Review by Sonny for Hydra Vein - Rather Death Than False of Faith (1988)

Sadly, for me, the UK has had a dearth of kick-ass thrash metal releases over the years, especially during the eighties and nineties. Sabbat, Onslaught and Sacrilege are the only ones I can bring to mind that were worth listening to. However, I can now happily add Hydra Vein and their glorious debut from 1988, Rather Death Than False of Faith, to that exclusive list. It is a riotous celebration of aggressive thrash in the vein of the Teutonic Titans like Kreator, Sodom and Exumer, with some terrific hooks and riffs that are genuinely memorable and liable to induce a frantic head nodding at a moment's notice. The production is sloppy and the band may not hit the perfect note every time, but I personally find this adds to the album's appeal and the energy and enthusiasm are infectious. Songs like Rabid, Crucifier, Harlequin and Guillotine are classic 80's thrash fare and stand up really well compared to a lot of their more celebrated peers. Sadly the band only managed one more album, 1989's After the Dream, before splitting in 1990. The production and the abysmal artwork aside this is a lost thrash metal classic and an album that really deserves a larger audience.