Aspid - Кровоизлияние (1993)Release ID: 2880
Aspid's one and only release is an album I've had on my radar for many years, but just never got around to checking out until now. Perhaps it's the technical thrash metal tag that caused me to put it off, having a somewhat rocky relationship with the subgenre. Or maybe I'd unfairly written it off, figuring it would likely be an overrated and underproduced record from a part of the world not known for its thrash metal. While I can't be sure why it has taken me this long, I can say that I'm very happy that I've finally made the effort. Not only does the album sound a lot better than I expected to, these guys have serious chops to go with it! Similar to what Sadus were producing back in the 90s, Кровоизлияние (which apparently translates to Extravasation, whatever that means) is filled with great riffs, a heap of time changes, really nice leads, impressive and very audible bass, and enough variety for it remain exciting for it's entire 48 minute runtime. Vitaly Kholopov's vocals are quite aggressive for thrash, particularly in his native Russian, and the music itself occasionally approaches death metal (the awesome blastbeats on track 6 make me wish they'd pushed things a little further).
As good as I've found this album to be, I don't think I can justify anything higher than 4 stars. For starters, I don't consider any of the 8 individual tracks to deserve a full 5 stars. I also can't ignore that fifth track Эй ты fails to make much of an impression, and the lengthy intro is both tacky and unsuited to what follows. Overall though, consider me a fan, and given how dead thrash metal was in 1993 (Anacrusis' Screams and Whispers excluded, but that was really a progressive metal album), this certainly deserves its high standing in the metal community.
From the Russian tundra comes a Tech Thrash draconic beast that was unfortunately a few years late to the game, but no less legendary in its own right. Since it came from such a remote place and after Thrash was dead and buried, Кровоизлияние had no chance of success. The band never broke through nor released any other material. However, to think that says anything about the quality of this album would be a massive mistake.
Aspid’s debut and sole album is a Progressive/Technical Thrash package of pure quality and talent. The musical ability and songwriting is fantastic, even the simple production is very good at ensuring every aspect of it is clear and audible. I am of course referencing the bass, which is amazing and very noticeable here. There’s nothing to this other than the barebones guitar drums bass vocals setup, but every instrument is working insanely hard.
I think the best thing about this is that it’s not overbearing like some Tech Prog can be; the songwriting is extremely efficient at mixing technical prowess and wow factor with a consistent musical progression that feels natural and enjoyable. In short, they sound like damn good songs as opposed to feats of ability. The technical, big brain aspect of the music just ensures you can come back again and again and never get bored.
There are several American tech-thrash bands who have released classics in the late 80s that are hailed as some of the greatest thrash records in the world. However, Aspid (Аспид) came a bit late into the game and missed their fame. On top of that, this band is from Russia and their record label from Latvia has only released 1000 vinyl copies for one of only two albums released by that label. With all that, Aspid was overlooked, and a few years later, they split up. However, they've reunited recently in the 2010s and a cult following followed, along with a remastered and digital version of this album, Кровоизлияние (Extravasation), finally giving the band attention after two decades!
The reason Aspid was considered late in the tech-thrash game is because at that time, the more popular tech-thrash bands were either changing their style drastically for commercial success or just splitting up. This Russian band wouldn't let the genre die though, they're bringing back the sound popularized by their heroes from the late 80s. Technicality is all around without getting too progressive and putting their energy on...well, energy. However, some progressiveness remains with the lengthy songs that extensive instrumental passages. But despite the heavy amount of instrumentation, the vocalist adds raw anger to the Russian lyrics to make them interesting. All of this conjures a coherent vibe in the gritty yet great production and even the memorable artwork with greater details the closer you look.
The two and a half minute "Intro" is one of the best to appear in a metal album with vocalist Vitaly Kholopov playing spooky horror synth, sounding like a sequel to the outro of Coroner's No More Color, setting the mood for the album... Then comes one of my favorite songs of the album, the menacing groove of the thrashy ''Он пришёл (Аспид)'' (It Came (Aspid)), killer way to kick things off! Literally starting in a high note is the monstrous ''К цели одной'' (Towards One Goal).
"Give Me (Play for a Ballet)" is a long slow song similar to sludge metal for the most part, yet another magnificent highlight with nothing boring! The fast thrash would return in the second half of that song. Drummer Vasily Shapovalov (who suffered a stroke and passed a few days later this year, RIP) does interesting percussion in "Эй, ты" (Hey, You), having the most lyrical and instrumental sections while only 4 minutes long. "Там, где ночь" (Where, the Night) alternates between fast and slow, with the fast parts including one of the most thrashy solos I've heard and even blast beats.
"Коматозное состояние" (Comatose State) is another good song with different groove. Closing the album is the brilliant title instrumental where the entire band can shine without vocals. That's what I call the Russian tech-thrash Crusade!
It's too bad this band never really got as much of a breakthrough as their western peers, not even after their recent reunion. This should really make some "greatest thrash metal albums" lists online and in magazines. Not really a reinvention, but a brave heavy attempt to redefine the once-forgotten genre of tech-thrash, though the fact that all the lyrics are in Russian brings the score down a half-star short of perfection. The internet can really bring to prominence a nearly unknown offering from 3 decades ago!
Favorites: "Он пришёл (Аспид)", "Дай мне (Пьеса для балета)", "Там, где ночь", "Кровоизлияние"
The symphonic opening to this record belies an allusion of grandeur. It does come across as quite amateur though with its clumsy composition and goes on a bit too long. Thankfully after the opening two and a half minutes of pomp, track two starts the album off proper with a scathing riff that brings the promise of exploration of the technical side of thrash metal. The problem is though that it is just as guilty of going on and on with the same idea as the opening track was. The blackened vocals, sang in the native Russian tongue of the band are the only obvious positive in the opening few minutes of the seven minute plus track. For the majority of the song, the band seem to stick to the same repeated progression, layering in more prominent bass sound at times to give the only real variation to the by now tried and tested formula. By the time the (excellent) solo kicks in I was more than ready to skip to track three but the lead work rescues this track nicely.
This was Aspids only release in a career that spanned an initial nine years (with a brief return in 2010). It sounds like a debut album from the 90's released on a small label. The production values are suitably sparse but the mix stabilises all instruments well and the pacing and structure of the album overall show signs of a band able to progress beyond their first venture onto full-length together. Unfortunately the band dropped of the scene altogether some four years after this record was released with only the drummer seemingly active in metal music at all in recent years.
The racing tempo of track three (this is all in Russian hence I am not naming tracks by title) delivers a ripper of a track for lovers of the more aggressive style of thrash. The band sound like a cohesive unit on this track and the structure is a little more obvious and ordered, relying less on progressive elements to get it over the line, instead relying on solid riffs and high energy levels.
There's elements of Coroner on here - albeit not as well delivered - but also you can here bits of Sadus and Athiest too. The smatterings are there but this never quite reaches the odd progressive style of Voivod (thankfully) and the band are able to exhibit a variety of influences on their sleeves throughout the record. They only come unstuck when attempting these bungling attempts at symphonia or unnecessary atmospherics which are simply not required when the bands obvious strengths lie in their cohesive musicianship using riffs and progressions to build tracks.
Despite not understanding one word of what they say, I do feel a real sense of storytelling across multiple tracks on this album which is a remarkable and unexpected feat. The grim and angry vocals express the darker side of the release superbly and give proceedings a real sinister edge. This album is another example of a record that I had no idea even existed and following the Clan Challenge has led me to an interesting new discovery to add to my collection.
