ALBUM REVIEW: Trespass – Wolf At The Door


 

When an album opens with nothing but high hat and then adds the guitars, you know you have a banger. Trespass’ Wolf At The Door (From the Vaults) is quintessential NWOBHM. Even in this digital age, Wolf At The Door still has the tonality of analog seventies metal albums. There is a grounding, brownness to the sound. The pacing and mixing give it a throwback, classic feel. The songs come complete with velvety guitar solos over hard-driving drums. ‘Wolf At The Door’ would sound awesome on vinyl as it has the tones and feeling that support analog listening. 

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ALBUM REVIEW: Overkill – Scorched


 

Seems like we’re going to have to score another one for the bad guys. And by bad guys, I am referring to some of Thrash Metal’s pioneers who refuse to acknowledge the passage of time and are still melting amp heads like it was 1986. 

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ALBUM REVIEW: Raider – Trial By Chaos


 

I’m a Thrash junkie. My addiction started as a teen when I started dabbling in Megadeth. From there I had to go harder adding more extreme bands to my growing addiction. Several years later and now a full-blown addict, it’s become increasingly more difficult to scratch that itch. When Raider showed up in my inbox, I knew I found what I was looking for.

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ALBUM REVIEW: Rhythm of Fear – Fatal Horizons


 

It’s been five years since Rhythm of Fear released their last album, Maze of Confusion. The crossover thrash band is back with more pummeling riffs and plenty of attitude with Fatal Horizons (MNRK Heavy) Just like any good thrash band, Rhythm of Fear targets the government, aliens and the occult in their sonic assault. 

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ALBUM REVIEW: Opponent – Sentinel


 

Openly born from adverse circumstances, Seattle’s Opponent is the brainchild of guitarist and vocalist Andy Maier. Following the news of Maier’s father’s cancer diagnosis, Maier set the precedent to make Opponent a full-time endeavour and set work on their sophomore full-length Sentinel (Solid State Records), a title which knowing the circumstances offers arguably two contrasting meanings. Whichever is meant, the album itself is one that is meant to deliver a positive, uplifting message.Continue reading


ALBUM REVIEW: Patterns of Decay – Patterns of Decay 


Patterns Of Decay have been peddling their full-throttle brand of Metal since 2014, gigging in and around their native New York and having previously released their debut EP Malicious Intent in that year, and their follow-up LP Suicide Note In Comic Sans in 2018. Continue reading


ALBUM REVIEW:  Artillery – X


Armed to the teeth with more riffs than you can shake a Howitzer at, Danish thrashers Artillery return with X (Metal Blade Records), their self-explanatory and succinctly titled tenth album. Sadly, guitarist Morten Stützer, brother of fellow founder member and co-guitarist Michael Stützer, passed away in 2019 meaning the band were forced into a change in personnel. His replacement, Sacrificial axeman Kræn Meier, pulls off an excellent job under the darkest of circumstances and this latest record stands as one of their strongest to date.

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