Thrash metal legends Sacred Reich are releasing their comeback album, Awakening, their first in 23 years, on August 23rd via Metal Blade Records. Ghost Cult’s Keefy had the honor of chatting with frontman Phil Rind about making the new album, getting new (guitarist Joey Radzwill) and old members (Dave McClain – ex-Machine Head) back in the band, touring, working with producer Arthur Rizk, some thrash history, the outlook for President Trump, and much more! Continue reading
At The Walls (WAR Records) is a low risk, no-frills release by Thrash newcomers Enforced. The album is rich with twists and turns but leaves many of its best ideas underdeveloped. The result is that Enforced is a bit like a Deli, and At The Walls a collection of ham sandwiches.Continue reading
Diminished twin lead guitars fade in above a filthy, distorted bass line. It segues into the intro of the title track, and Death Becomes My Voice (Relapse Records) begins in ill-conceived circumstances. This intro segment is a slow crawl through power chords and crashing cymbals, and completely unrepresentative of the album as a whole. When the main bulk of the title track begins it’s clear that the slow introduction was a calm before a storm, but perhaps an unnecessary breather to kick things off. It may have worked better somewhere in the middle of this unrelenting album as something of a palate cleanser, but more on that later.Continue reading
Crossover Thrash fans rejoice! BAT, featuring current and former members of Municipal Waste and D.R.I. Is streaming their entire new album Axestacy (Hells Headbangers Records)! BAT is a fun, aggro take on modern thrash that deserves your attention to these concise, well-written tracks! Continue reading
One of the best underground metal and punk labels around is Tankcrimes. Dumb and Dumbest Podcast number #132 is streaming now and it’s all about DIY Music and Social Media with Tankcrimes Boss Scotty Heath. Hosted by Matt Bacon (Dropout Media, Ripple Music, Prophecy Productions) and Publicist Curtis Dewar (Dewar PR), they also offer The Music Marketing Challenge, a low cost, super high-value private training to bands and artists. Get hands-on practical experience to market your band like a pro today! Message them at the links below. Continue reading
Blackened Hardcore is beginning to have its day in the sun. This is, relatively speaking, of course, as the amalgamative subgenre still firmly lives and breathes in the underground, but the likes of Svalbard and KEN Mode have been making serious waves with their critically acclaimed latest releases.
Exhaling from the ashes of acrimony, Totaled formed in 2017 and bring us their debut album, Lament (Profound Lore) and their take on Blackened Hardcore.Continue reading
While the Crossover scene (Heavy Metal and Hardcore Punk) has been flourishing in North America, it is nice to see that the same love for both genres of extreme music are found fused together even in Portugal. PUSH! is back with another Crossover album entitled Dark Dive (self-released) and it is ensured to impress. Equally groovy and crushing, the Lisbon, Portugal natives put together eleven tracks which is the perfect sample size to start listening to an up and coming potential gem in Western Europe.Continue reading
Modern Crossover Thrash meets the godfathers of the genre when Iron Reagan and Sacred Reigh team up for new tour dates this spring. Joining them will be reactivated hardcore legends Leeway and Enforced. The tour begins May 9 in Asbury Park, NJ and ends May 19 in Brooklyn, New York at the annual Black and Blue Bowl. Iron Reagan will first storm the shores of Europe this spring for tour dates with Madball (March 7-17) and the USA with Sick of it All. (March 21-31).Iron Reagan and Gatecreeper’s Split LP is out now on CD/LP/Digital via Relapse Records. Physical packages are available via Relapse.com and digital downloads via the bands’ Bandcamp page at the links below.Continue reading
You cannot really put into words what Exodus has meant to Thrash Metal. Without their contribution, we’d have a lot of Heavy Metal thunder, but no lightning to ride. The band has had its share of ups and downs and only in the last half of their career have they even had the same lineup on albums more than once, as was this incarnation of the bad did in 1989. With legend, but problem child Paul Baloff dismissed after masterwork Bonded By Blood, Steve “Zetro” Souza had settled in and down as the frontman and vocalist. Band leader Gary Holt kept an iron fist on the writing in these days, and with good reason. His riff style and due diligence in songcraft helped give the band their pivotal third album, Fabulous Disaster (Relativity, Music For Nations).Continue reading
Famed for skiing, Innsbruck, Austria, is a pretty unusual location to have spawned a Crossover Thrash band. That said, the thought of the après-ski hoity-toity being brought down to earth by Insanity Alert and their beer-chugging third album 666 Pack (Season Of Mist) upsetting the tourists is a joy to consider.Continue reading