Formed in Philadelphia back in 2021, Bastard Cröss finally get to unleash their first full-length studio album on an unsuspecting world. With the quartet having already recorded a number of split EP’s and singles over the last four years, Crossripper (Morbid And Miserable) more than lives up to its potential. Delivering a snarling combination of Black Metal and Thrash; the band also possess a keen ear for melody as well as a clear and obvious respect for the old school.

With songs about demons, mummies and a headless horseman, an October 31st release is perfect timing, especially for a record which includes a sample from Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers on its apocalyptic closing cut. Vocals are shared between brilliantly named guitarists Heathen Chevalier (aka Chevy McQuaide) and Blasphemous Axe (aka AJ Defeo), the former possessing a formidable low-end roar while the latter channels Schmier from German thrashers Destruction with his high-pitched yelps. The rhythm section, made up of equally theatrically named drummer Infernal Bastard (aka Joseph Tartaglia) and Argentinian bassist Beheader Of Priests (aka Federico Feu), are the backbone of the act. A solid pairing who support their axemen with aggression and precision.

Tartaglia’s intro to opener “Parasitic” is a clear nod to Motörhead‘s “Overkill” before ripping into fast thrashing riffs and a firm mid-paced groove as it tells the story of a parasite-ridden village led to kill in the name of their their leader. Displaying a serious Celtic Frost vibe, “Crossripper” goes on to blast like Sodom with a particularly nasty axe to grind before McQuaide and Defeo trade vocals on “Lycan Knights,” a dark fantasy track that sounds like a black metal Toxic Holocaust.

A reworked and better produced version of early track “Headless” is followed by the old-school Thrash of “Satanic Pandemonium.” “Sarcophagus” moves from a slow, insidious crawl to whiplash-inducing carnage in the blink of an eye, while before the “Bestial Invasion” Destruction-isms of “’Phantom Pestilence,” “Demons At Midnight” arrives with its impressive fusion of Thrash and eighties Glam/US Power Metal, evoking the likes of pricklier acts such as Lizzy Borden and Malice rather than their more commercially acceptable counterparts.

Produced by the band and drummer/engineer Armen Koroghlian, Crossripper is a vicious, no-holds-barred record rammed to its blackened rafters with killer riffs and wicked melodies. From balls-out Thrash and early Death Metal to Black Metal and Punk, this is a record absolutely guaranteed to leave scars.

Buy the album here:
https://bastardcross.bandcamp.com/

8 / 10
GARY ALCOCK
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