely going to have to check out. Overall, if you appreciate aggressive thrash metal with great riffs and quality songwriting then you really need to check out "Fraud in the Name of God" for a snapshot of what makes the South American metal scene so lauded.

4.5/5

Got into this month's playlist whilst out braving the first snows of the winter with Koko this morning and I've got to say that, in the main, this it was a real killer. Real nice job, Vinny. I must admit that, because I was out walking, I couldn't keep up with which track was which and who by, but the overall impression was fantastic with a lot of energy and quality thrashing all round. Just goes to show that there was still some top-tier thrash metal around, even after the genre's heyday was in the rearview mirror.

Here's my review:

Until recently, my exposure to Melbourne hardcore punk/crossover thrash outfit Depression was limited to their 1988 sophomore album "Thrash Till Death: Studio Tapes" which I picked up on while still a just a young chap that was finding my way in the Sydney extreme metal scene of the early-to-mid 1990's. I tended to associate with members of older bands at the time, often through my girlfriend who was fairly well connected & knew everyone that was everyone in the local scene. We used to frequent metal shows & goth night clubs on weekends, events that often ended up continuing on at someone's house so that the debauchery that was going on at the club had the opportunity to play out more fully behind closed doors. It was at these after-parties that I'd discover a lot of the more underground Australian metal releases with them being played at loud volumes by older & more experienced metalheads while everyone partook in whatever ungodly shenanigans they were into at the time. It was in that environment that I'd first hear Depression who I was led to believe had transitioned from their early days as a hardcore punk act for that particular release. I knew pretty much fuck-all about hardcore back in those days so I assumed that Depression's second album would be the only one of their releases that might interest me but my experiences over the last few weeks have proven otherwise & have also shown me that this Melbourne act played a far more significant role in the early Australian thrash story than they're generally given credit for, being largely absent from the conversation on documentaries such as "Thrash or Fuck Off!" which details the early players who contributed to the birth of the thrash metal movement in this country.

By late 1985, Depression had put out a fair bit of material from the time they first formed in 1982. There are a couple of early demos floating around with 1983's "Body Dump" tape being a relentless, high-speed hardcore assault that struggled to contend with a rubbish production job. 1984's "Money Chain" single saw the band starting to add more variety of tempo & incorporating chuggy, palm-muted riffs that were more commonly found in metal, a concept would be further expanded on their self-titled debut album that would be released in March of 1985. In fact, "Depression" would actually include four or five genuine crossover thrash tracks amongst the twenty-six short bursts of energy it contained & some of that material would likely have represented the most extreme music to come out Australia to the time as far as I can see. The "Australia, Australia" E.P. would appear eight months later in November 1985 &, unlike most local metal historians, I believe that it's here that the Aussie thrash (& subsequently extreme metal) story first begun.

"Australia, Australia" contains nine short tracks that fly by in quick succession but there's enough variation in their approaches to allow the individual tracks the chance to differentiate themselves from one another. The E.P. still sounds very much like a hardcore release from a production point of view with a layer of dirt & grime having been allowed to protect the song-writing from ever becoming too accessible & this is further accentuated by the snotty punk vocal delivery of Spike whose journey with Depression would end after this release. Original drummer Danny had been replaced with Nothing Sacred & future Hobbs Angel of Death skinsman Sham Littleman who delivers a high energy & very capable performance here but would move on to other things before Depression's next studio effort. The most noticeable difference between the "Depression" album & "Australia, Australia" though is the significantly increased ratio of punk to metal in the guitar work of band leader Smeer whose riffs now appear to unapologetically showcase the influence of bands like Slayer, Anthrax & Exodus which made for a much more appealing prospect for this ol' thrasher. In fact, the role that this component plays in the sound & feel of "Australia, Australia" is so important in its aesthetic that I find it impossible to understand how the E.P. hasn't been claimed as a crossover thrash record previously with no sign of any such connections being found online outside of the band themselves claiming that their sound combined punk & metal in interviews. When you listen to the releases of the other supposed early thrash bands of the local scene from the same period (see Nothing Sacred, Renegade, Prowler, Armoured Angel, etc.), you'll discover that Depression were really the only ones who had any right to claim that they were a genuine thrash metal act too which makes their omission from the discussion even more perplexing.

Of the nine songs on offer, I'd suggest that seven of them have a strong enough metal component to be tagged as crossover thrash while the short & violent "TV Lies" & "Dirty Fucken USA" stay predominantly in hardcore territory & "The Plan" takes kind of an each-way bet. This is all good shit though with Depression continuing to prove themselves to be capable song-writers by not delivering a single dud track. The energy levels are infectious & I honestly struggle to keep still during this record which can only be a good sign given the importance of the physical reaction in music of this intensity. Regardless of which genre they should rightfully belong to, it's hard to deny that the title track, "TV Lies", "The Box", "Eternal Genocide", Copper Chopper" & closer "The Side Up" are all really solid & enjoyable anthems for a misspent youth &, while I'm not usually all that big on crossover thrash, I'd have to suggest that this leaves "Australia, Australia" sitting up in elite territory when it comes to my more favoured crossover releases which is really saying something.

It's honestly baffling that a release like this one has managed to not only go unrecognised by the Australian metal scene for so long but has also failed to gain the sort of attention it deserves from the hardcore market too from what I can see online. While I may not be the most knowledgeable reviewer on the topic of hardcore history, I definitely know good music when I hear it & this is it ladies & gentlemen. It's also worth noting that 1985 would be the year that the earliest crossover thrash releases of any note would first see the light of day on a more global scale (S.O.D.'s "Crab Society North" demo & "Speak English or Die" album, D.R.I.'s "Dealing With It!" album, Slaughter's "Surrender or Die" demo, Concrete Sox's "Your Turn Next" album, Corrosion of Conformity's "Animosity" album, etc.) so that makes "Australia, Australia" a little more significant from an international & historical perspective as well, particularly given that I regard it as a stronger record than a good chunk of those releases. Now, if that sort of statement doesn't encourage the old skate-punk in you to explore this criminally undiscovered Aussie gem then I'm not sure what will. Get stuck in guys!

For fans of D.R.I., Suicidal Tendencies & S.O.D.

4/5

Here's my review:

I came to Norway's Extol fairly late in the game to be honest. By the time they first hit the underground in the late 1990's I was already heading for the exit door as far as metal music went & I wouldn't find myself returning to the scene until around 2009 which is when I first heard their 2000 sophomore album "Undeceived". It left quite an impression on me & received a lot of replays over the coming years & that experience would lead me to head back & explore Extol's 1998 debut album "Burial" & 1999 "Mesmerized" E.P., as well as to look forward to their 2003 "Synergy" third album which is the topic of discussion today. I don't recall revisiting "Synergy" over the many years since as it's generally been "Undeceived" that I reach for when I've looked for an Extol fix but Ben's introduction of the band's 2005 fourth album "The Blueprint Dives" to me a couple of years ago revitalized my interest in the band. I hadn't checked out that album before & it really hit the spot for me, despite it seeing Extol finally breaking free of the chains that tied them to their early extreme metal roots. It's been quite a while since I crossed paths with "Synergy" now, around fifteen years to be exact, but I held vague memories of it being a pretty decent release so this month's The Pit feature release nomination was most welcome.

Wow! "Synergy" jumps straight out of the gates with amazing complexity. It's one SERIOUSLY technical record performed by some incredibly ambitious & undeniably talented musicians. Extol's death metal roots had been completely cast aside by this stage in their evolution with the general consensus being that "Synergy" is a progressive tech thrash record. Look, there are certainly some thrash influences on display (i.e. Coroner, Believer, etc.) with three or four of the songs containing enough of a thrash component to justify the tag but the record is much better suited to a lone progressive metal tag when taken holistically as its scope is far more wide-reaching than the thrash metal genre allows for. The vocals of front man Peter Espevoll are quite raspy & a touch blackened, sitting somewhere between Meshuggah's Jens Kidman & a black metal shriek most of the time which is well suited to the occasional forays into tremolo-picked black metal territory. The links to Christianity are unfortunate but, in truth, they play very little role in the way the album plays out if you don't actively seek out the lyrics. The guitar solos of Christer Espevoll (Azusa/Benea Reach) & Ole Børud (Fleshkiller/Schaliach) are a real highlight & show both of them to be well on top of their chosen craft with a high level of sophistication displayed in the way they construct their leads. I can only imagine it must have taken drummer David Husvik (Azusa) a very long time to learn this material as it's heavily weighted towards unusual time signatures & polyrhythms. He does a splendid job of it though if you ask me.

The tracklisting on "Synergy" is very consistent with no weak songs being included to tarnish the overall impression left by the album. The high level of complexity does make it challenging for any of the numbers to really stand out from the rest as genuine classics but the struggle to balance out technical wizardry with ear-catching hooks is not isolated to Extol. It's been a perennial issue for ultra-progressive bands like this one over the years & if there's one area that Extol probably needed to improve a touch then that's it. Thankfully, we'd see them do a better job at it with 2005's "The Blueprint Dives" album which did contain a couple of true gems. If I had to pick favourites amongst this lot then I'd have to go with opener "Grace for Succession", "26 Miles From Marathon" &, my pick of the bunch, the thrashy "Paradigms". The quality does dip just a touch towards the end of the album with both the folk pop piece "Aperture" & thrashy closer "Nihilism 2002" being more acceptable than they are impressive but it's hard to complain as neither are exactly filler either. You get the feeling that Extol were likely beyond producing filler at this point in their careers given the strong grip that each member has on their chops & musical vision. Peter Espevoll's vocals can sound a touch one-dimensional at times & one gets the feeling that a more interesting clean singer may have been able to take the album to the next level.

I'm pleased to advise that "Synergy" is another high-quality & quite challenging release from an excellent metal band that sits very comfortably just behind "The Blueprint Dives" as an holistic package. It's actually surprised me a bit as I hadn't given it quite as much credit when I first encountered it back in the day. Perhaps it's not the most appropriate selection for a The Pit feature release given that it seems to be more closely affiliated with The Infinite but it's certainly exciting enough to encourage the thrashers out there when it hits on some of its higher tempos.

For fans of Believer, Azusa & Lengsel.

4/5

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/083tGvGRuasSsmN8d3Nyww?si=47fa29a08df34d45

1. Metallica – “Damage Inc.” (from “Master of Puppets”,1986)

2. Razor – “Enforcer” (from “Violent Restitution”, 1988)

3. Exodus – “Strike of the Beast” (from “Bonded by Blood”, 1985)

4. Forbidden – “Chalice of Blood” (from “Forbidden Evil”, 1988)

5. Overkill – “Thanx for Nothin’” (from “Horrorscope”, 1991)

6. Megadeth – “Holy Wars…The Punishment Due” (from “Rust in Peace”, 1990)

7. Slayer – “At Dawn They Sleep” (from “Hell Awaits”, 1985)

8. Annihilator – “Wicked Mystic” (from “Alice in Hell”, 1989)

9. Kreator – “Extreme Aggression” (from “Extreme Aggression”, 1989)

10. Jenner – “Never Say Die” (from “Prove Them Wrong”, 2024) [Submitted by Vinny]

11. Sadist – “Sometimes They Come Back” (from “Above the Light”, 1993) [Submitted by Daniel]

12. Benediction – “Wrong Side of the Grave” (from “Transcend the Rubicon”, 1993) [Submitted by Daniel]

13. Ninth Circle – “Hellish Style” (from “Dis, Emerge”, 2023)

14. S.D.I. – “Megamosh” (from “Sign of the Wicked”, 1988) [Submitted by Vinny]

15. Testament – “Urotdukidoji” (from “Low”, 1994) [Submitted by Daniel]

16. Havok – “Time is Up” (from “Time is Up”, 2011)

17. Coroner – “The Lethargic Age” (from “Grin”, 1993) [Submitted by Daniel]

18. Vektor – “Pillars of Sand” (from “Terminal Redux”, 2016)

19. Mad Throng – “Outcast by Conviction” (from “Retribution is at Hand”, 2024) [Submitted by Vinny]

20. Evile – “Cult” (from “Five Serpent’s Teeth”, 2011)

21. Adrenaline Mob – “Undaunted” (from “Omertá”, 2012)

22. Mushroomhead – “Eye to Eye” (from “Call the Devil”, 2024)

23. Burn the Priest – "Kill Yourself (S.O.D. cover)" (from "Legion: XX", 2018) [Submitted by Vinny]

24. Bonehunter – “Acid Fuck” (from “Evil Triumphs Again”, 2015)

25. Thou Art Lord – “Fire, Chaos and Doom” (from “Daemoniorum”, 2022)

26. Agnostic Front - “One Voice” (from “One Voice”, 1992)

27. Ludichrist – “Zad” (from “Powertrip”, 1988)

28. The Crucified – “The Pit” (from “The Crucified”, 1989)

I'm still not sure what defines When Time Becomes Loss as technical thrash metal, but I know what I like and this record is certainly one of the better thrash metal albums I've heard in 2024. This record has all of the juicy aspects that I appreciate in a modern thrash album; short runtimes, catchy hooks, audible vocals, tasteful guitar solos that do not rely purely on wankery, and a discontent for extended instrumental noodling. I also really enjoy how nostalgic it feels; the record does have a production to it that is indebted to the past with lots of reverb and is similar to the earliest death/thrash albums by Death and Slayer, but with performances that sound closer to bands such as Vektor keep When Time Becomes Loss firmly in the 2020s. It's the kind of thrash that resonates with me that I didn't really expect, but with so many good modern trends in addition to nostalgia baiting, I found myself getting lost to time more than I care to admit with this album.

4/5

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/083tGvGRuasSsmN8d3Nyww?si=37a5a00698534790

1. Cavalera Conspiracy – “Inquisition Symphony” (from “Schizophrenia”, 2024) [Submitted by Daniel]

2. Dead Head – “Litany of the Weak” (from “Shadow Soul”, 2024)

3. Exhorder – “Ripping Flesh” (from “Mourn the Southern Skies”, 2019)

4. Sadus – “Certain Death” (from “Chemical Exposure”, 1988)

5. Bulldozer – “We Are Italian” (from “Neurodeliri”, 1988) [Submitted by Vinny]

6. Iron Age – “Dispossessed” (from “The Sleeping Eye”, 2009)

7. Hellripper – “Spectres of the Blood Moon Sabbath” (from “The Affair of the Poisons”, 2020)

8. Mortal Sin – “Voyage of the DIsturbed” (from “Face of Despair”, 1989)

9. Slayer – “Haunting the Chapel” (from “Haunting the Chapel”, 1984)

10. Torniquet – “Dysfunctional Domicile” (from “Psychosurgery”, 1990) [Submitted by Daniel]

11. Grip Inc. – “War Between One” (from “Nemesis”, 1997)

12. Pro-Pain – “The Beast Is Back” (from “The Truth Hurts”, 1994) [Submitted by Vinny]

13. The Offering – “Ultraviolence” (from “HOME”, 2019)

14. Anthrax – “C₁₁ H₁₇ N₂ O₂ S Na” (from “The Sound of White Noise”, 1993)

15. Mr. Bungle – “Spreading the Thighs of Death” (from “The Raging Wrath of the Easter Bunny Demo”, 2020)

16. Pizza Death – “Pizza Row” (from “Reign of the Anticrust”, 2023) [Submitted by Vinny]

17. Grove Street – “Shift” (from “Path to Righteousness”, 2023) [Submitted by Vinny]

18. Skeleton Pit – “Violent Raid” (from “Lust to Lynch”, 2020)

19. Project Pain – “Primator” (from “Brothers in Blood” 2018)

20. Diamond Plate – “At the Mountains of Madness” (from “Generation Why?”, 2011)

21. Aphrodite – "Dance Wild and Free" (from "Orgasmic Glory", 2021)

22. Wraith – “Fuelled by Fear” (from “Fuelled by Fear” 2024)

23. Knife - “No Gods in the Dark” (from “Heaven into Dust”, 2023)

24. Possessed – “Confessions” (from “The Eyes of Horror EP”, 1987) [Submitted by Vinny]

25. Merciless – “Branded by Sunlight” (from “The Treasures Within”, 1992)

26. Sarcofago – “Crush, Kill, Destroy” (from “The Laws of Scourge”, 1991)

27. Warfare – “Abortion Sequence” (from “Mayhem Fuckin’ Mayhem”, 1987)

28. Mekong Delta – “The Principle of Doubt - Chapter 3 Taken From 'The Chronicle of Doubt” (from “The Principle of Doubt”, 1989)

29. Voivod – “Nuclear War” (from “War and Pain”, 1984)

Here's my review:

Let's be honest with ourselves, US thrash metal legends Testament had gone off the boil a bit during the first half of the 1990's. While records like 1990's "Souls of Black" & 1992's "The Ritual" where serviceable enough metal albums, they weren't really at the same class as the bands more highly regarded 80's releases so I'd imagine that Testament were feeling a little bit of pressure to revive their heyday. The fact that "The Ritual" also saw them watering their sound down a touch with a stronger heavy metal influence probably didn't help & I feel that Testament's sixth full-length "Low" is probably a bit of a reaction to the negative impressions they would have received from some sections of the thrash metal community as it sees Testament returning with arguably their heaviest release to the time. The success of Pantera & the groove metal genre was clearly not lost on the Californians as "Low" sees Testament dropping most of the more accessible heavy metal leanings of "The Ritual", down-tuning their guitars further than ever before (generally a step or a step & a half) & throwing in deeper, almost death metal growls from time to time. Now, that probably sounds like it should offer me a fair bit of appeal on paper but the reality is that I haven't returned to "Low" since the mid-90's so there's gotta be something in that, right? The decades since have seen me largely forgetting about this record so it's time for a revisit to see where it sits in Testament's prestigious back catalogue to the time.

Let's get one thing straight right from the offset, "Low" is still first & foremost a thrash metal record so I don't think too many diehard fans would have been turned off by the stylistic changes the band had opted for on their sixth full-length. It's just that it "feels" a little more like a groove metal record at times & the reason for that is the extra down-tuning which takes a little bit of the shred out of the more exciting riffs in hope that the extra bottom-end will appeal to the mid-90's market a little more. I'm not sure whether it did or not but I can certainly say that I prefer Testament's thrashier & more electric sound personally. Chuck Billy's attempts at a more guttural delivery aren't too bad though & I know that was something that excited me the first time Ben played me his CD copy of "Low" shortly after release. These stylistic changes see many of the twelve tracks falling into the space between thrash & groove metal which is the reason why many people seem to tag "Low" as such (me included).

The inclusion of a ballad had become somewhat of a formality for Testament over the course of the previous three records & here we see them pulling it off with aplomb as the emotive "Trail of Tears" is one of the clear highlights of the album. It's interesting that Testament had also opted to include two instrumentals here too, both of which see them taking the listener into some fresh stylistic space to varying levels of success. I particularly enjoy the contribution of bass player Greg Christian on those numbers with him showcasing a clear Geezer Butler influence on both occasions. The centrepiece of any Testament album is generally reserved for the lead guitar parts though & "Low" is no exception with hired gun virtuoso James Murphy having filled the vacant position left by wonderful shredder Alex Skolnick & pulling it off with ease too. I've always been a huge fan of Murphy & he delivers one of his more restrained & diverse performances here, giving the song-writing exactly the sort of colour & highlights it required.

The main issue that holds "Low" back from becoming a more significant Testament record than their previous two though, is the lack of any classics in the tracklisting. The song-writing is gernally pretty decent with the band maintaining a level of class & professionalism throughout but there really aren't any songs that can compete with Testament's best work. My favourite numbers are clearly the before-mentioned "Trail of Tears" & the unusual instrumental track "Urotsukidôji" but neither seem to reach above a very solid level. There are also a couple of tracks that do very little for me & could probably have been culled in the obvious groove metal number "Legions (In Hiding)" & the rhythmic "Shades of War", both which are sorely lacking in the hooks department. I've never been the biggest Chuck Billy fan but he's always gonna struggle with his limited vocal prowess when the hooks aren't strong enough to carry him.

At the end of the day though, "Low" is another decent Testament record that should keep fans of the band on the hook. It's unlikely to draw in too much of a new fanbase though in my opinion. I'd suggest that it's a better record than "Souls of Black" was but would probably favour "The Ritual" over it just slightly. There's no question that it's a clear step down from the trio of 1980's albums that came during Testament's peak period though & the days when I would look forward to every new release from the band had clearly sailed past by this point.

For fans of Overkill, Annihilator & Anthrax.

3.5/5

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/083tGvGRuasSsmN8d3Nyww?si=ddd8a8780fbb46f4

1. Annihilator – “Set the World on Fire” (from “Set the World on Fire”, 1993) [Submitted by Daniel]

2. Forbidden – “Step by Step” (from “Twisted into Form”, 1990) [Submitted by Vinny]

3. Death Angel – “Thrashers” (from “The Ultra-violence”, 1987) [Submitted by Vinny]

4. Destruction – “Mad Butcher (1986 version)” (from “Mad Butcher”, 1987) [Submitted by Vinny]

5. Dark Angel – “Hunger of the Undead” (from “Darkness Descends”, 1986)

6. Beatrix – “White Phosphorus” (from “Sacrificial Black Metal Bitch”, 2024)

7. Motörhead – “Burner” (from “Bastards”, 1993) [Submitted by Daniel]

8. Anthem – “Voice of Thunderstorm” (from “No Smoke Without Fire”, 1990) [ Submitted by Daniel]

9. Anthrax – “Deathrider” (from “Fistful of Metal”, 1984)

10. Nifelheim – “The Bestial Avenger” (from “Servants of Darkness”, 2000)

11. Sodom – “Outbreak of Evil” (from “In the Sign of Evil/Obsessed by Cruelty”, 1985)

12. Kreator – “When the Sun Burns Red” (from “Coma of Souls”, 1990) [Submitted by Vinny]

13. Cavalera Conspiracy – “Septic Schizo – Re-Recorded” (from “Schizophrenia – Re-recorded”, 2024) [Submitted by Vinny]

14. Obliveon – “Frosted Avowals” (from “Nemesis”, 1993) [Submitted by Vinny]

15. Overkill – “World of Hurt” (from “I Hear Black”, 1993) [Submitted by Daniel]

16. Corrosion of Conformity – “Consumed” (from “Animosity”, 1985)

17. Cryptic Slaughter – “Money Talks” (from “Money Talks”, 1987)

18. Municipal Waste – “Sadistic Magician” (from “The Art of Partying” 2007)

19. Sacred Reich – “Product” (from “Independent”, 1993) [Submitted by Daniel]

20. Sepultura – "Drug Me" (from "Third World Posse EP", 1992) [Submitted by Daniel]

21. Hemotoxin – “Morbid Reflection” (from “When Time Becomes Loss” 2024) [Submited by Vinny]

22. Ripping Corpse - “Anti God” (from “Dreaming with the Dead”, 1991) [Submitted by Vinny]

23. Artillery – “The Challenge” (from “Terror Squad”, 1987) [Submitted by Vinny]

24. Onslaught – “Contract in Blood” (from “The Force”, 1986) [Submitted by Vinny]

25. Exodus – “Karma’s Messenger” (from “Shovel Headed Killing Machine”, 2005) [Submitted by Vinny]

26. Kittie – “I Still Wear This Crown” (from “Fire”, 2024) [Submitted by Vinny]

27. Legion – “Lethal Liberty” (from “Legionized”, 2022)

Testament - "Return to the Apocalyptic City" E.P. (1993)

Ben & I had been pretty big fans of Californian thrash metallers Testament for a good four years by the time this six-track live release hit the streets in 1993. I'd enjoyed all of their records up until that time but the last couple had seen the impressive quality levels of the first three Testament albums dipping a touch so I wouldn't say that I was busting to get my hands on their next record but I still found myself parting ways with my hard-earned cash for this little live release as soon as I noticed it's ball-tearing cover artwork sitting on the record store shelf. "Return to the Apocalyptic City" offers four live tracks which were recorded at a recent show at the Los Angeles Palladium as well as a studio cut from the sessions for 1988's "The New Order" album & a shortened version of "Return To Serenity" from Testament's latest record "The Ritual". All of this material is entertaining, particularly the live versions of "Over the Wall", "So Many Lies" & "Disciples of the Watch". My favourite inclusion is the studio cut "Reign of Terror" though which is the fastest & thrashiest number on offer & had been popping up in Testament live sets since way back in 1984 when they were still known as Legacy. The performances are all strong, particularly the guitar solos of Glen Alvelais & Alex Skolnick which are a real highlight. The production is also much better than the awful sound quality Testament had to contend with on their only previous live release in 1987's "Live at Eindhoven" E.P. which gives "Return to the Apocalyptic City" a clear edge over that record in my opinion. This one should definitely interest most Bay Area thrash fans, even if its format makes it fairly inessential in the grand scheme of things.

For fans of Metallica, Exodus & Megadeth.

4/5

Here's my review:

I have to admit that the trend to re-record previously released material with modern-day technology is not one that I'm particularly fond of. Rarely does it see the desired results being achieved by bringing something fresh & different to an album that's generally already got its own loyal following so the idea of the Cavalera brothers having another crack at Sepultura's highly regarded 1987 sophomore album "Schizophrenia" wasn't one that immediately filled me with anticipation. Their recent re-recordings of Sepultura's more primitive earlier releases "Bestial Devastation" & "Morbid Visions" had certainly been reasonably successful but "Schizophrenia" was a much more sophisticated record & I struggled to see a reason to want to give it a new coat of paint when the old one was still in pretty good nick. You see, I've always been a big fan of the original version of "Schizophrenia". I picked it up on cassette when I was still a youngster, shortly after becoming completely infatuated with Sepultura's classic 1989 "Beneath the Remains" album. It was an immediate hit in my household & has received many revisits over the years so I can't say that I wasn't pleased that Ben gave me a reason to investigate the revitalized version by nominating it as this month's "The Pit" clan feature release. I just wasn't expecting to be wowed in the process.

The band that the Cavalera brothers assembled for the task is a little different to the one they went with for their previous re-recorded efforts. Max's son Igor Cavalera Jr. (Go Ahead & Die) is still there on bass guitar but the lead guitar slot that was previously being filled by Gruesome/Possessed/Proscriptor McGovern's Apsû axeman Daniel Gonzalez is now being owned by Igor Jr.'s former Healing Magic & Lody Kong bandmate Travis Stone (Noisem/Pig Destroyer) on this occasion. I have to say that I haven't been majorly impressed with Stone's work here though as he lacks the polish of the very capable Andreas Kisser which leaves the guitar solos seeming like less of an emphatic statement than they were on the original.

So... how is the production job that is largely the reason for conducting this exercise in the first place then? Weeeellll... it certainly sounds a lot cleaner, brighter & more in your face than the original did but it's not without its issues either. The drenching of Max's vocals & Igor's toms in reverb was a strange decision & does tend to annoy me a little if I'm being honest. I'd suggest that Max's vocals simply aren't as strong any more so the decision was made to hide his deficiencies a little through studio trickery but it hasn't really worked because it's still as plain as day if you ask me & I much prefer his gruntier contribution on the original version. That's not to say that I get nothing out of this glossier model though because that's not the reality at all. As most people will probably do as some point, I decided to whack on the 1987 version immediately after my third spin of the revamped one in order to see the differences & they were far more stark than I realised previously. In fact, the original version sounds a lot like a demo recording in that context & I was surprised by just how deficient it appeared to be in retrospect because I've never had too much of a problem with it in the past. Perhaps there was a good reason that Cavalera's decided to give another crack after all then.

The tracklisting is unsurprisingly impeccable with no weak numbers being included. Opener "From the Past Comes the Storms" is still my pick of the bunch but I feel that the lengthy instrumental "Inquisition Symphony" also really shines here & gives it a run for its money. "To The Wall", "Escape to the Void" & "Septic Schizo" are perhaps not quite as classic in this environment as I remember them being back in the day which is interesting. The two intros/interludes have been recreated in slightly different forms but I wouldn't say that either are as effective as they once were so perhaps they would have been off simply remastering the originals. The inclusion of an Igor Jr. penned new original in "Nightmares of Delirium" is probably the most significant point of interest here but I'd suggest that it's also the weaker of the proper metal songs on offer, even if it's still worth a few listens. So overall we have more losses than wins but it's nothing drastic as the album is still highly entertaining, mainly because "Schizophrenia" is a total riff-fest & nothing has changed there.

Was it really worth the effort to re-record this old classic? Perhaps. I mean it certainly contains more energy & vitality than the original mix did but I'd have to argue that I still enjoy the 1987 version a little more. I can't deny that I had a good ol' headbang to this one on the way to & from work on Friday though as this is some pretty premium thrash metal after all. It's probably not terribly essential if you already own a copy of Sepultura's version from back in the day though. Let sleeping dogs lie I say. So, why have I awarded the release such a good score you may ask? Well, I choose to treat every release on its own merit when creating reviews & this is still a fine example of South American thrash in my opinion so it'd be inaccurate for me to suggest otherwise with a reduced rating simply because I like it a touch less than Sepultura's version.

For fans of Sepultura, Slayer & Sodom.

4/5

Thrash/Speed Metal Annihilation (on Spotify)

1. Metallica – “Disposable Heroes” (from “Master of Puppets”, 1986) [Submitted by Sonny]

2. Slayer – “Behind the Crooked Cross” (from “South of Heaven”, 1988) [Submitted by Sonny]

3. Sodom – “Hunting Season” (from “Tapping the Vein”, 1992) [Submitted by Daniel]

4. Testament – “The Formation of Damnation” (from “The Formation of Damnation”, 2008) [Submitted by Vinny]

5. Aura Noir – “Caged Wrath” (from “Black Thrash Attack”, 1996) [Submitted by Daniel]

6. Lucifuge – “Gates of the Eternal Night” (from “Hexensabbat”, 2024) [Submitted by Vinny]

7. Demiser – “Infernal Bust” (from “Infernal Bust”, 2024)

8. Bed of Nails/Dysmorphia – “Blood on the Horns” (from “Skullberg”, 2024) [Submitted by Vinny]

9. Municipal Waste – “Mutants of War” (from “Waste ‘Em All”, 2003) [Submitted by Sonny]

10. Doomsday – “Attaining Heaven by Force” (from “Depictions of Chaos”, 2022)

11. Critical Defiance – “The Search Won’t Fall” (from “The Search Won’t Fall”, 2024) [Submitted by Daniel]

12. Evil Dead – “Raising Fresh Hell” (from “Toxic Grace”, 2024) [Submitted by Vinny]

13. Exhorder – “Unforgiven” (from “The Law”, 1992) [Submitted by Daniel]

14. Toxic Holocaust – “War is Hell” (from “Evil Never Dies”, 2003) [Submitted by Sonny]

15. Wraith – “Heathen’s Touch” (from “Heathen’s Touch”, 2024)

16. Violator – “Addicted to Mosh” (from “Chemical Assault”, 2006) [Submitted by Sonny]

17. Annexation – “A.T.R.” (from “Inherent Brutality”, 2020) [Submitted by Vinny]

18. Solstice – “Cleansed of Impurity” (from “Pray for the Sentencing” 1992) [Submitted by Daniel]

19. Goatwhore – “Externalize This Hidden Savagery” (from “Constricting Rage of the Merciless”, 2014) [Submitted by Vinny]

20. Nekromantheon – "Thanatos" (from "The Visions of Trismegistos", 2021)

21. Violent Force – “Dead City” (from “Malevolent Assault of Tomorrow” 1987) [Submited by Sonny]

22. Vektor - “Activate” (from “Activate”, 2020)

23. Sadus – “Machines” (from “A Vision of Misery”, 1992) [Submitted by Daniel]

24. Exorcizphobia – “Voice of the War” (from “Disease Inside”, 2009)

25. Ultra-Violence – “Welcome to the Freakshow” (from “Operation Misdirection”, 2018)

26. Slave Agent – “Slaughter at the Gate” (from “Silent Universe”, 2024) [Submitted by Saxy]

27. Shrapnel – “Might of Cygnus” (from “Palace for the Insane”, 2020)

28. A Life Once Lost – “Vulture” (from “Hunter”, 2005) [Submitted by Vinny]

29. Znöwhite – “To the Last Breath” (from “Act of God”, 1988) [Submitted by Sonny]

Got stuff on tomorrow so getting this up early.

Here's my review:

Montreal technical thrashers Obliveon were a pretty big band for me back in the early 1990’s with both of their first two releases playing relatively important roles in my musical journey as I became "progressively" more interested in the more technical side of extreme metal (see what I did there?). I first discovered them through a dubbed copy of their 1990 debut full-length “From This Day Forward” which I really dug & kept in my Walkman for a few solid months. That prompted me to seek out 1993’s “Nemesis” sophomore album from the tape trading scene as soon as it was released & both records would play a role in me taking my own band’s sound into more expansive structural territories over the next few years, even if I opted for a much more deathly sound. These two releases would be where my journey with Obliveon ended though as the idea of them moving to more of a groove metal sound didn’t appeal to me much so I have to admit that I’m still yet to check out Obliveon's two mid-to-late 1990’s records. Regardless of that oversight, I’m excited to relive my time with Obliveon this week, particularly given that my recent revisit of “From This Day Forward” was so successful.

It's interesting that Xephyr has had such issues with the production job on “Nemesis” because, outside of the strangely off-putting lead guitar tone that appears when they present some of their more progressive & melodic ideas, I struggle to hear the flaws he’s described if I’m being honest. Sure, the drums have a mechanical feel but that works in pretty nicely with the complexity of the riff structures in my opinion. I don’t find that the guitars lack depth or the vocals are too loud either. To my ears everything seems to be pretty well balanced & more than appropriate for an extreme metal release of the time. Perhaps I’m just very used to this record after all these years or are simply more comfortable with early 90’s metal releases in general given my pedigree? I dunno but let’s just say that the production isn’t an issue for me & leave it at that. In fact, I love how the bass guitar cuts through the mix so nicely & everything is so clear & intelligible, despite the incredible technicality on show.

Obliveon have often been claimed as a death/thrash hybrid & you can easily see why. The main selling point for the links to death metal can be found in the vocals which come across as a deathly version of Kreator front man Mille Petrozza & are more than adequate to get the job done. Instrumentally, Obliveon lean comfortably over towards the thrash side of the equation though & I don’t think you’ll be shocked by the extremity of “Nemesis”. It’s not about brutality, instead being weighted heavily towards class, sophistication & execution which are all boxes that it ticks in unanimous fashion throughout the eight tracks on offer. There’s no doubt that Obliveon were pushing the complexity levels right up to the outer thresholds that the metal scene had achieved to the time & they seem to do it really easily too. The talent on show is astounding at times &, unlike some of their tech thrash peers, that element can be seen across the board with the rhythm section being particularly impressive. There’s definitely some commonality in the way the riffs are structured as Obliveon tend to favour a spider-fingered, palm-muted, single-string style of riff that’s performed extremely tightly & if you can buy into that technique (which I clearly can) then you’re in for a real treat as few can do it as well as it’s been done here. I’m a big fan of the way the bass guitar is used & there's are a lot of interesting yet subtle colour added through the drum fills that bring a lot to the overall package too. My only complaint might be that there could have been a little less restraint shown in the guitar solos which often take a more melodic approach than one would normally expect from their thrash.

As with “From This Day Forward”, Obliveon struggle to create genuine highlight tracks here though & a lot of that comes down to the fact that it’s difficult to achieve that when your song structures are focused so heavily on complexity. They do manage to reach that elusive pinnacle on “Frosted Avowals” though which is easily my favourite Obliveon track & made a significant impact on me back in the day. The quality level dropped just a touch at the end of “From This Day Forward” but that’s not the case with “Nemesis” which is slightly more consistent & that’s probably the main reason why I tend to favour it over its elder sibling. There’s not a lot between them though & I’d suggest that both should be essential listening for fans of the more technical side of extreme metal.

For fans of Vektor, Voivod & Аспид.

4/5

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/083tGvGRuasSsmN8d3Nyww?si=954bf3ca29004418

1. Orbit Culture – “While We Serve” (from “The Forgotten”, 2023)

2. Kerry King – “Idle Hands” (from “From Hell I Rise”, 2024) [Submitted by Vinny]

3. Xentrix – “Reasons for Destruction” (from “Shattered Existence”, 1989)

4. Tankard – “Traitor” (from “Chemical Invasion”, 1987) [Submitted by Sonny]

5. Testament – “Agony” (from “The Ritual”, 1992) [Submitted by Daniel]

6. Acid Reign – “Motherly Love” (from “Moshkinstein”, 1988) [Submitted by Sonny]

7. Forced Neglect – “The Poison of the Fang” (from “The Poison of the Fang”, 2020)

8. Leeway – “Rise & Fall” (from “Born to Expire”, 1989)

9. Exodus – “Feeding Time at the Zoo” (from “Force of Habit”, 1992) [Submitted by Daniel]

10. Possession (US) – “Legion” (from “Disentombed Manifestations”, 2020)

11. Devastation – “Forsaken Hatred” (from “Idolatry”, 1991) [Submitted by Daniel]

12. Detherous – “Gruesome Tools of Torture” (from “Unrelenting Malevolence”, 2022)

13. Heavens Gate – “Flashes” (from “Livin’ in Hysteria”, 2015)

14. Forced Entry – “Anaconda” (from “Uncertain Future”, 1989)

15. Running Wild – “Whirlwind” (from “Pile of Skulls”, 1992) [Submitted by Daniel]

16. Stress Angel – “Bursting Church” (from “Bursting Church”, 2021)

17. Mantic Ritual – “Panic” (from “Executioner”, 2009) [Submitted by Vinny]

18. National Suicide – “Death Roll” (from “Massacre Elite” 2017)

19. Demoniac – “The Trap” (from “So It Goes”, 2020) [Submitted by Sonny]

20. Pentagram (Chile) – "Devourer of Life" (from "Eternal Life of Madness", 2024) [Submitted by Sonny]

21. Malleus – “Into the Flesh” (from “The Fires of Heaven” 2023)

22. Wild Beyond - “In the Footsteps of Mars” (from “Wild Beyond”, 2023)

23. Diabolic Night – “Sovereigns of Doom” (from “beyond the Realm”, 2019)

24. Bad Wolves – “No Messiah” (from “N.A.T.I.O.N.”, 2019)

25. Kreator – “Karmic Wheel” (from “Renewal”, 1989) [Submitted by Daniel]

26. Belushi Speed Ball – “Ripping Off Municipal Waste” (from “What Us, Worry?”, 2022)

Another high-octane playlist this month, Vinny that was a perfect accompaniment to a hot and sweaty morning of concrete and brick-laying. Particular standouts that I was previously unfamiliar with were Messerschmitt, Thanatos and Electrocutioner. But wait... is The Pit declaring war on The North with that Lich King track?!

As often is the case, some of the groove tracks left me somewhat indifferent, LoG and Gangrena Gasosa, for example. Overall, though, this was a damn great listen and one I thoroughly enjoyed.

Interestingly, I really dig the cover version of Venom's "Heaven's on Fire" that appears as a bonus track on the Spotify version of the record & feel that it would have improved the album if it had of been included on the original release.

Used the playlist as the soundtrack to my dog-walking activities this morning, so I didn't keep track of the individual tracks, but enjoyed the list as a whole immensely with only three or so songs that missed the mark for me, with the last one (Mordred) being the hardest for me personally to swallow. Some really great stuff elsewhere though and it helped me maintain a good pace throughout my walk-time!

Here's my review:

Chilean thrash metallers Critical Defiance & I have enjoyed a very fruitful relationship over the last five years. In a scene that has largely maintained itself purely off the back of its distant heritage, these South Americans have managed to release a couple of records that have proven to been worthy of my interest in their own right, particularly 2022's "No Life Forms" sophomore album which I consider to be fairly essential for fans of the modern-day Chilean thrash scene. So, I think it's fair to say that I had high hopes for the brand new follow-up album "The Search Won't Fall..." which has predictably been receiving a fair amount of praise from the underground thus far. It hasn't disappointed either with Critical Defiance delivering yet another solid piece of thrash metal designed specifically for an audience that have been starved of high-quality material in recent times.

The production job that "The Search Won't Fall..." is built on is pretty decent but is perhaps a little too heavy on the mid-range frequencies & I think the album could have done with a little more highs as a result. The musicianship is top notch though with the five instrumentalists all proving themselves to be highly proficient in their chosen crafts. As with "No Life Forms", we once again see the unusual inclusion of a third guitarist, a differentiator that the band make good use of but probably won't be picked up by the band's less informed listeners. I really enjoy the shredding Slayer-esque guitar solos which are generally well timed with former Demoniac shredder Nicolás Young being a welcome addition to the band. The song structures feature a crap-tonne of changes too although I struggle to see any justification for the tech thrash claims that seem to be associated with the album as I honestly can't hear anything particularly technical here. Front man Felipe Alvarado's aggressive vocals are well-suited to this style of music but its drummer Rodrigo Poblete (also formerly of Demoniac) that's the clear highlight of the album with his powerful, precise & exciting contribution clearly indicating the role that Slayer's Dave Lombardo has played a clear role in his musical up-bringing.

Stylistically, there's a bit more to Critical Defiance than your run-of-the-mill 80's-worshipping thrash outfit these days. They tend to mix things up a bit by throwing in some well executed curve balls & also varying their track lengths & song structures fairly drastically. You'll no doubt notice that there are a few longer & more expansive pieces included than we found on "No Life Forms" with some progressive options having been explored. There are a couple of tracks that showcase a clear black metal component too (particularly the outstanding "Full Paranoia") while "Long Distance (The What's to Come)" & "Absolüt" are built as much on speed metal as they are on thrash. You can also expect to receive a classical guitar piece ("The Blind Divine"), a progressive rock instrumental ("Margarita") & a full-throttle grindcore number ("All The Powers") so you can hardly claim "The Search Won't Fall..." to be samey. There aren't any weak inclusions either so it's a very consistent affair from a highly competent & experienced artist.

"The Search Won't Fall..." really does pick up where "No Life Forms" left off. It's another very solid release from Critical Deception that will likely come into consideration for my end of year list & will no doubt be receiving return visits from me in the future too. I'd suggest ignoring the tech thrash claims & going into the record expecting more of a Kreator/Vio-lence brand of aggressive thrash only with a slightly more adventurous edge that sees them drawing upon a more diverse array of artists such as Hellripper & early Emperor for inspiration at times.

4/5

My only previous experience of Kat was their previous album to this, 1988's "Oddech wymarłych światów" of which I was no great fan. In all honesty, Bastard has done very little to improve that situation. It just sounds oddly sloppy for an album that purports to be a technical-leaning release. I am not the world's biggest tech-thrash fan at the best of times, but this didn't chime with me at all. The riffs aren't engaging enough to appeal on a visceral level and the technical aspect feels forced and, well, just not that special. The pacing seems plodding at best and the soloing felt flat and uninspiring. Add to this the awful clean vocals that are occasionally employed for some reason and I just found myself getting irritated with the whole thing.

2.5/5

Thanks Sonny.  Actually one of the playlists that I have done at the last minute due to work being crazy at the mo.

Here's my review:

My introduction to German extreme metal outfit Protector came via their 1989 sophomore album "Urm the Mad" which I quite liked at the time & that experience led me to follow the band throughout their entire career. I've been pleased to see that they've been able to maintain a fairly consistent standard throughout with just the one blemish along the way too. Protector's 1987 debut "Misanthropy" E.P. has been a particular talking point for me over the years actually as, despite being claimed by many to be a thrash metal release, I regard it as not only being one of the earlier examples of genuine death metal you'll find but also one that eclipses some of the more prominent releases of the time as well. The Protector record that's most highly regarded though is unquestionably their 1991 third album "A Shedding of Skin" & with good reason too because it's an absolute beast of a death/thrash album.

Those of you that are new to Protector will not be left waiting long to find out what they're all about. The inclusion of a short one-minute intro track at the beginning of the record was a strange one as its pleasant new-age atmosphere has no place on an extreme metal release like this one but as soon as the proper songs kick in the listener is subjected to a savage beating like they've rarely experienced before. This album presents Protector's sound as the perfect amalgamation of death metal & Teutonic thrash metal with the death metal component taking the ascendency for the most part. The raw production is perfectly suited to this style of music with the guitars possessing a face-ripping quality that accentuates the aggression in the performances beautifully. The growled vocals of main man Olly Wiebel are deathly & evil which only provides further weight to the fully committed metal assault Protector unleash here with the Hannemann/King style guitar solos generally being saved for the most intense sections of the songs too. The influence of Teutonic thrash bands like Kreator & Sodom is important as the speeds that Protector reach during the thrashier sections is one of the record's main calling cards too.

There are clearly enough highlights included to justify my elite ratings but unfortunately I can't quite get there. The issue is more around quality control as, despite not including any real duds apart from the previously mentioned intro track, "A Shedding of Skin" is definitely a few tracks too long which sees it including a couple more filler tracks than I'd like. I feel that the duo could easily have dropped off two or three of the more thrashy numbers & still comfortably achieved an appropriate run time for a release like this one but, as it is, this is still a very fine death/thrash release that almost got there anyway. Fans of bands like Merciless, Possessed & Poison (the German one) will absolutely froth over this stuff so I hope a few of you will be converted to what is a largely overlooked but thoroughly deserving band.

4/5