February 2025 Feature Release - The Pit Edition

So, once more we find that a new month is upon us which of course means that it's time to nominate 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.

This month’s feature release for The Fallen has been nominated by me, Sonny. I have gone for the fairly obscure debut EP, 2011's "Contra iglesia y estado" from chilean thrashers Dekapited. It is one of the releases that turned me on to the realisation that the thrash metal flame was still alive and burning in South America in the 21st Century's second decade, despite it guttering and spluttering elsewhere in the metal world. Give it a spin and let us know what you think either here or in a review (or both).

https://metal.academy/releases/34709

Here is my review:

Dekapited are a four-piece thrash band from Santiago, Chile who formed in 2006. This 2011 EP marked the band's debut release, following on from three demos, one from each of the preceeding three years. The EP features five tracks and an intro with a 21 minute runtime. I have constantly been heard espousing the merits of chilean thrash metal and these guys are deservedly one of the beneficiaries of my effusive praise over the past few years.

Taking their cues from deathly thrashers of the late 80s and early 90s such as Demolition Hammer, Dekapited tread a path that will be familiar to anyone who has any knowledge of the 21st century South America thrash scene, especially as it manifests in the chilean capital and it's surrounding areas. This small area has kept the thrash metal flag flying through what has been a lean time for the genre by incorporating aspects of extreme metal, usually black or, as is in Dekapited's case, death metal. This is nothing new of course, but I believe that because there is an actual vibrant and lively thrash scene centred around Santiago and Valpairiso, then the bands, including Dekapited, who are part of that scene, feed off each other and consequently produce metal that sounds more vital and energetic than the thrash that is being produced by more isolated practitioners. It is no coincidence that a lot of the metal world's greatest material has come from clearly defined scenes, such as the NWOBHM, the Bay Area thrashers, Florida death metal and the scandinavian black metal scenes. There is a fair bit of cross-pollination in the chilean scene with many musicians being members of several bands concurrently, allowing a flow of ideas between these bands, but an integrated scene also sees bands pushing each other to new heights as each tries to outdo their peers, which can only be good news for the fans.

Dekapited play at an almost unrelentingly quick pace. This is energetic stuff that is meant to get fans moving and feed those mosh pits with hurtling bodies. The riffs are the stuff of the classic Bay Area thrashers, loaded with hooks aplenty and being memorable enough to remain in your head long after the EP has ended. It is almost impossible to listen to this as a thrash metal fan and not to feel your head starting to nod along with most of those riffs. The guitar solos are fairly noteworthy, being more expansive than the Kerry King-derived howls that so many of the more extreme thrash acts aspire to, being more in keeping with a classic metal style of soloing. They aren't exactly birthed in neoclassical metal, but they are a bit more imaginative than the short-sharp shock of the more usual Slayerisms.

The rhythm section is decidedly capable and underpin the riffs admirably, drummer Raul Guevara displaying the chops to maintain such a high velocity assault with power and precision. He may not indulge in a lot of the fancy fills that some of his contemporaries flourish, but his is a very solid performance. Bassist Alonso Friend likewise does a great job providing a rumbling foundation for the two guitarists to perform their six-string acrobatics. A trait which is peculiar to the chilean scene specifically is for the bass to sit quite prominently in the mix, but here it is mixed much more traditionally and less conspicuously.

For me, this was a nice calling card for a pretty talented bunch of guys who could take what originally made thrash metal so great and transpose it into the modern day with just enough of an extreme metal twist to imbue it with an energy and vitality that renders it so much more relevant than a mere harking back to earlier times.

4/5

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