The Pit

December 24

1. Dark Angel – “Time Does Not Heal” (from “Time Does Not Heal”,1991)

2. Destruction – “No Kings – No Masters” (from “No Kings – No Masters”, 2024)

3. Slayer – “Altar of Sacrifice” (from “Reign in Blood”, 1986)

4. Seax – “Forged by Metal” (from “Speed Metal Mania”, 2016)

5. Devastator – “Spiritual Warfare” (from “Baptised in Blasphemy”, 2023)

6. Living Death – “Intruder” (from “Protected from Reality”, 1987) [Submitted by Unhinderedbytalent]

7. Sepultura – “Isolation” (from “Quadra”, 2020) [Submitted by Unhinderedbytalent]

8. Nervosa – “Horrodome” (from “Downfall of Mankind”, 2018)

9. Antiverse – “Hallucigenia” (from “Under the Regolith”, 2018)

10. Extol – “Paradigms” (from “Synergy”, 2003) [Submitted by Daniel]

11. Despair – “Cry for Liberty” (from “Decay of Humanity”, 1990)

12. Rampage – “Acid Storm, Pt.2” (from “Veil of Mourn”, 1988) [Submitted by Daniel]

13. Exodus – “Cajun Hell” (from “Fabulous Disaster”, 1989)

14. Tankard – “Lockdown Forever” (from “Pavlov’s Dawgs”, 2022)

15. Anthrax – “Indians” (from “Among the Living”, 1987)

16. Sacred Reich – “Sacred Reich” (from “Ignorance”, 1987)

17. Sodom – “Shoot Today – Kill Tomorrow” (from “Epitome of Torture”, 2020)

18. Acid Force – “Preachers of Mayhem” (from “World Targets of Megadeaths”, 2023)

19. Suicidal Tendencies – “You Can’t Bring Me Down” (from “Lights…Camera…Revolution”, 1990)

20. Enforced – “Betting on the End” (from “A Leap into the Dark EP”, 2024)

21. Lich King – “Combat Mosh” (from “Born of the Bomb”, 2012)

22. Iron Reagan – “Drop the Gun” (from “Worse than Dead”, 2013)

23. A Life Once Lost – "Vulture" (from "Hunter", 2005)

24. Lamb of God – “Ruin” (from “As the Palaces Burn”, 2003)

25. Warbringer – “Remain Violent” (from “Woe to the Vanquished”, 2017)

26. Bewitcher - “Death Returns…” (from “Cursed Be Thy Kingdom”, 2021)

27. Ragehammer – “We Are the Hammer” (from “In Certain Death”, 2020)

28. Urn – “Celestial Light” (from “The Burning”, 2017)

Ben, please add Melbourne crossover thrash outfit Vicious Circle.

Depression - "Thrash Till Death: Studio Tapes" (1988)

Those readers that are regular contributors to the Metal Academy website would likely have witnessed my recent indulgence in the back catalogue of a relatively unknown Melbourne hardcore punk band from the mid-to-late 1980's by the name of Depression over the last couple of months & have wondered what all the fuss was about. Well, the truth is that I've been taken aback by my discovery that there is a lot more to Depression's legacy than I'd given them credit for back in the day. You see, I only ever familiarized myself with Depression's final studio effort "Thrash Till Death: Studio Tapes" in my youth, trusting the consensus that the remainder of their discography stayed predominantly within the constraints of the hardcore punk sound. The reality is a bit different to that though & I've actually found a lot more that would be of interest to your average metalhead than I'd bargained for. In fact, I've uncovered the true roots of the Australian extreme metal scene along the way with 1985's "Australia, Australia" E.P. being the very first thrash-based release to be recorded in this country in my opinion. It's been a really interesting journey & one that I've found to be universally rewarding too but I've purposely left "Thrash Till Death: Studio Tapes" to the end, electing to take a chronological path through Depression's back catalogue in order to gain the appropriate level of context along the way. Depression's sophomore album made quite an impression on me as a kid & I've returned to it a number of times over the years as a result but I've been wondering how it might stack up against some of Depression's earlier works, particularly given that it apparently saw many of the band's longer-term fans jumping ship due to the increased focus on metal.

"Thrash Till Death: Studio Tapes" arrived a year after Depression's previous release in the excellent 1987 "Ultra Hard Core Mega Heavy Punk Metal Thrash" live album which documented the band's first live show in two years. Depression had parted ways with former vocalist Spike following the ground-breaking "Australia, Australia" E.P. & returned with a three-piece lineup fronted by talented guitarist Smeer (also of Melbourne hardcore act Gash) who first tested the waters behind the microphone on 1986's highly enjoyable "Big Brother" single. Producer Mark Woods (who was also responsible for producing Nothing Sacred's 1988 debut album "Let Us Prey") would once again oversee the recording sessions after the success of the "Ultra Hard Core Mega Heavy Punk Metal Thrash" exercise & he does a reasonable job here with the album sporting enough clarity to allow all of the instruments to be easily discerned but maintaining enough raw grit to adhere to the expected hardcore aesthetic. The guitars are vibrant & full of life while the rhythm section offers plenty of power, particularly the bass guitar of Liddy & snare drum of Dakka (Persecution) which add some driving bottom-end depth to Depression's audio assault. Smeer's vocals sit beautifully over the top with his higher-register delivery cutting through the instrumentation with great vitriol.

As with the last few Depression releases, this material is pretty much as showcase of the breadth of the band member's various influences, rarely sticking to the one subgenre for too long. Metal & punk are both well represented but on this occasion we find the metal component outweighing the punk one in around a two-to-one ratio which could perhaps explain the loss of some of Depression's more punk-oriented fans. I'm a little confused as to why those fans didn't drop off earlier though as I'd suggest that both "Australia, Australia" & "Big Brother" followed a similar musical trajectory with the crossover thrash tag being more than appropriate to encompass the sound of both of those records & I don't think "Thrash Till Death: Studio Tapes" is much more metal than those two in all honesty. It does, however, explore a few more of the various styles of metal music than Depression had touched on in the past with "Instrumental" toying with a more technically structured thrash metal sound, "Masters of the Universe" being a synth-backed heavy metal number that pays homage to the great Iron Maiden & closer "Spiritual Warrior" even reaching genuine speed metal status. The more straight-forward crossover thrash material is where the true gold can be found though with the incredible ode to heroine "Fifty Bucks" (one of my all-time favourite crossover tracks & the clear album highlight), the wonderfully short & violent "Civilisation of Destruction" & the powerful "Have a Look Around" being my picks of the bunch. As with most of Depression's back-catalogue, there are no weak moments to be found here as these guys were a class act & must have absolutely killed in a live capacity, particularly given that Smeer's guitar skills are pretty amazing for a punk. I mean, this dude can easily compete with (if not outclass) the best the local metal scene had to offer at the time. His ability to sing this stuff at the same time is pretty amazing really.

What can I tell you? This is really a case of another Depression record, another unheralded gem. I'm not sure whether my long-time affiliation with this album is seeing me holding any subconscious biases but I'm gonna suggest that this is Depression's best work & have now had to find room at the top of my Top Ten Crossover Thrash Releases of All Time list with "Thrash Till Death: Studio Tapes" managing to usurp all but Slaughter & S.O.D. at number three on my list. It's also worth noting that Depression now hold a previously unheard of THREE places in that list which makes them arguably my favourite crossover band of all time now. Wow! I never would have thought that might end up being the case when I undertook for my first casual listen to their earliest demo recordings a few months ago now. But that's why our beloved metal scene is so great now, isn't it? No matter how experienced & knowledgeable we think we've become, there's always something unexpectedly incredible around the corner to pull us out of our own arses.

For fans of D.R.I., Discharge & Municipal Waste.

4/5

Here's my updated Top Ten Crossover Thrash Releases of All Time list with Attitude Adjustment's "America Paranoia" being pushed out to make way for "Thrash Till Death: Studio Tapes":

01. Slaughter - "Surrender Or Die" demo (1985)

02. S.O.D. – “Speak English or Die” (1985)

03. Depression - "Thrash Till Death: Studio Tapes" (1988)

04. Depression - "Australia, Australia" E.P. (1985)

05. Agnostic Front – “Cause For Alarm” (1986)

06. Depression - "Ultra Hard Core Mega Heavy Punk Metal Thrash" (1987)

07. Cryptic Slaughter – “Convicted” (1986)

08. The Accused – “The Return Of… Martha Splatterhead” (1986)

09. Agnostic Front – “Liberty & Justice For…” (1987)

10. Ratos de Porão - "Brasil" (1989)

https://metal.academy/lists/single/174

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

Lifeless Dark - "Forces of Nature's Transformation"

The debut album from this Boston stenchcore outfit whose 2018 "Who Will Be the Victims?" demo really impressed me. This one will probably be on my radar at some point.

Hobbs Angel of Death - "Hobbs Satan's Crusade" (2003)

Melbourne thrash metal legends Hobbs Angel of Death first came to my attention some time in 1989, shortly after I'd discovered that there was a local extreme metal scene through Sydney thrash establishment Mortal Sin. It was while perusing a Metal For Melbourne (a seminal Australian metal record store, promoter & label) end of year list that detailed all of the top releases from 1988 (likely in "Hot Metal" magazine that I bought religiously) that I noticed a record that I wasn't familiar with in Hobbs' self-titled debut album. It was a pretty amazing list to be fair & would lead to me seeking out a number of albums with "Hobbs Angel of Death" being one that I'd pick up from the older skater kids at my school. My positive experiences with that dubbed cassette copy of the record would lead to me also seeking out the two earlier demo tapes from the band in 1987's "Angel of Death" & 1988's "Virgin Metal Invasion from Down Under", both which really floated my boat. Slayer were basically my gods at the time (& arguably still are) so Hobbs' sound was always gonna appeal to me given the very close alignment with Slayer's aggressive thrash sound & Hobbs has stuck with me ever since. In 2003, Victorian extreme metal label Modern Invasion Music would go through the exercise of remastering & re-releasing the two Hobbs Angel of Death demos & I've had the absolute privilege of checking them out this week.

Both of the Hobbs demos were recorded at Doug Saunders Studio in Melbourne during the mid-to-late 1980's & the sound quality is excellent compared to other demo tapes of the time. Front man, guitarist & band leader Peter Hobbs had previously enjoyed some time studio time with his earlier thrash band Tyrus who are equally revered in my home country so it's perhaps understandable that the Hobbs cassettes sounded pretty decent. For the recording of "Angel of Death" he'd recruit Nothing Sacred guitarist Mark Woolley, Renegade bassist Steve Scott & relatively unknown drummer Darren McMaster-Smith. Hobbs Angel of Death was essentially a solo project for Peter though so that lineup changed fairly dramatically by the time "Virgin Metal Invasion from Down Under" was recorded with Nothing Sacred/Non Compos Mentis bassist Karl Lean (aka Karl Monara) & Nothing Sacred/Depression/Non Compos Mentis drummer Sham Littleman joining the fold temporarily before Woolley & McMaster-Smith returned for the recording of the self-titled full-length along with Bestial Warlust/Deströyer 666/Mass Confusion bassist Phil Gresik. Despite the consistent personnel changes though, "Hobbs Satan's Crusade" sounds really good with modern day ears. It harnesses the raw intensity of the underground thrash scene of the 1980's beautifully with the two tapes sounding a little different from each other but with neither really achieving any sort of ascendancy.

Hobbs Angel of Death's early sound was clearly built around their gratuitous worship of one classic thrash metal act & it won't be very hard for you to figure out which one that might be upon switching on this compilation. Peter was obviously quite enamored with Californian thrash gods Slayer because Hobbs' sound is so closely aligned with Slayer's 1984-1985 period that it's almost impossible to stop yourself from consistently drawing upon your memory for comparisons while listening to their recorded output. While Hobbs may not sound exactly like Slayer singer Tom Araya, the fact that he mimics Araya's phrasing so accurately makes him trick your mind into thinking that their tones are very similar. The lyrical content only amplifies those comparisons as it's also very well aligned along with the riffs & song-structures. I'll be honest, I miss classic Slayer virtually every day of my life so if anyone can pull off their sound with any sort of success then I'm well up for it & that's certainly the case here. Just listen to opening track "Lucifer's Domain" & try not to draw comparisons to Slayer's "Chemical Warfare" or dare to question the influence of the title track from "Hell Awaits" on "House of Death" or "Satan's Crusade", not to mention the searing blaze of Kerry King & Jeff Hannemann that runs right down the middle of highlight track "Chainsaw Massacre" which is one of my favourite Aussie thrash anthems of the 1980's.

Almost all of Hobbs' debut album appears on "Hobbs Satan's Crusade" with the only exception being "Brotherhood". It also includes rejigged versions of several old Tyrus tracks with "Bubonic Plague", "Crucifixion" & "Liar" all being live favourites from what was one of the original bands in the Australian thrash metal live scene. Both "Bubonic Plague" & "Liar" sound a lot better here though with the Venom-inspired latter being much thrashier & more aggressive than the original which was more of a speed metal number. This is a really consistent tracklisting actually with no duds included & plenty to get excited about. It simply feels so underground, despite the performances all being excellent. If pushed, I'd suggest that I slightly favour "Angel of Death" over "Virgin Metal Invasion from Down Under" but there's very little in it as they're both excellent thrash releases in their own right so I'd encourage all of our The Pit members to check them out through this excellent compilation CD.

For fans of Infernäl Mäjesty, Black Shepherd & 1984-85 period Slayer.

4/5

An orchestral march leads into high-speed chaos in this blazing epic opening track:

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.

Was anything off the new Nasty Savage album ever on a playlist? If not, Schizoid Platform off the new one.

Yeah, I don't mind "Heavy Metal Maniac" or the couple of albums that followed it for that matter, particularly 1985's "Long Live the Loud third album which is my all-time favourite speed metal record. They dropped the ball with 1986's "Unveiling The Wicked" though & everything I've heard since has been very ordinary with the exception of 2004's "New Testament" which I didn't mind.

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)

At this point Flotsam and Jetsam have really honed in on what they're doing and, even though I'm not incredibly impressed by it, I gotta give them points for consistency. Ever since their self titled album in 2016 they've had a string of solid releases that don't hold any surprises, but have a few key songs that are exactly what I want out of their more accessible and hooky Thrash Metal sound. F&J are about as straightforward as they come nowadays with fast and furious, but still tight riffing that complements Eric A.K.'s soaring vocals that, for me, are the big selling point of this band compared to other legacy Thrash acts. Although it feels like I've heard this all before from their previous albums, F&J still have a knack for writing great choruses that are absolute earworms, like "The Head of the Snake" and the succinct title track "I Am The Weapon". Sadly everything else on this album kind of runs together for me, even though I enjoy it when I'm actively paying attention to it. There's nothing bad here, but nothing great either, which I think is fine for what this band is going for as the singles that are strong are very strong, but the rest of the album kind of falls behind. That's the risk you run when you put so much stock in choruses, where "Running Through the Fire", "Gates of Hell", "Cold Steel Lights", and "Kings of the Underworld" fall flat as they're either lacking in energy, ideas, or just don't hold up to their peers on the same album. There isn't a whole lot of variety on I Am The Weapon but at least "Beneath the Shadows" goes for a satisfying syncopated riff to break up the middle of the album. 

3/5

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

I've had to adjust my Top Ten Technical Thrash Metal Releases of All Time list after checking out this month's The Pit feature release as it's a belter:

01. Coroner – “Mental Vortex” (1991)

02. Sadus – “A Vision Of Misery” (1992)

03. Hemotoxin - "When Time Becomes Loss" (2024)

04. Sadus - "Swallowed in Black" (1990)

05. Obliveon - "Nemesis" (1993)

06. Coroner – “No More Color” (1989)

07. Hellwitch - "Syzygial Miscreancy" (1990)

08. Cryptic Shift – “Visitations From Enceladus” (2020)

09. Ripping Corpse - "Dreaming With The Dead" (1991)

10. KAT - "Bastard" (1992)

https://metal.academy/lists/single/173

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)

Sepultura -"Chaos A.D." (1993)

Continuing my Groove Metal List Challenge (finally) and time to go back to my youth with the fifth full length release from a band who had a hard act follow as I simply adored their previous offering, Arise from two years earlier. Arise had it all for me, solid structures, great production and still that fantastic hunger to it that exemplified the fathomless appetite for thrash metal tat the band clearly had. I do not recal that I had heard any other albumby the Seps at that time even so I had no idea of the murkier beginnings from which they came. To me, the bar was set high by Arise at the time and only coming to their early releases many years later actually enhanced my enjoyment of the album as it was clear throughout all of the releases, up to and including Arise, that Sepultura had grown with each release. Inevitably, that progression would slow down and be replaced by some new influences. The tribal trappings of Roots which was still some three years away at this point were more than clear when Chaos A.D. dropped. Instrumental track, Kaiowas clearly showing the tide that was growing behind the more groove orientated direction the band deployed overall on Chaos A.D. and whilst I would not say the intensity levels dropped too much as a result, the quality levels unfortuantely took a hit.

Despite giving it many chances, even buying it on CD the second it came out, I could never shake the feeling that Chaos A.D. was a huge let down. A top heavy record to my ears, by the time we get to track seven there is a noticeable dip in quality from what has come prior. Despite flashes of promise from the likes of Nomad, there is little comparable quality to the likes of Refuse/Resist, Territory and Slave New World that open the record so strongly. Tracks such as We Who Are Not As Others just come across as lazy by comparison and ultimately the album feels like it is made by a band who ran out of steam very quickly. The inclusion of the New Model Army cover of The Hunt is the only other real high point of the album for me. The politcal machinations of tracks like Manifest just feel like immature musings and Biotech is Godzilla should have been left on the cutting room floor.

It is disappointing when a band's golden run comes to an end, even though in this case, Arise is a real high point to finish theirs on. With Chaos A.D. I get the sense that the growth of groove metal became something of distraction for the band and the song structures just became a tad quirky as a result. I have listened to little if any Sepultura records after this one in all honesty and each time I approach it, I sort of want to like it more than I know I am going to. My score has remained consistent over the years though and there is little chance some three decades after first hearing it of that changing I am afraid.

3/5

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

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/083tGvGRuasSsmN8d3Nyww?si=fb82ec438748475b

1. Celtic Frost– “Nemesis” (from “Vanity/Nemesis”, 1990) [Submitted by Daniel]

2. Frightful – “Spectral Creator” (from “Spectral Creator”, 2021) [Submitted by Sonny]

3. Killjoy – “Enemy Within (Cycle of Insanity)” (from “Compelled by Fear”, 1990

4. Anthrax – “Armed and Dangerous” (from “Spreading the Disease”, 1985) [Submitted by Sonny]

5. Vulture – “Clashing Iron” (from “The Guillotine”, 2017)

6. Bombarder – “Speed Metal” (from “Speed Kill”, 1989)

7. Hellcrash– “Volcanic Outburst” (from “Demonic Assassinatiön”, 2023)

8. Hellish – “Goddess Death” (from “The Dance of the Four Elemental Serpents”, 2022) [Submitted by Sonny]

9. Lucifuge – “From Cosmos to Chaos” (from “Monoliths of Wrath”, 2023

10. Create A Kill – “Decimate” (from “Summoned to Rise”, 2023)

11. 8 Foot Sativa – “Perpetual Torment” (from “Breed the Pain”, 2004)

12. Soulfly – “Defeat U” (from “Prophecy”, 2004)

13. Cypecore – “Values of Life” (from “Take the Consequence”, 2010)

14. Lazarus A.D. – “Revolution” (from “The Onslaught”, 2007)

15. Ghoul – “Noxious Concoctions” (from “Noxious Concoctions”, 2024)

16. Exodus – “A.W.O.L.” (from “Impact is Imminent”, 1990) [Submitted by Daniel]

17. Cold Steel – “Full Tilt” (from “Deeper into Greater Pain”, 2023)

18. Torque – “H.L.S.” (from “Torque”, 2023)

19. Gama Bomb – “Mask of Anarchy” (from “BATS”, 2023) [Submitted by Sonny]

20. Xentrix – “Questions” (from “For Whose Advantage?”, 1990) [Submitted by Daniel]

21. Asylum – “Eternal Violence” (from “Tyrannicide”, 2022)

22. Distillator – “Guerilla Insurgency” (from “Revolutionary Cells”, 2015)

23. Flotsam & Jetsam – “Suffer the Masses” (from “When the Storm Comes Down”, 1990) [Submitted by Daniel]

24. Terminalist– “Frenetic Standstill” (from “The Crisis as Condition”, 2023) [Submitted by Sonny]

25. Eight Sins – “Street Trash” (from “Straight to Namek”, 2023)

26. Life Cycles – “Serpent’s Kiss” (from “Portal to the Unknown”, 2024)

27. Abandoned - “Visions of Death” (from “Thrash You!”, 2007)

28. Killing – “Killed in Action” (from “Face the Madness”, 2021)

29. Obliveon – “From this Day Forward” (from “From this Day Forward”, 1990) [Submitted by Daniel]

I agree that Hellripper is enjoyable, but lacking in what I really look for in my metal nowadays and only managed a 3.5 from me. Enforced was much more up in your face and better for it, garnering a 4.0. Demoniac was still my favourite thrasher of the year however and #4 on my yearly list behind Panopticon, Convocation & Khanate.

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 2023.

Below are the releases that are currently competing for the prestigious 2023 The Pit Cover of the Year Award (i.e. they rate at least 3.7 and have 3 or more ratings). The winner will be announced on the 1st of February, so there's still time to get your ratings in.

Holy Moses - Invisible Queen

Legion of the Damned - The Poison Chalice

Horrendous - Ontological Mysterium

Overkill - Scorched

Xoth - Exogalactic

Terminalist - The Crisis as Condition

Bleeding, The - Monokrator

If you want to contribute and rate some covers, the easiest way is to go to The Gallery and select The Pit and 2023.

https://metal.academy/gallery?cid=7&type=overall_cover_rating&myRating=&fromYear=2023&toYear=2023&exclude=0

I look forward to seeing which release gets up for the win!

I first got into Swedish extreme metallers The Crown back in the mid-1990's. They were still called Crown of Thorns at the time I picked up their first two albums through the tape trading scene & I had time for both of them too, particularly a track called "The Lord of the Rings" from their debut album "The Burning" which became somewhat of an anthem for me back in 1995. I wouldn't become aware of the band under their more well-known moniker of The Crown until my return to metal in 2009 & it would be through 2000's "Deathrace King" which is arguably the most well-known release from the band's lengthy 34-year career. I remember finding it to be a pretty entertaining listen too if I'm not mistaken & I've always thought of it as one of The Crown's better releases. I can't say that I remember all that much of it now though as I haven't felt like revisiting it since that first foray which may be a telling fact in itself but we're about to find out.

I always thought of Crown of Thorns as a death metal band back in the day but "Deathrace King" sees The Crown expanding their horizons significantly by exploring a number of other subgenres in a tracklisting that jumps around a fair bit from a stylistic point of view. The record kicks off in really strong fashion with three of the first four songs sitting amongst the stronger inclusions of the eleven on offer & daring the listener to resist the urge to thrash around like a madman. The rest of the album is a little more hit & miss though with a couple of songs even missing the mark altogether (see the fairly flat death/speed metal of "Rebel Angel" & disappointing thrasher "Blitzkrieg Witchcraft"). Mid-paced groove metal stormer "Dead Man's Song" is probably the only track that sees The Crown upping the ante to somewhere like the levels they began the record with which is unfortunate given the promising start. I wouldn't say that there are any genuine classics here though so "Deathrace King" was never really pushing for my higher scores anyway.

The mishmash of sounds present at various times during the 49-minute run time includes thrash metal, death/thrash, melodic death metal, groove metal & speed metal but I'd suggest that the death/thrash tag is the best representation of what you can expect to hear overall. The couple of melodic death metal inclusions ("Back From The Grave" & "I Won't Follow") see me reminiscing about the band's earlier 1990's material & will no doubt remind some of you of fellow Swedes like At The Gates & Dimension Zero while the thrashier & groovier songs play in similar spaces to another group of countrymen in The Haunted. The couple of speed metal numbers take more than a few queues from German Motorhead disciples Sodom so I often find myself wondering if The Crown were experiencing a bit of an identity crisis at times as they seem to struggle for a bit of focus. The level of musicianship certainly doesn't suffer for it though & I particularly enjoy the blast-beats of drummer Janne Saarenpää.

I have to say that I've been a touch underwhelmed by my revisit to "Deathrace King" as I remembered it a little more fondly than my current day experience has portrayed. The Crown certainly hint at greater things here but never really reach the levels of the premier acts floating around the scene. I often find the better songs to have magnificent parts but rarely see them maintaining those sort of levels for a full track. Perhaps I'm not as into some of the subgenres that are toyed with as other fans might be & that's likely having an impact on my score but I can't help but feel that "Deathrace King" sits more comfortably in the third tier than it does the second which means that I'm probably not very likely to return to it in the future even though I've found it to be a generally enjoyable experience.

3.5/5

Suicidal Tendencies was really the only one I couldn't muster any enthusiasm for - I have always preferred the hardcore punk of their debut to any of their metal offerings.

I have to admit that I've struggled with my revisits to Suicidal Tendencies' 1987-1990 metal albums this year with "Lights Camera Revolution" being the only one I can tolerate these days & even then I don't genuinely "love" it. "Disco's Out, Murder's In" is one of the rare tracks that I really dig though as it's thrashy & energetic as fuck.

The first half of this month's playlist was as good as anything you've put together, Vinny. Iced Earth, Coroner, Possessed, Mystik, Motorhead, Nihilist, Mystic Storm and Hellish, along with my own picks made for an imperious first hour. The more groove / crossover focus of the second half found my attention wandering a little with Upon A Burning Body and Scatterbrain's impersonation of The Offspring being the lowlights for me. Things picked up nicely towards the end however, from Virus onwards, closing with an absolute killer cut from Vektor. Thanks a lot, Vinny, especially for that first hour!

This was my review from last month:

I purchased the 1990 sophomore album from Bay Area thrashers Vio-lence on cassette pretty close to its release date after really digging the dubbed copy of their thrashtastic 1988 debut album "Eternal Nightmare" I'd picked up from a school mate the previous year. "Oppressing The Masses" isn't as consistently relentless in its high tempo assault on the senses but it's no less effective in my opinion. The song-writing & riff structures are highly professional with the musical talent of the instrumentalists being very impressive indeed. I particularly enjoy the shredding guitar solos but the riffs are all of a high quality too. Front man Sean Killian will once again be a sticking point for some listeners but I think he sounds a little more natural when compared to the debut & I actually quite enjoy the psychotic edge he brings to things which reminds me a lot of former Exodus madman Paul Baloff. The tracklisting is extremely consistent with a solid quality level being maintained throughout. "World In A World" is the only genuine Bay Area classic in my opinion though which is a shame because there was so much potential to make this an even more significant release in the annals of thrash metal history. As it is though, I'd still recommend "Oppressing The Masses" to all of our The Pit clan members & rate it just behind “Eternal Nightmare” in terms of Vio-lence’s back catalogue overall.

4/5

Deceased's seemingly legendary concept album based on Romero's zombie movies, as they existed in the late '90s. The dead walk the Earth again, killing and eating everyone they can get their hands on. Something that humanity would easily be able to bounce back from if we could stop arguing about pointless crap for 5 minutes.
These guys are not the kind of band who should make long concept albums. Firstly, we get several interludes which add nothing to the music. I'm not really sure there IS an album improved by some dude talking for 2 minutes in the middle of it. Further, I'm not really sure that what death metal was missing was songs with about 8 riffs going on for 8 minutes. There's a very tedious aspect to this album because of it. Growly choruses that go on forever are not my favorite thing in the world.
While the album gets a lot better as it goes on, I can't help but think of this album as not knowing what it wants to do. The band jumps all over the place from drop and gritty death metal to Maiden-worship with some growls. There's some good stuff in here, but I got some serious tonal whiplash at times.
Speaking of tonal whiplash, the lyrics. These get weird. It's not quite the full tonal whiplash Romero's films would eventually get with zombies are actually the good guys, but it is out there. It goes through the expected arc of a zombie story, fleeing from zombies, fighting them, and eventually scientists trying to figure out how to cure it...and then the protagonist gets bitten and dies in Unhuman Drama. The final two songs involve him becoming part of some kind of zombie hive mind. It's a trip.
I'm not really sure how I feel about the album in the end. It's very all over the place.

3/5

Forbidden - "Twisted Into Form" (1990)

I was first introduced to Bay Area thrashers Forbidden through their very solid 1988 debut album "Forbidden Evil", a record that I really enjoyed due to its combination of raw intensity of general professionalism. The experience would see me quickly investigating their follow-up album "Twisted Into Form" (which was their brand newie at the time) & I recall my feelings being just impressed. This revisit has only further accentuated those memories & has forced me to realise that I perhaps haven't given Forbidden as much attention as they deserve over the years.

"Twisted Into Form" saw Forbidden dropping a little of that raw intensity I mentioned in exchange for a touch more melody, clarity & creativity. It's a beautifully executed & produced record from a band that was clearly very talented at their chosen craft & time has been very kind to it as it doesn't sound dated in the slightest. What we have here is a very pure brand of Bay Area thrash metal with a touch of technicality that never loses sight of the ultimate goal i.e. mosh pit shenanigans. There are no weak tracks included with the most commercially accessible track & video clip "Step By Step" being the only song that hints at filler. As with any great album, there are also a couple of real belters here too in the driving thrasher "Out of Body" & the classic tech thrash masterpiece "Tossed Away" which I regard as being possibly Forbidden's career highlight. The thing that sees "Twisted Into Form" slightly surpassing its elder sibling "Forbidden Evil" though is its general consistency as I think Forbidden have raised the bar a touch from their debut &, in doing so, have created their best work.

Forbidden are often compared to fellow Bay Area thrashers Testament & that's a fair comparison but, unlike most thrashers, I'd suggest that they're fairly close in terms of their general standard. Forbidden have the upper hand in the vocal department as Russ Anderson has a wonderfully masculine & powerful set of pipes on him & also manages to cope with the more melodic stuff better than Chuck Billy ever could. Forbidden also have a big advantage in the drumming department with future Slayer/Exodus/Testament skinsman Paul Bostaph smashing Louie Clemente out of the park. Testament of course have an ace up their sleeve in lead guitarist Alex Skolnick but Craig Locicero & Tim Calvert (who would join Nevermore in the future) are no slouches & pull off some very flashy lead solos with relative ease here. You know what? I'd actually suggest that "Twisted Into Form" is a better record than anything Testament have come up with over the years which I know is a big call. It should be compulsary listening for any thrasher worth their salt in my opinion & has emphatically cemented Forbidden's credentials as a high quality second tier thrash player.

4/5

Aura Noir - Black Thrash Attack (1997)

Aura Noir are one of those bands that everyone knows, but very few talk about. Formed by Aggressor and Apollyon, who were both active in the Norwegian black metal underground, they were later joined by Mayhem guitarist Rune Eriksen (aka Blasphemer), prior to the recording of this debut full-length, Black Thrash Attack. By 1996 thrash metal was a shambling corpse that hadn't even recognised it's own demise. It's champions were fallen - Metallica had decided the way forward was trying to add an increasingly lengthening string of zeroes to their bank accounts, Kreator were embracing mediocrity and even Slayer were flailing around to such an extent that recording an album of hardcore punk covers seemed like a good move to them. Into this turgid scene, Black Thrash Attack was thrust like an adrenaline shot to the heart of thrash metal's inert body, causing it to rear upwards with an almighty gasp as life entered it once more. Taking the sound of the burgeoning black metal scene and regressing it to it's earliest days as an offshoot of thrash, Aura Noir injected vitality and good old-fashioned excitement into the once proud beast, producing possibly the best thrash album, at that point in time, since Rust In Peace.

Black Thrash Attack takes the riffs of European legends like Kreator, Bathory and Celtic Frost and marries them to raw and rabid blasphemous black metal to produce a vicious and visceral version of blackened thrash that sounds like the missing link between first- and second-wave black metal, with Darkthrone's early rawness being a particular touchstone. The riffs are all thrash, but the vocals, aesthetic and production values are raw and savage black metal through and through.

Aggressor and Apollyon alternate songwriting duties, with Aggressor being responsible for writing the odd-numbered tracks and Apollyon the even. Somewhat symetrically, they each perform vocals, bass and drums to the other's tracks. This approach offers up the risk of an uneven sound to the album, but I think that if you didn't know about it, it wouldn't be that obvious. Between this and it's predecessor the duo had added future Mayhem guitarist Blasphemer to expand the lineup to a trio, which was an inspired move and certainly adds meat to the bones of the band's sound, his impressive riffing being one of the albums real strengths. Despite the crusty rawness of the production, the playing is terrific and is inordinately precise with the drumming in particular surprising me at how accomplished it sounds for multi-instrumentalists, with Aggressor especially impressing in that regard. Sure it's not Dave Lombardo or even Fenriz, but it is still energetic and exact, with some sublime blasting from time to time.

Let's face it, this isn't sophisticated music and probably won't impress the more cerebrally demanding metalhead, but for those of us who thrive on guts and aggression and who value adrenaline-fuelled headbanging over chin-stroking reflection then Aura Noir turned in a classic with their debut full-length. This is dirty, nasty and aggressive and pushes all the right buttons, breathing new life into the rotting corpse of late nineties' thrash metal.

4.5/5

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/083tGvGRuasSsmN8d3Nyww?si=95b3152579764caa

1. Sadistic Ritual – “Area Denial” (from “The Enigma, Boundless”, 2022) [Submitted by Vinny]

2. Horrendous – “Ontological Mysterium” (from “Ontological Mysterium”, 2023)

3. Pentagram Chile – “La Furia” (from “The Malefice”, 2013 [Submitted by Sonny]

4. Daeva – “The Architect and the Monument” (from “Through Sheer Will & Black Magic”, 2022) [Submitted by Vinny]

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

6. Hellbringer – “Fall of the Cross” (from “Awakened from the Abyss”, 2016)

7. Sacred Reich – “One Nation” (from “Surf Nicaragua”, 1988) [Submitted by Daniel]

8. Combust – “The Big Game” (from “Another Life”, 2022)

9. Enforced – “The Quickening” (from “War Remains”, 2023) [Submitted by Sonny]

10. Forbidden – “As Good as Dead” (from “Forbidden Evil”, 1988) [Submitted by Daniel]

11. Num Skull – “Death and Innocence” (from “Ritually Abused”, 1988) [Submitted by Daniel]

12. Attomica – “Deathraiser” (from “Disturbing the Noise”, 1991)

13. Mutilator – “Tormented Soul” (from “Immortal Force”, 1987) [Submitted by Sonny]

14. Pestilence – “Systematic Instruction” (from “Malleus Maleficarum”, 1988) [Submitted by Daniel]

15. Bewitched – “Born of Flames” (from “Diabolical Desecration”, 1996) [Submitted by Sonny]

16. Vendetta – “Never Die” (from “Brain Damage”, 1988) [Submitted by Daniel]

17. Exumer – “Rising from the Sea” (from “Rising from the Sea”, 1987) [Submitted by Sonny]

18. At War – “Mortally Wounded” (from “Ordered to Kill”, 1986)

19. Solstice – “Who Bleeds Whom” (from “Casting the Die”, 2021)

20. Lamb of God – “Vanishing” (from “Omens”, 2022)

21. Blood From the Soul – “Dismantle the Titan” (from “DSM-5”, 2020)

22. Detritus – “Bright Black” (from “Myths”, 2021)

23. Terminalist – “A Future to Weave” (from “The Crisis as Condition”, 2023) [Submitted by Vinny]

24. Miscreance – “Fall Apart” (from “Convergence”, 2022)

25. Chemicide – “Inequality” (from “Inequality”, 2019)

26. Sadistic Force – “Cavern of the Wraith” (from “Aces Wild”, 2019)

27. The Lousy – “Demons on Parade” (from “Shut Up I’m Talking”, 2022)

28. Testament – “The Ballad” (from “Practice What You Preach”, 1989) [Submitted by Daniel]

29. Flotsam & Jetsam – “Hard on You” (from “No Place for Disgrace”, 1988) [Submitted by Daniel]

30. Warbringer – “The Black Hand Reaches Out” (from “Weapons of Tomorrow”, 2020)

Thanks Sonny, glad you enjoyed it.

Taken at surface level, The Dance of the Four Elemental Spirits feels like the prototypical blackened thrash metal album. The thrashy instrumentals are prominent and almost annoyingly simple, while the shrill vocal timbre and the overall very loose, reverb-y production is a callback to the kind of satanic worship trope that is abundant throughout the early black metal of the 1990s. The record does have some nice riffage and motifs ("Nocturnal Trudge" and "Violent, Bloody & Cold" in particular), but the records simplicity is also to its determent as well since songs on their own have no distinguishing moments other than the instrumental closer. Everything sounds pretty basic and frankly, uninspired from "Goddess Death" and beyond. It is not a bad record by any stretch; the locale and the sheer number of high quality thrash bands coming out of Chile prevent that from happening, but even by those standards, this record is kind of average.

3/5

Nice work once more Vinny. Unknown takeaways this month for me were Phantom G.D.L. and Strike Master, both of which were great. Plenty of recognizable stuff this month too, which is nice and great to kick off with one of my favourite later Kreator tracks! I still struggle most with the "groovy" stuff, but that's my problem and not a problem of the playlist.

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.

This month’s feature release for The Pit has been nominated by myself. It's the classic 1997 "Another Lesson in Violence" live album from San Francisco Bay Area thrash legends Exodus, a release that sees the band reuniting with seminal "Bonded By Blood" front man Paul Baloff for what must surely be one of the finest examples of live thrash you'll ever experience. Experience it, love it, froth about it.

https://metal.academy/releases/1479