A common lesson we’re all taught at some point is to never judge a book by its cover. There are times, however, when it’s actually perfectly acceptable to do just that. Especially when talking about three-piece Thrash Metal bands from the mainland of Western Europe.
Hailing from the Rhineland-Palatinate area of southwest Germany, Warfield draw inspiration from a small cluster of bands you’re probably already thinking about and on its second full-length studio release With The Old Breed (Napalm Records) create an unholy racket that manages to be familiar yet new, and exceptionally aggressive.
With lyrical themes rooted mainly in war and combat, the band also cover societal issues and the human condition, the carnage beginning with “Melting Mass,” a rip-roaring Sodom-meets-Destruction opener about the rat race and loss of individuality. “Appetitive Aggression” is an absolute neck-wrecker that sounds like Extreme Aggression-era Kreator, vocalist/bassist Johannes Clemens ripping his throat to pieces, aided by some furious drumming from sticksman Dominik Marx.
A combination of war and folklore, “Soul Conqueror” maintains the album’s feisty start with a particularly savage, rusty barbed wire riff from guitarist and brother of Johannes, Matthias Clemens. “Fragmentation” is split into three sections (“Superior,” “Troop,” and “Culprit”) which run seamlessly into each other and features Exodus-style gang vocals while “Lament Of The White Realm” is as grim and frostbitten as it gets.
Standout cut “Tie The Rope” boasts groove, outright hostility and some absolutely killer riffs, while “Inhibition Atrophy” and “Dogs For Defense” are perfect examples of raging Thrash Metal capable of removing body parts at a hundred paces. At over seven minutes long, “GASP” (Gather At Suffering’s Peak) begins with a slow, crawling riff and ends with a structural breakdown, the whole thing supported by a monstrously metallic middle section. Closing out the record, Marx kicks off the title track with a flurry of drums before exploding with the intensity of early Destruction and a touch of Slayer. And for those choosing the vinyl version, there’s also an exclusive, bone-breaking cover of “F# (Wake Up)” by Nuclear Assault to sink your teeth into.
A Germanic melting pot that pays homage to all the usual suspects, With The Old Breed also contains influences from more modern acts like Warbringer as well as vocals that wouldn’t be out of place on any Norwegian Black Metal album. Dive-bombing guitar solos, throbbing basslines, and pummelling drums, if you like your Thrash fast and beyond furious then this is absolutely for you.
Buy the album here:
https://napalmrecordsamerica.com/warfield
8 / 10
GARY ALCOCK
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