Fallen Angel- All Salvation Lost (2020)

This is a reissue of the demos from 2014 and 2019. Ferocious, vicious sound. I think their most thrash and death metal influences of this band were brutalized by a high dose of early black/death metal to create this savage assault of rotting death metal. Vocals are on the borderline between screams and suffered growls, the drumming is fast as hell with brutal, primordial up tempo parts. This is total madness: fast as hell in barbaric style while the guitar parts are always easy but catchy and total impact. The solos are quite messy and very raw with tremolos and whistles and i fkn dig it. This release isn’t technical, isn’t melodic but it’s just fast, savage and brutal as fuck and a truly heavy influence for the future generation of young deathsters. A fist in the stomach !!

necruzrecords.bandcamp.com

Review by Paul Caravasi

Old Coven - The Awake Of Ascendant Darkeness (2020)

Very few bands can present a sound so closely interconnecting death, thrash and black metal. But Old Coven does a fkn brilliant job bonding these styles. They sound like a raging beast with an arsenal of influences comparable to legendary bands such as Bathory, Messiah, Sodom, Possessed, and Sarcofago, they offer up some of the most truly twisted and groundbreaking material of this era. A lethal dose of complex riffing and wild shred fests. It's about as insane of a blackened thrash-oriented album as can be found in the late 80s, savage intensity. If early Messiah, Possessed and Bathory are on your radar, definitely Old Coven can be found at their border. Get your hands on this cassette if you love the extreme forms in metal. This release definitely pushes the boundaries of the aspects of extreme metal and is a very unique album with a very unique sound. Once again, this is not at all for casual death metal listeners or trendy pussies. Only for those who are licensed to feel this extreme way of expression for real. METAL RULES!!!!!!!!

necruzrecords.bandcamp.com

Review By Paul Caravasi

Fatal Sin - The Complete Recordings (2020)

Holy shit, this is amazing.  This is a fantastic compilation of demos from 1989 to 1990. But what really stands out about this release is how fundamentally catchy and well-written these songs were back in the day. Every tune here bursts with energy and enthusiasm, the result of a young band who hadn’t the chance to be Big. Yet they fkn rule !! Pretty much every riff on these tracks are winners, and each track has enough hooks to not only make the songs but fucking addicting. These guys obviously put a lot of time into making these songs as good as they could be, and it shows in every aspect here. This is old-school, catchy thrash metal at its absolute finest. The more primitive playing on these demos (though still pretty damn technical) definitely works in the band’s favor, perfect riffs, raspier vocals, guitar and bass work are top-notch of course, and the production on this reissue is surprisingly good; with its hefty tone and instrument clarity. What else do you really need? A classic !!

thrashbackrecords.bigcartel.com

Review by Paul Caravasi

Final Prophecy _Re Awakening (The Demos 90-92' Reissue)

This is a cool reissue. demos from 1990-1992'. Remember back in the day demos? Well this Cd really captures the original sound of the band. It's well produced and mastered and everything sounds good. The band's performance on this cannot be denied. The songs on here are, tight Drumming is spot-on, the bass is accurate and audible, and the riffage is true,the vocals are really good.  It's a must-have for fans of the early 90's or old-school death/Thrash metal. And since ThrashBack Records is doing a great job reissuing these gems, you won't have to scour Ebay to hear these beauties for yourself. I was thinking the other day "Are there any bad death/thrash metal debut albums or demos from the late 80's early 90's? and, to be honest, at least among the more well-known bands of the genre, I can't think of any. This is certainly a kick ass band. I really enjoy it. So, yes, this one is absolutely their finest. Go forth, check them out, purchase, and experience a lethal dose of good death/thrash metal and Catchy as fuck. What else do you really need? A classic !!

thrashbackrecords.bigcartel.com

Review by Paul Caravasi

Betrayed - The Unbeliever (2021)

The mighty Betrayed…another cool thrash metal act from the chilean scene has managed to produce during these past years. The first track follows suit with the intricately woven, fast-paced rifforamas and blazing virtuoso leads, apocalyptic mean vocals. This is the ultimate technical shredfest, brilliant stomping mid-break and memorable chorus, also cavernous atmosphere make this piece a mandatory listen for thrash metal lovers. This album is a vigorous headbanger with pounding interludes. Vocals sound evil and full of hate on this record. The lyrical themes explored on this album deal heavily with political topics such as government and corruption as well as other horror themes like murder and nightmares. Overall a tremendous album.  In conclusion this is metal music for the thinking metal listener or someone looking for technical music filled with ferocity. This album made Betrayed be noticed as a ferocious force in the Southamerican thrash metal scene!

Standouts: "Panic Attack" "Looters Will be Shoot" and "Constitution"

betrayedcl.bandcamp.com

facebook.com/Betrayedcl

thrashbackrecords.bigcartel.com

Review by Paul Caravasi

Catharsis - (Cassette Reissue 1996/2020)

This is a proper reissue from 1996. This is tightly played brutal thrash Metal, but that doesn't forsake a well placed good ol' traditional heavy metal melody or a mid-tempo break gearing towards a strong build up. The musicianship is immense. The guitars shred. The playing is tight, sharp and incisive. The leads are pretty much breathtaking as are the guitar brutality. Add to that a voice with a nice gnarl, some riot vocals here and there, a super tight rhythm section and you pretty much have a thrashers wet dream. Break out the beers and get ready to thrash!! Catharsis, Yes Catharsis,in fact this album got me by the balls and made me believe in thrash even more than before. Absolutely one of my favorite genres. Not only is this reissue aggressive, heavy, fast, psychotic and a battleaxe to the throat of any poser, this album is catchy and catches any thrash-lover by the ears. The first track let you know that you are in for a fucking helluva. This album is a headbanging masterpiece that will make your neck sore from the amount of headbanging it provides. This band is extremely underrated and many of the songs take a lot of influence from 80s thrash metal. I love just about every track on this release but my favorites would most likely be "Ritualized", "Isaac", and "...in Solitary". They pack a tasty thrashing punch. Every single second of this album is a fucking bloody massacre and shatters my expectations. If you love thrash metal and you want a banger to listen to, I highly suggest this Cassette. This Reissue represents all of what the extreme side of thrash should sound like. Pure aggression and headbanging fun for any major metalhead and deserves so much praise. No human should even think of avoid listening to it, it is 100% worth the listen and guaranteed to please your evil, aggression loving ears.

doomsdaystodayrecords.bandcamp.com

Review by Paul Caravasi

Undergound Guerrilla - Compilation Cassette 2020

 

The majority of bands on this compilation sound like they were more influenced from noise rock and industrial rather than thrash death or doom. The first thing that should be mentioned about this compilation is the guitar tone in almost every band. It is very fuzzy, blurry, and distorted- but is super heavy and builds a huge wall of sound by itself. Along the guitar sound being heavy by itself, the riffs is produces are slow, chuggy, and sludgy but have a punk attitude to them at times which makes the compilation interesting and not boring. It is complimented by crunchy styles, drums and some aggressive vocals. It's a very weird compilation not in the worng way but it doesn't fall under any subgenre of metal- it has elements of sludge, punk, crust, noise and industrial. Each and every band here is different than the other, which is considered as a pretty good thing actually. It is raw and dirty but fits the compilation perfectly and enhances its heavy and sludgy essence. Mandatory for any sludge/doom/punk/noise/ industrial fans out there !!

doomsdaystodayrecords.bandcamp.com

Review by Paul Caravasi

Fallen Angel - Transcend With The Dead And Rotten (Demo 2019)

It's always a pleasure to hear a band that completely surpasses my expectations. This cassette is one of those that just brings a smile to my face. Old school raw, nasty death metal at its finest. Heavy and just full of sick little riffs all over the place. This is a very sick sounding demo and I love it. I prefer early death metal solely for the fact that it sounds like really brutal thrash without the bullshit. Most metal albums in general put so much emphasis on the guitars that it drowns out the bass a lot of the time so it's great to hear such a powerful bass on this one. Not to mention the fact that it makes the songs sound a lot heavier. Pretty good guitar player too, very catchy solos. Some of the riffs on here remind me of stuff you'd hear in a gore flick or something. Very twisted sounding and creative. I look forward to hearing more. This is brutal and sick. Really, it's hard to say any more about this band. It captures a grotesque atmosphere while never, ever getting boring. It really is essential listening and Absolutely the highest possible recommendation!!

fallenangel666.bandcamp.com

Review by Paul Caravasi

Violent Legacy - General Genocide (EP 2020)

I’ve noticed this band quite recently, thanks to them for sending this Cassette. It caught my attention and respect. The mix of speed to thrash is perfect. The riffs are definitively more thrash metal, the drumming is really fast, the pissed-off vocals shows influences from the classic bay area. This is just fast and full of riffs. The structures are quite dynamic and always catchy. Once again the biggest influences can come from the Bay Area but also from the barbarism of a band like Kreator and Sodom as well. The speed are out of the blue with all those angry solos. The vocals are always in balance between thrashing tonalities and incredible peaks in brutality, taking form the classic German style. That monster of a mid-paced section in the middle, before restarting with speed and solos, is huge, so prepare to be annihilated by 11 minutes of thrash metal barbarism. It succeeds in being always catchy and violent at the same time. Surely, this release is a must for every thrash metal fan. Riffs that make you want to headbang like crazy, though you'll be headbanging to every song on this album !!

facebook.com/violentLegacy

Review by Paul caravasi

Bruka - Demo (2020)

Bruka from Texas opened the doors of hell with this brutal demo. Quite honestly, these 3 tracks are brilliantly executed. In just under 15 minutes, the metal is ushered in, covering the entire audible spectrum, excellently mixed. The drumwork is strong and confident, steadily at a headbanging pace that doesn't leave you with whiplash. Several different riffs change back and forth, along with vocals sounding breathy and angry , giving the piece a very massive and mighty feel to it. It is refreshing to hear another band crushing everything in their path. All in all, this demo is one that should permanently remain in at least moderate rotation in the listening of any extreme metal fan. The only drawback to the demo as a whole is that it can definitely lead to hearing loss when listened to loudly. This is caused by the brutality of it. So, adjust your volume accordingly and you should have no problem at all.  A high level of intense and brutal Black/death Metal !!

facebook.com/thetrvebruka

bruka.bandcamp.com

Review by Paul Caravasi

Ultimate Power Corrupts - Tensions Escalate (EP 2021)

Ultimate Power Corrupts has figured out a metal recipe that even ol' Beelzebub himself would be damn proud of. Legions of bands today are blast beating the interest right out of their music, and the word "breakdown" must have perished with metal master Dimebag Darrell because you sure don't see much of it these days. That's what I thought, anyway. Then I listened to Tensions Escalate, and my faith in the genre was devilishly restored. This 4 song introduction to Pennsylvania thrashers Ultimate Power Corrupts is an intense stride into the battlefield of metal with the difficulty set to brutal while every squad member on your team is a rotting cadaver except for you. Yeah, you're going in alone, soldier. "Bad ass" is what this EP should be titled. Tensions Escalate grabs you by the gronies right from the very beginning and ruthlessly squeezes without any indication that this physical from Hell will ever be over. The drummer often sounds like the world's most impressively functional cocaine addict from the masterful percussion work and insane speeds accomplished throughout the recording. Every tom roll, bass strike, and snare pop are perfectly placed and beautifully timed. Much of Tensions Escalate is reminiscent of early Sepultura, bringing back fond memories of the glory days of Arise and Beneath the Remains. Powerful breakdowns drive some of the most crushing sections of this EP (I'm looking at you "By Any Means Necessary"), and the guitar work is consistently tight. Vocals are in the safe range for thrash metal, meaning they are the heavy constant one would expect from a killer recording like this, but don't tread far off the beaten path. The bass guitar has a twang punch to the balls that really helps keep the rhythm flow with all the surrounding chaos. Ultimate Power Corrupts is a breath of fresh air during these questionable times. It would appear that thrash metal is truly alive and well, and apparently living in Pennsylvania.

ultimatepowercorrupts.bandcamp.com

Review by Andy Hamlet

Chains Of Belmont - Toxic Hangover (2020)

The riff amount on this release is monstrous. Denim jackets with patches, cool lyrics and ofcourse the kickass thrashing attitude and music – it's all here. From the first second of the first tune intro, one can clearly hear the main influences of this one: Nuclear Assault's Game Over, D.R.I., C.O.C. and the more hardcore influenced material of Suicidal Tendencies, because there are really so much simmilarities on here, also i bit of german thrash influences. Cool guitar tone (crunchy and powerful) makes this release thrashier than it would be with that eighties sound. As I expected, the vocals are not even slightly technical or schooled… AND I LOVE IT! The producer obviously listened to a lot of Overkill records, since the bass is very audible and even though there aren't any technical or hard lines on here it's fun to listen to. The drums are fkn solid. If you want to have fun drinking beer and thrashing outl, while you're searcing a sofa suitable for ''stagediving'' off it, Toxic Hangover is your best friend !!

facebook.com/belmontchains

doomsdaystodayrecords.bandcamp.com

Review by Paul Caravasi

El Pecado - El Principio...Del Final (2020)

This cassette features the demos from 94' /95'. The elements that make El Pecado an interesting band is the Spanish vocals, the crunchy nasty riffs and the crazy lyrics.  You can’t help but flash a smile every once and a while at their deranged sense of brutality. You won't find a crystal clear production. Everything is audible, from the guitars, to the drums, to the bass, to the vocals, everything is easy to process and therefore easier to listen to and Of course they keep the brutality here. There's some blast beats in sight.  There is variety in the sound, angry vocals and growls including the occasion scream. This is something quite special. From start to stop, “El Principio...del final” provides the listener with thrills and chills, bangs and crashes and more catchy, head-banging moments. This is pretty memorable!

doomsdaystodayrecords.bandcamp.com

Review by Paul Caravasi

Insanity's Reign (2020)

Bay Area oriented thrash riffs but in a malevolent way and orthodox lead guitar madness ala Hanneman and King, “Insanity's Reign” could be summed up as a serious effort. Essentially taking a high octane Nuclear Assault meets Slayer formula and simplifying it to one that doesn’t bother with mid tempo grooves or breakdowns. There are times where things momentarily settle into a moderately paced crunch, with a slight bit of a Kreator feel, but even on what would assumedly be a token slower song,  and that is far from a bad thing. The riffs are both blinding and well detailed, actually coming off as modern in the sense that they are adding further detail to an existing template, yet produced through a guitar sound that is archaic and smooth.  Let alone the beautiful madness that follows this kick ass band. Don’t listen to the Debbie Downers out there who want to be all progressive and depressive at the same time, this is the real deal. Hell, you shouldn’t even be listening to me anymore, now pop this thing in and experience the heaviness of Insanity's Reign, damn it!

facebook.com/Insanitysreign

doomsdaystodayrecords.bandcamp.com

Review by Paul Caravasi

Obtenebris - Dust Of Time (2020)

I would say that it's quite good, and definitely worth a listen by all measurable standards. And besides, who doesn't enjoy a good dosage of Fucking Metal? Nobody. Most of the problems I had with this kind of style/sound in the past was the lack of brutality and the repetitive sound, but Obtenebris proved me wrong here. This album is filled with killer leads, i can feel like the emotion here, the solos aren't melt-your-face-off intense or anything, but they are very fitting for each track. The production is extremely good on this record, at the same time i feel the raw intensity too. I liked every song on this album. The album is filled with lyrics of battles. The lyrics aren't complex and that's good. Memorable riffs and melodies, thunderous vocals, and it kicks ass. Simple and LETHAL! 

facebook.com/Obtenebrisband

obtenebris.bandcamp.com

facebook.com/Polymorpherecordslabel

Review by Paul Caravasi

Deathblow - Insect Politics (2020)

Deathblow decided to give thrash a big ol’ injection of cocaine in the eyeballs so that everybody could wake the fuck up and see what they were missing out on. Man, it’s been a while since a thrash band really grabbed me by the balls and made me angry and hyped the way that this band does. To be honest, my thrash tastes usually range on the nasty and brutal side of things, because I find if I’m looking for straight-up heaviness I gravitate towards death metal naturally. Insect Politics gives no fucks about genre preference. It’s a thundering slap in the face that gets your blood pumping as good as anything. Deathblow realizes that the key to writing a great thrash album isn’t just to recreate the exact riff style Kreator had in the 80s, but to instead use that as an occasional reference point for making heavy and punishing music. There is not a single moment wasted on this album.  Insect politics alternates between explosive, ripping songs like “Accelerated Decrepitude”, “Nefarious Ends” and “Insect Politics”, and tasty grooving numbers like “Brain Bugs” and “Convert Or Die”, with a little bit of everything in between to keep things Interesting. The album strikes the perfect balance keeping things diverse enough to hold your attention throughout. The riffs are entirely thrash fucking metal. They like riffs and you can feel like you're banging your head against the stage. You’ll always find me enthusiastically praising thrash and Deathblow aren’t an experimental or unusual band, but it’s not that they’re doing anything different, it’s that they’re doing everything right. A pure thrash metal album !!

facebook.com/deathblowofficial

deathblow1.bandcamp.com

Review by Paul Caravasi

Krusifire - we Bring The Metal (2020)

“All Or Nothing” set in. This piece marks the first of 12 gargantuan highlights due to its drilling riffing, the relentless drumming and solid bass lines. Did i mention the really mean riffs?. The opener is really a very nice slug in the face, the remaining songs of this album deliver pure gold, murderous attack. Straight fury and a voluminous sound catapult this album into the thrash metal world. “We Bring The Metal” spreads powerful and violent vibrations. “The Condemned”, the strong and expressive “Brutal Reality" make you have a drink, a large beer better. Absolutely irresistible if you like your music fast, you want to lead a better life, get your copy of this album as soon as possible. It is fkn solid and fascinating experience.

facebook.com/krusifireworld

Review by Paul Caravasi