Category: Death Thrash

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CRUCIFIED MORTALS – 20 Years Damned- REVIEW

 

Wow. There is a lot here in this release that’s 20 years in the making. Crucified Mortal’s latest offering, “20 Years Damned,” is a collection stuffed like a Thanksgiving turkey ready to be devoured. Included is a collection of limited vinyl releases, EPs, splits and demos that the band has released over the years. Also included is an unreleased rehearsal from the legendary CBGB and a soundboard recording from a 2005 gig in Cincinnati.

Crucified Mortal’s style of extreme Thrash is high energy, speed driven, angry and completely addictive. Think early Slayer, Venom and Exodus and you’ll have an idea of what this Cleveland based band are doing. There are loads of speed driven killer riffs, reckless solos, pounding drums and angry vocals with the occasional growl. The horror movie audio clips that proceed a few of the tracks are a nice touch, other than that this is some pretty straight forward Thrash Metal here. That’s not a dig, Crucified Mortal don’t have to reinvent the wheel to be entertaining. This is some kick ass material that should satisfy even the most jaded Metal fan.

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NATTMARAN – The Lurking Evil – REVIEW

 

Wise Blood Records are absolutely killing it with releases this year.  Graveripper’s “Radiated Remains,” (which was included with our July subscriptions) was already included in my top albums of the year.  Swedish newcomers Natterman’s debut, “The Lurking Evil,” is an incredibly strong album full of old school metal that is covered in murky and dirty thrash n’ roll.

From the opening track, “Beauty in Chaos,” you can feel what you have gotten yourself into, a heavily 80’s inspired Blackened Thrash album with its high speed punk chords, piercing solos, tight drumming and raspy vocals. While the punk influence is high here, so are plenty of elements from first wave of Black Metal with its rawness and darkened lyrical content. You can hear and feel the early influences of Bathory, Venom and Celtic Frost along with more modern bands Midnight and Toxic Holocaust.

For me, this is kind of album to me that defines “Metal.” Are they thrash? Are they Black Metal? Is it fun? Fuck yes. From start to finish the energy is high and I want to bang my head and pump my fist as listen. “Die you Will,” is the perfect anthem for anyone who calls themself a “Metalhead,” with so many elements of old school metal blasting you in the face you can smell the sweat, stale beer and black leather.

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VHS – Gore From Beyond the Stars – REVIEW

If you are a fan of cheesy B-movies horror, then VHS has you more than covered. With song titles such as, “From Crystal Lake to Space,” “Earth Girls are Easy,” and “Space Jam,” (yes, you read that correctly, it is not a typo.) “Gore from the Stars,” is oozing with plenty of film references to your favorite interstellar horror and science fiction films.

Have you ever noticed once a franchise starts to become a little stale, setting the next movie in space always seems to be the next option? Jason, Pinhead and even the nasty little Leprechaun have all taken the trip beyond the stars for better or worse. (mostly worse) So, how does VHS fair on their 4th album? Are things starting to go stale? Have they run out of any fresh ideas?

Thankfully Gore From Beyond the Stars delivers all of the maniacal and brutal fun that we have come to expect from VHS while still remaining fresh and memorable. For those unfamiliar with their insanity, VHS sound like a blended version of old school punk, Grind, Thrash and Death Metal with deep guttural vocals and an infectious sense of humor.  Most of this release is hostile and brutal but VHS also delivers some diversity on this album to keep things interesting. The somber synth filled intro track, “Blast Off,” starts the album off with a nostalgic nod to 80s Sci Fi.  The tracks only intensify from here as VHS stomps your skull in with a blitzkreig of horror mayhem with most tracks well under the 1:30 mark. “Earth Girls are Easy,” breaks this mold with an extremely Glam Metal feel compete with some ridiculously funny falsetto vocals and almost power ballad feeling solos. Another highlight are the movie samples that proceed most of the songs giving you a little break in their blood soaked audio onslaught. “Space Jam,” is an instrumental track that takes a moment to slow things down with some incredible grooves and solos that may leave you asking yourself, is the same band? If you are a fan of the humor of the legendary Macabre but need something a little more hard hitting, this CHUD is for you.

 

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STENCH COLLECTOR – Effluviatorium – REVEIW

The selection of music in this month’s coffee subscription is full of incredible and brutal and ripping bands. I have heard nothing about Stench Collector prior to this review but I was already loving the band by their name alone, add the gross and gruesome cover art and I’m sure I would have pick this up to satisfy my morbid curiosity alone.

The EP starts off with an eerie narration of a young child talking about boiling a cat followed by some realistic (and nauseating) chewing sounds. Now that’s a start! Adding thick and meaty grooves with sick and twisted lyrics belched out with some impressively deep guttural vocals, you have a band that has clearly earned the right to call themselves Stench Collector.

“Effluviatorium Du Jour “serves up a full meal with their debut EP. Riffs and grooves rip through each track while the drums perfectly hammer in the chaos and deliver a well balanced debut EP. For those who like like their Death Metal raw, gory and dripping with power, this gross out group out of Rhode Island deliver the goods. While most of their material here is sludgy and mid tempo, Stench Collector is not afraid to put in a few bursts of speed as well, which can be  heard most notably on the track, “Eye Socket Maggots. Production is slick and is reminiscent of the Scott Burns days at Morrisound. Redefining Darkness Recordsare bringing old school Gore Metal to the next generation.

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GRAVERIPPER – Radiated Remains – Review

Indiana’s Blackened Thrashers, Graveripper’s latest effort, “Radiated Remains”, is going to spend a lot of time on your favorite streaming services, record player, tape deck or anyway else you may happen to enjoy music. It’s that good. While 80’s inspired Thrash and Speed Metal crossing with Extreme Metal is nothing new, Graveripper manages to feel fluid and fresh as well as sick and savage on “Radiated Remains.”  Fans of Midnight and Toxic Holocaust are sure to find themselves loving this release. In fact, the EP itself was produced by non other than Joel Grind! The band has only been around since 2018 and is already riding some impressive waves.

One thing that all Thrash fans can agree on, is that nothing compares to a killer riff and this EP throws more riffs out than the listener knows what to do with. This EP was bred for multiple listens as you will discover and fall in with something new with each spin. (or stream) The vocals are another strong selling point that Graveripper have going for them. Lead vocalist Corey Parks does a tremendous job of straddling the lines of Thrash and Death Metal, melding together perfectly.

While Graveripper certainly aren’t offering anything innovative or new here, their sound feels much fresher and more organic and natural than many other bands that attempt to capture the beloved early 80’s Thrash sound. If you have around 20 minutes to spare and just feel like banging your head to some raw and angry Metal crammed with some amazing riffs, this one’s for you.

 

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EMPTY THRONE – Review – GLOSSOLALIA

 

The debut EP from Empty Throne only contains 3 tracks, but with over 20 minutes of incredible and unrelenting blackened Death Metal, your extreme musical appetite will be satisfied. There is little question as to why this EP slaps so hard given the pedigree of the band members involved. Abbath, Possessed, Draconis and Angelrot are just a few of the past or current bands that members of Empty Throne has played for. In fact, if they didn’t come up with something awesome with this lineup, it would have been a crime against not just Metal, but music itself.

The band plays extremely well polished Death Metal that has a hard traditional 90’s feel to it with thrashy riffs and strong melodies. All the hooks are in the right places and tied together with some impressive guitar solos. While there are plenty of old school vibes, Empty Vibe includes a few Black Metal elements that give this EP a darker feel, like the haunting piano intro on, “The Day has Come,” that adds some great variety to an already impressive debut.

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POISON WIND – Virus! – REVIEW

As we inch closer to shows opening back up and the year anniversary of Covid shutting everything thing down in the first place, we actually starting to see new  projects and albums come emerge from this rather bleak period of time. Poison Wind bills itself as a “Quarantine Band.” The group was formed in the earlier stages of the pandemic by Brian Magar (Cultic, The Owls ANWTS) who brought together some of his musician friends from other groups to remotely compose and record 8 tracks which would become “Virus!” Mager laid down the groundwork with the drum tracks then passed the recording off to the rest of the group who supplied the guitars, bass and vocals. The band did not know who or which members they were working with at any time

With such a unique method of recording it has captured an extreme metal album the encompasses many different elements ranging from Doom, Sludge, Black, Death, Grind and even some Thrash elements. The songs themselves riff of the chaos that has been the last year with such titles as, “Branch Covidians,” “Get me out,” and “Wear a Fucking Mask!”

All of this adds up to a satisfying listen full of diversity ,some killer experimentation and good ol’ fashioned cooped up quarantine fury. More than a novelty album, this is proof something good can come out of a lockdown.

 

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HELLRAIZERR- Life After Death – REVIEW

Here is another ass kicking release courtesy of our fine fiendish friends at Reaper Metal Productions. Hellraizerr is the new solo project from Cursed Moon’s Sal Hellraizerr.  “Life After Death,” is full of 80’s soaked speed metal with a touch of blackened thrash resulting in a surprisingly melodic approach to a usual chaotic assault. As the name would suggest, most songs are inspired by horror films such as 1987 classic, Hellraiser.  Does anything go better together than metal and horror? The first half of the album will leave you banging your head to the blistering solos and early thrash inspired vocals. Retro styled thrash and speed metal have been quite popular in recent years but not many bands have added another well loved 80’s element; synth. “Hellbound” is an incredible instrumental that fully feels and sounds like it was pulled from a mid 80’s Italian splatter film. The second half of the album brings back more balls to the wall speed metal with a little more variation. Chris Hellking who laid down much of the drums for this recording, provided some excellent clean vocals on “Seeing Red,” that contrast perfectly with Sal Hellraizer’s gruff vocal delivery. Overall this is a great release that is full of speed laden hooks, blistering solos and some great synth mixed in for a fist pounding journey in nostalgia.

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GRAVE DESECRATOR – Sign of Doom – REVIEW

Our second review for the month also borrows their sound heavily from Brazilian legends Sarcofago and early Sepultura. Also hailing from Brazil, (whatever is in the water there, is sure doing a great job of producing Metal bands) Grave Desecrator are ready to fuck shit up with their 2008 full length release, “Sign of Doom.”  Nasty and raw are two words that can sum up the sound happening here. There is plenty of sacrilege and chaos going in the music and lyrics to get even the most jaded Metalhead’s dark blood pumping. The pacing of the album is the perfect blend of speed without being too fast that it becomes a wall of noise or treads into Grindcore territory. It plods along with a nasty (and fulfilling) blasphemous fury. Lyrics are barked out in a filthy, venomous fury in the Old School Extreme South American Metal tradition.

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HEXORCIST – Bestiarum Vocabulum – REVIEW

 

If you are into down and dirty old school Metal, Hexorcist have you covered with their debut demo, “Bestiarum Vocabulum.” It’s fitting that the artwork provided for the album is for a cassette release. Listening to this makes you feel like you were a part of the early tape trading days. This recording will bring you back to the beginnings of extreme Metal with a sound that is familiar to early Sarcofago with a hint of pre “Reign in Blood” Slayer.  Even at three tracks Hexocist leaves much to be appreciate on this demo. The vocals have a great Black/Thrash quality to them and the guitar and drum work gels perfectly together. This is a prefect listen for the old school fans and the kids just being introduced to the scene.