One of the most influential thrash metal acts of the eighties, progressive Canadians Voivod have never been content with sitting back and churning out the same record over and over again. A constant desire for change and reinvention has meant the quartet from Jonquière, Quebec has had to endure much unnecessary and often ludicrous pigeon-holing over the years. Post-Thrash. Punk. Speed. Proto-Industrial. Avant-Garde. Progressive. And even Nuclear Metal (whatever that is).
Cloud Rat has something to say, and if you’re not willing to lend an ear they’re just going to play louder and faster until they get your attention. No, there are rarely any moments that allow for you to catch your breath on Pollinator (Artoffact Records) so know from the rip that these Michiganders intend to keep your head submerged in gray waters for about thirty minutes. Continue reading
I can’t help but wonder if Theories’ practice room is to be treated like a hard hat area. The bleak album art for Vessel (Corpse Flower Records) should’ve been enough to alert me of what awaited, but I had to hit that play button. After the initial pummeling of ‘Human Vessel Cell’ I clearly understood that everything Theories does is designed with lethal intentions in mind. If you’re looking for melody, clean guitars or strict adherence to speed limits you can show yourself the door right about now. What Theories is serving up is not for the fair-weather Hard Rock fan. Continue reading
Designed Obsolescence (Unique Leader), the latest LP from Technical Death Metal supergroup (we’ll get to that) Continuum has a quite a bit going for it. Continuum hails from the modern death metal hotbed that is California and features former members of acts ranging from Rings of Saturn, Allegaeon, Pathology, Decrepit Birth and more, so you don’t even have to listen to a single note on Designed Obsolescence to know that these dudes can play. Yeah, they can fucking play with technicality and precision that this writer will never grasp.Continue reading
Ever since we lost Lemmy Kilmister back in 2015, we’ve seen numerous tributes to the Motorhead icon from artists of all kinds. Just last week Metallica released their ‘Murder One’ song and video in tribute to the legend, and today we have another one from the art world that will blow your mind. Continue reading
Thrashers Foreseen have been called “Finland’s answer to Power Trip.” Formed in 2010, the band had only released a few EPs and splits up until now, but with their debut album Helsinki Savagery (20 Buck Spin) they sound more like Finland’s answer to every aggressive thrash outfit ever.
Mainly labelled as a Crossover Thrash band, Foreseen combine Slayer-like speed and aggression with stomping hardcore. If you like Municipal Waste but feel the vocals aren’t ferocious enough, these guys are just up your street. It’s aggressive, raw, and full of circle pit inducing headbangers. Anyone who wears patches on their denim vests and claims to like 80s metal should enjoy this.
Instrumental opener ‘Slam Savagery’ combines Reign In Blood (Def Jam) era shredding with early Megadeth-levels of guitar histrionics. ‘Death Injection’ is a high octane slab of brutality, featuring rasping vocals, gang shoutalongs and stomping breakdowns. Whether it’s the squealing ‘Market Target’ or the slower brutality of ‘Structural Oppression,’ there’s very little let up.
Foreseen took a look at 80s thrash and condensed it down to 40 minutes of snarling, shredding and solos. Individually, there’s not a weak song among the lot. Tracks toward the end – ‘Delusion of No Consequence,’ Paving The Way’ – are filled with the same levels of urgency and searing goodness as the opening numbers. The only criticisms you can throw at the album is the lack of variety. While it’s a formula that works, there’s almost no deviation from the standard thrash blueprint. But why fix what isn’t broken?
There’s little, if anything, that hasn’t come before in the realm of thrash metal. Luckily crossover hasn’t been played over and over to death, and Foreseen do enough to avoid sounding hackneyed. They might not be too subtle about hiding their influences, but the energy they put into in the record makes Helsinki Savagery a great record for banging your head to.
7.0/10
DAN SWINHOE