Formed in Worcester, Massachusetts in 2016, five-piece thrash outfit High Command follow up their 2017 debut full length Beyond the Wall of Desolation with digitally released single Everlasting Torment (both Southern Lord).

Continuing the violent fantasy storylines of previous releases, High Command’s lyric sheets read like the cover art to Kreator‘s Endless Pain (Noise Records) if it had been violated by Manowar and a sexually insistent Conan the Barbarian. Songs depicting armies and battles, catacombs, fortresses, axes, swords, and improbable fantasy locations are the order of the day, and Everlasting Torment delivers in spades.

Consisting of two tracks, this short form release is a blast of mid-paced Slayer riffs combined with a 1980s thrash groove and Venom style bursts of barbaric aggression. Arguably the stronger of the two, the title cut is emphatic and brutal, while the still highly enjoyable ‘Sword of Wisdom’ explores slower, moodier Black Sabbath style territory.

With a physical release to follow early next year through Triple B Records, Everlasting Torment is a refreshing blast of thrash, speed, punk, and hardcore with a fantasy edge.

Buy the album here: https://highcommandsl.bandcamp.com/album/everlasting-torment

7 / 10

GARY ALCOCK