A big thanks to Social Bomb's own Kenneth Huerta for pointing me toward Australian thrashers TERATORNIS.
Let me start off by saying these guys pummel out some straight-up kick-ass thrash metal. When I first heard their music, I marveled at how well the riffs stuck with me as I slammed through each track, breaking my neck the whole way through.
Guitarists James Lewis and TT Nugent work with a ferociously tight style, offering up fiendish gallops and brain-bashing e-string chugs. Sure, lots of guys can gallop and chug-chug-chug, but the Teratornis fellas craft some very creative, catchy, and thoroughly bad-ass riffs without getting all math-tech in their approach.
I really dig the tunes I've heard so far, the highlights being Notomelus and the band-titled track Teratornis (which, to these ears, sounds as if Evile and Gama Bomb had a baby…freakin' KILLER).
Teratornis boasts some skillful thrash-writing abilities and I urge you to give 'em a shot. These guys need to be discovered! Check out the tunes below and then hit them up on Facebook.
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Thrashing from Guadalajara, Mexico, we have the mighty IRON FORCE. Their only available song Artillery is a pissed-off and in-your-face hammering of intense death/thrash metal, and it literally FORCED me to sit and write…something about it, dammit!
With a few clever curves, blasting riffage, and locomotive drums, this tune is a display of forceful and rigorous attitude. Vocalist Erick Beltran's sound brings to mind a more thrashy Karl Wiletts (of Bolt Thrower).
It's a bit difficult to comment on the band based on one song, but Artillery has definitely made me want to hear what else Iron Force has to offer. What do you think? Give it a listen below, and if you think it's as bad-ass as I, go tell 'em on their Facebook page.
Some really cool news coming from the mighty LICH KING.
As many of you know, the band's LICHMAS tradition continued in its normal kick-ass way to celebrate the season. Lich King released a new song titled Crossover Songs Are Too Damn Short and made it available as a FREE freakin' download.
As expected, the song rocks and easily stands up with the Born of the Bomb material (even if it is Too Damn Short). Way cool of these guys to do something like this. Yeah, they claim to hate their fans (Fan Massacre!), but we know they truly love us…most of us.
Check it out:
On another point, although the following wasn't officially part of the Lichmas present, I still consider it just as special a gift: the LICH KING TOUR ANNOUNCEMENT! Some shows will also include Possessor, Insinnerator, and Smash Potater! Check out the graphic below.
That's right. A Kansas City date. Finally! So, all you U.S. residents comb through the dates and see if there is a show coming close to you, because I believe THIS will be worth the trip.
Ontario metal men MASTERY are offering up a kick-ass Christmas present for fans of tight, technical, blistering thrash metal!
Their new album "In the Key of Kill", featuring the legendary Billy Milano on vocals, is now available on the band's Bandcamp page as a FREE download!
Mighty neighborly of these guys to do this because In the Key of Kill is a killer wall of sound of neck-breaking riffs, precise rhythms, and shredding guitars. The work these musicians accomplish together is at times awe-inspiring.
Leading the vocal charge, Milano belts out his part in a delivery that edges into death metal territory.
Highlights on this album? There are many, but I really dig The High and Mighty and We Slaughter the Shepherds as there is a bit of a Testament quality to them that I find more than appealing.
Check out the album below, download it here, and go thank them on their Facebook page.
My history with INSINNERATOR, has been well documented on this blog. Long story short, with their first album Stalagmite of Ice, Insinnerator turned this critic into a big fan, stopping me from being such a puss as I embraced the Texas band as the bad-ass thrash metal machine that they are - warts and all.
Did I have a few problems with 'em? Sure, but the music overshadowed any misgivings I may have had at the time.
Now with the release of Insinnerator's new EP Hypothermia, the guys obviously did their homework on their most commonly received criticisms (vocals, production), worked on them, and created a new batch of songs that vanquish any doubts of improvement.
With Hypothermia, we find a meaner, tighter and stronger Insinnerator who took their competence in song-writing and added a ravenous bit of confidence to the mix. Gone are the occasional jagged pieces of awkward vocal timing, replaced now with a rejuvenated style of intensity. It's pure freakin' THRASH, with the crazed-yet-controlled chaos to rival early Kreator and Vio-lence. Not that Insinnerator necessarily sounds like those bands, but it's the essence of the adrenaline-pumping, wild abandon which they capture so well - as if the speed and insanity is juuuuust about to go off track, but is pulled back in to devastatingly kick-ass results.
A perfect example is the opening track Burned Alive, where bassist/vocalist "Brutal" Ben mixes a killer machine-gun delivery with the added gang shouts, weaving a commanding performance through the song's hellaciously fast riffage and explosive drumming.
Well-played dynamics offer up tasty slices of icy atmosphere, such as in the epic Elemental Ice Dragon and the sinister (although ultimately, unnecessary) instrumental Hypothermia.
Kudos must be given to guitarist/vocalist Christopher "Atomic Thrasher" and drummer Juan "Speed" who work so well together, maintaining a distinct sound that can be heard over both of Insinnerator's releases. Such is a positive for a thrash band to harness a unique sound all their own.
Needless to say, I find Hypothermia a killer EP all the way through. If Insinnerator ramped up the bad-assery this much from their first release, I can't wait to experience where they'll take it from here.
Interested? Of course you are! Visit their Facebook page here.
I've been following Electric Vengeance for a while now, enjoying their turn at churning out raw punk/thrash with humorous overtones. Those antics continue with their new EP titled Street Metal Attack.
Whether it was intended or not, the opening track Keep it Electric is a bonafide punk-feuled homage to Metallica's Kill 'Em All, complete with classic chugging riffs and Phantom Lord-ish, reverbed-out vocal attack.
Catchy and dynamic, Keep it Electric is key, along with a few choice elements found in the following three tracks, to draw more eyes toward Electric Vengeance.
In fact, the opening song almost killed the rest of the EP for me. Not that the other songs are bad, but initially the other three tracks didn't hold up to the tone set by Keep it Electric. HOWEVER…
…upon further listening, the others definitely grew on me, including the title track Street Metal Attack, highlighting an east coast flavor with a heavy dose of pure heavy metal in the solo section.
Regarding the aforementioned "choice elements", Electric Vengeance's use of traditional heavy/power metal with their punk-laden thrash gives them a killer edge over other dime-a-dozen crossover bands. Both songs Mosh With the Dead and Ouija at Witching Hour utilize this mix of styles well, never sounding forced and always knocking the song dynamics up a few notches. I love it!
Interested thrashers can hit Electric Vengeance up here.
For fans of pure, drunken, dirty, and mean as sh*t thrash metal, look no further than the Texas monsters known as VITAL GORE.
Contrary
to what the name suggests, Vital Gore are not death metal, although you
could add hints of early death into their influences as well as various
sounds from the punk/crossover and Slayer camps. Vital Gore hammers it
all together well, in a mass of aggressively raw metal.
Songs such as The Locust, Beerinator, and Womb are searing pieces of
pissed-off thrash. To find the more swaggering Slayer influences, check
out the kick-ass insanity of Wait For Death.
Maybe you've heard
all this stuff before, but when it's done with an obvious hunger and
topped with killer riffs, their tunes become a killer fist-pumping time
killer.
With each additional listen to their demo (appropriately titled
"Demo") I become a bigger and bigger fan of Vital Gore. You can, too,
because these Texas madmen are offering up Demo as a free download!
Listen to it below and then snake it here. Hey, Vital Gore has a Facebook page!
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Ireland's crossover metallers HOLLOW TRUTH lean way more
on the hardcore side, but there is plenty of thrash influence injected
into the music as well.
Yes, many grooves and breakdowns are to
be found throughout, but a big bonus that separates Hollow Truth from
other Hatebreed clones is the Mike Muir-esque vocals used instead of the
typical gruff quasi-death barkings normally iced over these types of
tunes.
While they are not reinventing much, nor do they need to, but Hollow
Truth does indeed include some ear-catching arrangements, particularly
in the song Terrible Winds. Personally, I'd like to hear these guys go
balls-out fast on a few tracks to keep the dynamics flowing from song to
song, but that is only a minor beef.
If your down for some face-stomping heaviness, check out the goods
below and then download them here for FREE! Afterward, go pay Hollow
Truth a visit here.
More and more kick ass thrash keeps working itself out of the woodwork. In the case of California's SLIP INTO COMA, they've been chopping at that woodwork for nearly 23 years.
Formed in 1990, the band went through a few line-up changes before finally downsizing to a three-piece. Now, Slip Into Coma sound just as vicious and hungry as any upstart thrash band. Their new demo tracks pack a ferocious bite of of old-school east coast thrash with doses of crossover, German influences, and Slayerisms, all comparable to a welcome kick to the face.
Guitarist Scott Kazos absolutely shreds with hard-hitting riffs and killer solos while bassist Greg Sherman and drummer Tyler Gottlob provide a tight rhythm full of pure thrashin' muscle.
Check out Slip Into Coma's tunes below. They are demo tracks for their upcoming album, and are available as a FREE freakin' download! Get 'em here!
At the time, they were still working on their new release titled Greed, an album I was eagerly awaiting.
Well, it looks like we have to take some bad news to go with the good news.
The good news:Greed is out. In fact, you can hear the entire album below via YouTube, gracefully uploaded with the band's blessing.
The bad news:Greed is Banished Force's second and final album. Apparently they disbanded, claiming that Greed will never be released on CD. The band posted on their Facebook page, "thanks for your support over the years and the great time we had together."
Bummer. I hate seeing bands break up.
However, Banished Force is leaving us with a parting gift: They are allowing the public to download Greed for FREE. Not so Greedy after all, eh?
So check out the album below, and then click HERE or HERE to download the album (booklet included).
I just came across these dudes and had to throw together a quick post to give California's SOLANUM a big, fat thumbs up! Or horns up.
Here we have killer German and Bay Area influences mashed together for an all-out thrash onslaught that should be written out in book form and studied on ways to sonically kick someone's ass.
Solanum offer up the frenzied assault of our classic Teutonic faves while incorporating the juicy mid-sections of Bay Area-style aggressive riffage and melodic solos.
As of this writing, Solanum only have five demo-quality songs available. If one can hear the bad-assery of their songs through these recordings, I can't imagine how epic their music will sound through the dials of a pro recording. I hope it happens soon!
Meanwhile, check out what they have to offer below and then bump up their "Likes" on Facebook and Reverbnation.
With their album At the Edge of Sanity, California's DESECRATE slam together some tasty modern metal, leading the listener through a gauntlet of galloping aggression and epic melody.
The twin guitar work of Nick Simile and Chase Becker work so well in Desecrate's music, carving out some melodic thrash riffage with a power metal edge. The lead work, sewn in perfectly with the dynamic rhythms are spectacular, crisp and articulate in its execution.
Highlights include Fury Within and Repent, the latter containing a stream of killer stomping riffs that come together with the vocals to tell a story of sonic brilliance.
Other songs such as Erased is both haunting and ass kicking, filled with tranquil sadness and soaring exhilaration.
Vocalist/guitarist Simile mainly clean-sings throughout At the Edge of Sanity, at times sounding as if Dennis DeYoung is trying his hand at pure metal. If for some reason that sounded like a back-handed compliment, it's not - the guy knows how to bring it (even with the death growls), fitting Desecrate's music like a spiked leather glove.
This is the kind of metal that I like to crank and marvel at killer musicians displaying their chops with dynamic arrangements, pristine playing, and just plain well-written tunes to wreck my freakin' neck.
Check out the METAL below and then hit Desecrate up here and here.
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In the metal world, there are a few "Aggressor" bands out there, but here I am focusing in on Mexico's own AGGRESSOR (A666RESSOR). If anything, I can't help but love the sound of these guys, cranking out thrash reminiscent of early Kreator and Schizophrenia-era Sepultura.
Their song Social Virus is pure thrash brimming with palm-muted power chords, pissed vocals, and a raw, grainy sound that screams 1986. Or 1987. Whatever, it kicks ass. Even their video for the Social Virus appears vintage.
Check out the video below and then visit them on Facebook.
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Alright, let's get really, really raw now. I happened upon the crossover UK band TOXIC RITUAL while doing a routine thrash search. At first listen, the production of their demo songs was a turn-off, offering up a rather weak guitar sound instead of the fuller mass of controlled distortion this type of music desperately needs.
However, I made it past the first song Rise of the Merzombies, which is a good thing considering my interest had at first been tainted by the recording.
By the time the chorus for Toxic Manifesto hit, I was rocking to these guys in full force. As loose, raw, and at times, sh*tty sounding the demo tends to be, the band Toxic Ritual freakin' ROCKS!
The riffs and dynamics in their tunes wear their influences well, and in a live setting, I bet they could set the place to flame.
Fans of punk/crossover thrash take note because once Toxic Ritual get a quality recording out to the masses, it will be a mosh-worthy addition to your collection. I can't wait to see where these guys take it from here.
Listen to the goods below and then check them out here and here.
Recently I was able to visit my good ol' mom and dad in southwest Kansas and dig through my old man's vinyl collection. I've been wanting to do that for a long time because I knew I had a few gems I kept in there from years ago, and it's been high time to take 'em back!
Thanks, dad for keeping them safe!
As I dug through, I found countless examples of classic rock albums - all belonging to my dad. I combed through Hendrix, Deep Purple, Blue Oyster Cult, Johnny Winter, Nazareth, Judas Priest, Joplin, Beatles, Trapeze, and many more, including tons of blues and jazz.
I kept thinking how cool it was that many of these records my dad owns were bought new off the shelf, right when they came out. At the time, who knew that Hendrix would become the legend he is today or that Smoke on the Water would contain the riff that launched 1,000 guitarists?
Some of my dad's records are weathered and beat to hell from years of use and abuse, but man it felt good pulling those albums out and giving them some overdue attention.
Then I found my stash! You see, my vinyl-buying time was rather brief before I switched to cassette tapes and then CDs. I have only a few vinyl albums, and it was during a time when I was feeling my way through music to see what struck a chord in me.
I found Pink Floyd, ZZ Top, Zeppelin, AC/DC, Kingdom Come, and the Howard the Duck soundtrack.
Yes. The Howard the Duck soundtrack.
That pretty much summed up my vinyl buying experience, but I still picked up a couple more records a few years after I made the switch to CDs, and those were the ones I was after.
Here is one of 'em:
I already had the Garage Days Re-Revisted on CD, but when I saw this poor guy stuck in the freaking CUT-OUT BIN for a measly $2.99, I snatched it up and to this day never opened it. It still has the "Do not pay MORE!!!" sticker on it.
Now, I doubt that I would sell it for $5.98, damn what the stick on the cover says (including the $2.99 sticker).
I plan to get a nice turntable in the near future, and I am debating whether or not to rip the plastic off the cover and give this record a spin. The collector in me was kicking me in the balls as I wrote that last sentence.
Here is the second vinyl I was after:
I got the Whiplash EP at a used dealer YEARS ago for about $10. This baby still looks brand-spankin' new, and I just love looking at it.
When I spotted these in the up-righted stack of records, I grabbed them up, added them to my sad little pile of vinyl and danced around a bit. My dad blankly looked at me and smiled. He loves music just as much as I do, so he understood my enthusiasm.
After I calmed down a bit, I put my pile to the side and continued to dig through my dad's records, pulling out stuff even he hasn't seen for years. We poured through quite a bit of his collection, dusting off memories and conversing about the magic of music.
Just...awesome.
We still have a bunch we haven't even went though yet. I can't wait to go back and continue where we left off.
Wow, so I was in for a surprise when I read that Diamond Plate replaced
bassist/vocalist Jon Macak with Matt Ares. Last I knew, these guys were
on their way to record a second album.
Well, they still ARE on
their way to album number two, but apparently the chemistry between Jon
and the rest of the band had deteriorated to the point of kicking the
guy out!
Here is the band's statement:
“Over the past few months we
have been writing and demoing songs for the next album. During that
time, we felt that the chemistry between Jon and the rest of the band
wasn’t as strong as it needed to be. We decided to move on, and find
someone that shared the same passion to create the music that we’ve
always wanted to make. We wish Jon all the best, and we want to thank
him for being a part of this band. We are extremely excited to announce
and welcome Matt Ares into the band as vocalist and bassist. Matt has
really been a breath of fresh air for us, and in the first two weeks of
jamming with him we were able to create an entirely new batch of songs
and finish demoing the second album. Matt’s voice and playing add new
dimensions to our sound, and we can’t wait for everyone to hear the band
now. Thanks for always supporting, and keep your ears open for a new
Diamond Plate record in 2013.”
This hit me like a ton of bricks, but after the dust settled in my head, I began speculating. That usually leads to trouble.
Well,
I HAVE to speculate since (as of this writing) I have yet to read an
official statement from Jon himself as to what the hell happened between
him and the other fellas. Maybe it's none of my business, but as a big
fan of Diamond Plate who invests time into the band's music, I can't
help but wonder.
I love the Generation Why? album but I know that there was a huge
backlash from those who believe that Diamond Plate strayed from the
sound found on their demo. Many detested the vocals. Personally, the
vocals did not bother me in the least. Others didn't like that every
song was full-on traditional thrash metal. Again, this did not bother me
because the dynamics between the "slow" songs and the thrash numbers
worked well within the album as a whole.
I'm bringing this up because I wonder if the backlash had something
to do with Jon's dismissal. Were they listening to the detractors and
decided a change would be for the better? Did management have a hand in
this? Did the band want to go further into what Generation Why? had
begun or did they want to abandon that and go pure thrash metal? Which
camp did Jon fall into and was this the reason for the breakdown in
band chemistry?
Speculation. My thoughts could all be bullsh*t and maybe he was let go because he's a Raiders fan or something. I don't know.
However, I am a fan of Jon Macak and if he chooses to continue in another band, I will check it out.
Also, I am a huge fan of Konrad Kupiec and Mario Cianci (he was in
Thrash or Die for God's sake!!), so I will absolutely check out the new
Diamond Plate album. I am curious as to which direction they will
venture toward musically.
And yes, James Nicademus is killer, too (drummers don't get enough love around here!). James, you kick ass! \m/
In
the end, I do wish the best for everyone involved, including new
bassist/vocalist Matt Ares. I hope the future bodes well for 'em, 'cause I'm ready for some new metal!
UPDATE ---
It looks like Jon Macak had released a statement publicly. Here's what he had to say:
To all who are not yet aware, I am no longer with Diamond Plate. It has been an extremely difficult pill to swallow but it is the truth. I would like to take a minute to thank all of the wonderful people who have played a part in the good times and successes that we enjoyed while I was a member of the band: our manager Frank Mastalerz for providing a calm voice and leading us through the difficult decisions; everyone at Earache Records for giving a bunch of kids a chance to live their dream when others would not; and all of the talented bands that we were fortunate enough to have toured and shared the stage with over the years for helping us learn how to be true professionals. All of the people mentioned above have my utmost respect and gratitude for the support that they have shown for me as well as the band during my time as a member.
In regard to my former band mates, I will attempt to jump the gun on some of the questions that I am expecting to get. I assume that many fans will want to know how or why the situation came to this resolution and my response to anyone wondering is that what happened is between Konrad, Jim, Mario, and I. My hope is that everyone will understand and respect that fact by trying to avoid any incendiary questions. What I will say is that due to how things transpired I am not currently on the best of terms with the guys but cannot overlook the reality of the situation. We grew up together, we shared countless adventures and amazing experiences together, worked our asses off to get where we got, and are who we are today because of the time we spent together. I am not happy about the end result but it would be ridiculous to release this statement without acknowledging what we accomplished.
Above all else, I would like to thank the fans that have given me the chance to perform onstage. Playing for you guys is what I am most thankful for and passionate about and I owe every good thing in my life to you for letting me do so all these years. Many of you know that my life has hit some difficult times in the past few years but the incredible and unending support that I have received from you was literally what helped give me the strength to get out of bed on a daily basis and face the obstacles that have been thrown my way. I have grown to be friends with many of you, especially in the Chicago scene, and I love and cherish each and every one of you. Going onstage to entertain you and bullshitting with you at the merch table is what I am on this planet to do and I will continue to pursue music as my career to do so. I will find a band that values the positives in my personality and performance and I will be onstage again. My desire to carry on despite what has transpired in my life is one-hundred percent thanks to all of you.
-Jon
So there you have it. Sounds like it wasn't amicable, but at least Jon seems determined to continue with music one way or another. I wish him luck!
So The New Wave of Thrash Metal Blog has reached its second year, and thanks to all of you, we keep growing and growing.
I
believe the popularity of this blog stems from the lack of "thrash
only" venues available online (or on the newsstands). Of course there
are a few good ones, such as the Global Thrash Assault, among others,
but for us thrash fans (along with thrash cousins punk/crossover and death metal), we take what we can get.
Usually, if you want to read about thrash metal, most of the
well-known metal magazines, both on and offline, usually offer up a
shred of thrash input to make room for the 100s of other sub genres
within the metal community.
The NWOTM Blog tips the aforementioned formula on its head: I offer
up a shred of other metal sub genres to make room for THRASH. I'm not
dogging on the other sub genres (in fact, I like most of 'em), but what
is a thrash-head to do when the pickings are so damn slim?
Well, I try to fill that open void just a little bit with the NWOTM
Blog. Personally, I not only want to know more about the thrash bands I
love, I also want to FIND MORE bands! As I have mentioned many times
before, the grassroots is where it's at: local, hardworking, bad-ass
thrash bands that have a couple unknown demos circulating on the Net.
I find these bands (or they find me) that I think are amazing and
want to share them with you all, putting them on par with the signed
bands that I love so much.
Of course I will write about the more
popular bands - I freakin' love those bands as well. However, I remember
what it was like playing in a local band and trying to spread the word about
my music, and how it felt when someone took notice.
After I posted the announcement of the NWOTM Blog's 2nd anniversary on the Facebook page,
I received a comment from Pat Smith, the bassist for the Texas metal
band Avenues of Approach, a band I recently posted on the blog. Pat
thanked me for spreading the good word of metal, and then wrote: "On behalf of AoA, I want to personally thank you! We are being
listened to in parts of the world I would have never imagined possible,
and that is all because of the NWTMB, and your dedication. While I don't
see a "World Tour" any time soon, it's still really cool to say we're
being listened to in 5 different countries! And the NWTMB is completely
responsible for that."
Personally, for me, his statement is awesome. Awesome! Not in an
ego-stroking way. It's just validation to me that the Blog is doing what
its meant to do: Get the word OUT!
So thank YOU to all the
thrash fans and bands out there who check out this blog (and its accompanying Facebook page). You fans display a love and hunger for thrash, complete
with a NEED to search out and discover new bands who can crank out your
favorite sub genre of metal. It's a passion that should never be
extinguished.
Over in Wincher, VA, there be METAL going by the name of ANIMAS.
Listening to their new EP titled Blood on the Iron, fans of power thrash
will find much to enjoy. Maiden-esque guitar gallops merge with epic,
moody solo sections while vocalist/bassist John Habuda flips from a
rough Mustaine-sounding vox to demonic screams.
Most of the music is slow to mid-paced grinding metal, mixing plenty
of melody with the aggression, but there are definitely moments of
explosive thrash to keep the dynamics popping. The twin guitar work of
Kyle Luttrell and Kory Campbell kicks mucho ass, bringing to mind a less
frenzied Chris Peterson (of Cellador fame) style - and such, turned a
lot of Animas's music into pure ear candy for yours truly.
Give ANIMAS a shot by listening to the tune below and then visit them here.
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For a more abrasive direction, let's check out Australia's crossover thrashers DSMB. Their self-titled EP was released last year and I'm pissed that I've only recently discovered these guys.
DSMB's 6-song quick blast of face-shattering crossover first caught my attention with their relentless homage to old-shcool thrash/punk, but then thoroughly kicked my ass with their catchy, slammin' riffage. DSMB show diverse influences all over the thrash map (hints of S.O.D., Slayer, Municipal Waste, and even Vio-lence), but always with a foot planted in the crossover sub genre, helped along with vocalist Boskie's pissed-off and on-target delivery.
Over repeated listenings, I love the self-titled EP more and more. Check out the songs below and then hit up DSMB here where you can download a few of their songs for free, or stream the entire EP here.
Let's get back into the madness with a Richmond, VA band that blesses
the listener with a hammerface full of killer chugging metal. HUMUNGUS
rides the line of traditional metal and thrash, offering up rough to
clean/high-pitched sonic screams with ferocious e-string destroying
riffage.
Their tune Martial Law slams along with driving guitars until toward
the middle of the song it almost turns into a Megadeth tribute song,
vocal pattern and all. I'm not complaining - it still kicks ass, but it
becomes obvious that old-school 'deth is a huge influence.
Humungus have a ton of killer ideas and when they work, they work
really well. Check out the goods below and hit Humungus up here and here. If you dig 'em, buy their Drinkin' a Beer EP here.
Texas metal men AVENUES OF APPROACH offer up an impressive well-rounded kick to their music, mixing it up between fist-pumping metal and gasoline-chugging hard rock.
With AoA's new EP, titled New Revolution, they are churning out a brand of metal that is rather accessible, walking that fine line of producing music that is both pit-worthy as well as something you could buy at Target.
Damn if that doesn't sound like a backhanded compliment, but the statement truly isn't. AoA simply know how to write relatively wide-appeal metal with muscle, all the while evading the Load/Reload road entirely.
Vocalist Brock Brooks freakin' nails it on these songs. Without his vocal dynamic, the music (as good as it already is) would definitely loose some impact. Brooks's seemingly effortless delivery brings to mind doses of Pantera, Coal Chamber (!), and even the Foo Fighters (!!), and utilizes his varied technique like a splash of lighter fluid to keep the music burning.
Truthfully, my hard thrash biases started stinging me when Brooks would go into clean-singing mode, but once I actually listened to what was going on in the music, that all changed. Now I couldn't imagine songs such as Through Darkness and A Test of Wills without that specific dynamic.
Although Brooks shines on this album, the rest of the band holds their own just fine, hammering out tight guitar work and a rhythm section that drives this sh*t through walls. Bad ass!
Purists beware, because although AoA definitely uses thrash in their music arsenal, they also add multi layers of groove metal and hard rock, using the sub-genres to their advantage.
Check out the goodies below and then hit up Avenues Of Approach here.
Hell, I thought I wrote a few doting words about the Columbus, GA band STUMP GRINDER. I haven't, and for fans of raw, punk-fueled, metallic, riff-rocky, humorous, crossoverish thrash -- I'm sorry. I should have said something about these guys earlier. Bad NWOTM Blog! Bad!
However, with the release of their next "single" Woodchipper Jones, not only did Stump Grinder bring their name to the forefront of my music-overloaded brain, they also planted a fat smile on my handsome mug. I love this stuff!
Listening to Woodchipper Jones, I find myself jamming out to thrash metal wrapped in sped-up, finger-tangling riff-rock, weaved in with bits o' punk and death. What's not to love?
The other two available tunes offer up just as much fun. Welcome to the Bar bring to mind the aggression of Toxic Holocaust while Fuzzy Death Machine hits on a more traditional thrash metal sound with a punked-out chorus. Fun as hell.
I read that they have a couple more tunes in the works to be released soon, and although I am more than stoked to hear them, I would love for Stump Grinder to hunker down and churn out a killer full-length.
Check out the good below, hit them up here, and download some FREE Stump Grinder tunes here.
A mammoth congratulations to Danish thrashers ESSENCE for winning the Rock the Nations Awards 2012.
Why
is this a big deal? Hell, it's more than your average bar-band battle
of the bands gig. As the winner, Essence earned a worldwide record deal
with Noise Art records as well as a booking contract with Rock the Nation.
Bad ass! As a huge, huge fan of their Ultimhate debut Lost in
Violence, I couldn't be more excited. Apparently, Essence's new album is
already in the can and will be released in early 2013!
Here's
hoping these fortunate circumstances offer the band a wider reach around
the globe, especially for the accessibility of a physical product (I
only have my obligately cherished MP3s of the Lost in Violence album).
Also, I'm ecstatic about the idea that such a wider reach will bring
them to the US.
Oh, yeah!
If you're interested, check out my review of Lost in Violencehere as well as my Essence interview here.
Now, for God's sake, please release a sample of the new stuff! NOW!!! Or I can wait. Whatever.
In case you didn't know, Sweden's PLECTOR is breaking up at the dawn of the release of their next album titled Punishment Day. With the financial pressures of maintaining a full-time underground deathrash band, I would be the last person to cast stones at these guys for calling it quits.
However, I find Plector's Punishment Day an incredible slab of sick 'n' savage metal, making the whole situation rather bittersweet.
Listening to Punishment Day, you can tell that Plector injects a well-rounded understanding of how to orchestrate face-pummeling, groove-laden metal. These guys maintain a secure grasp on what makes this type of music tick, proving it song after song in a series of furious thrashings and mid-paced neck-crushers.
How vocalist/guitarist Erik Engbo can harness such killer riffage on a continuous level is impressive to say the least. The dynamics between songs, such as No Reward and To Be Punished deliver both locomotive thrash chug-fests as well as pounding after pounding of crushing death grooves that bring to mind Jungle Rot's finest moments.
If this album starts a well-earned fire throughout the underground, I'm hoping that Punishment Day will have Plector remembered as a band who went out while in top form.
A big congratulations to Ireland's own DAMAGEFLAG. These young thrashers inked a deal with Punkerama Records which will release the band's debut EP on November 1st.
If you have yet to hear Damageflag's music, these guys crank out driving thrash with mind-hooking riffage and an overwhelming sense of having a hell of a good time.
Their tune Ride Like Hell has branded itself in my brain. The main riff is genius and the chorus is perfect for the live-performance-audience-participation scream along.
Listen to their goods below and then hit Damageflag up here.
How might one get a grasp of what California's Prainbork is shelling out? Geez.
This is an epileptic attack mix of punk and metal bubbling with video game aggression and surreal humor. The layers of odd brilliance shine through in each song as Prainbork mastermind Art Bertik-Marquez channels his inner Mr. Bungle with nods to 50s rock, avant-garde jazz, and industrial, all peppered in a multi-genre mass of mind-blowing metal.
Prainbork's album A Wrench Short of a Baker's Dozen is driving and thunderous, with touches of atmospheric ghostliness and cartoon insanity. This is what it must have been like in the mind of a late-70s era Robin Williams.
Check out the songs below and hit Prainbork up here.
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Back in 2008, in good ol' South Yorkshire, guitarist Niall Roberts assembled the thrash building blocks for the band Septic Fatality. Four years later the public finally gets a taste of their upcoming EP titled Into the Tomb.
Sure the title of both the band and the EP scream death metal, but Septic Fatality are simple-yet-effective, pure thrash. As for the taste of their upcoming EP, ever since I heard Septic Fatality's tune Sadistic Maniac, I find myself going back over and over again, listening to their only available song like an addict. Is Sadistic Maniac a wheel-inventing thrash tune? Not by a long shot, but dammit, everything about it rocks. The raw production, the mind-infecting riffs, and the shout-along vocals offer the listener some horns-up thrash injected with small doses of Municipal Waste and Gama Bomb. What the song lacks in gut-punching dynamics, it makes up for in bare-bones attitude and catchy guitar chugging.
I'm ready to hear the rest of the Into the Tomb!
Listen to Sadistic Maniac below and then visit Septic Fatality here.
California's GrimWolf are described as "Pure American Werewolf Metal"! Werewolf metal? Hey, man, I can get on board, especially when the music is this beastly and aggressive.
As a horror movie fan, I was initially intrigued by GrimWolf's take on werewolves and how they plug the subject into most of their songs (Lycanthrope, Becoming the Beast, Little Red, etc.). Of course any band's cool gimmick has to be backed up by killer tunes, and thankfully GrimWolf provides ass-kicking ear sustenance as well.
GrimWolf hits hard with a solid heavy rock foundation, raging with melodic and occasional southern-tinged riffage. They add in heavy doses of thrash and death metal to create a savage climate for the listener to roam through - preferably under the light of a full moon.
With a seamless combination of old-school and modern thrash influences, the assault of GrimWolf's straight-forward chugging riffs are undeniably heavy as hell, and the when they break into melodic twists, killer solos, and traditional metal overtones, it all comes together into a monster of well-written metal.
Check out the tunes below and hit GrimWolf up here and here.
Why the hell isn't LICH KING getting pushed by a solid record label? Surely their last two efforts earned a spot next to Evile, Diamond Plate, Gama Bomb, Bonded By Blood, etc., as far as well-written, quality thrash metal.
Even if the naysayers scoff at Lich King for being unoriginal or too goofy to be taken seriously, one would still have to admit there is an appeal to Lich King's music, whether one understands it or not.
Personally, I understand the music's appeal for me. I freakin' enjoy old-school thrash metal, and Lich King knows how to write a kick-ass song. Period.
Way back when Lich King released "Combat Mosh" as a teaser to the new album, the driving riffs and head banging dynamics had my mouth watering to hear more. That was approximately one year ago, so it's a good thing I didn't hold my breath until Born of the Bomb's release. In fact, I remember thinking what the hell was taking so long in popping that new album out…you know, since I am Mr. Impatient. I mean, Lich King offers up a couple samples to taste and an absolutely killer album cover, and they expect me to calmly wait while they seemingly stall the recording process (something I seriously doubt they did)?
Now although I was impressed with the teaser songs (which also included Wage Slave and the fantastic We Came to Conquer), I wasn't expecting anything more or anything less from the new Lich King album than a few well-written thrash tunes ranging from good to great which will occupy my car CD player for the next month or two as I drive to and from work.
Well, scratch that sh*t right now. I may not have been expecting anything more from BotB than a few well-written thrash tunes, but what I got instead is a monster of a metal album that will most certainly do more than occasionally occupy my car CD player. What I got is a full-on solid slab of hungry thrash metal that will rule in my music listening rotation for a long time to come.
From the get-go, I really dug the short, sweet, and heavy-as-hell opener All Hail. However, I freakin' knew I hit pay dirt with this album once the two following familiar songs lead into In The End, Devastation. This track is the teeth-gritting stomp and blistering thrash attack I crave in my metal. The chugging riffs actually bring to mind early Pro-Pain and vocalist Tom Martin's use of dynamics between his vocal rhythms and the music's metal onslaught is perfection.
Other highlights include Agnosticism, which at first was my only weak link on the album until the actual music of the track sunk in and completely infected me. The song's initial build-up to an incursion of stomping thrash is mirrored in pure awesomeness by the solo sections of impactful musical prowess. i.e. It's bad-ASS.
Another killer track is Axe Cop, a razor-sharp thrash smasher with a chorus fans will definitely shout while submerged within the song's insanity.
The closer, Lich King IV (Born of the Bomb) ups the dosage of brain-sick riffage and pure thrash tempos that will make even the most hardened Vio-lence fan smile.
So yes, I may have been whining about how long it took to finally hear the full album after the first teaser release, however, I have to keep in mind that top-notch takes time. What's better than top-notch thrash, right? With Born of the Bomb, Lich King stepped up the quality and created a herculean thrash metal album more than worthy of our time as fans of the genre.
So why isn't Lich King getting a well-earned push by a solid record label? I don't know, but it's their loss. Absolutely one of the best of 2012.
Freakin' ERADIKATOR! Jamming out to this Birmingham thrash band is so much f*cking FUN that I am pissed I just recently discovered them. These guys know how to get the listener's head moving with a barrage of tightly executed riffs wrapped around some solid thrash metal song writing.
The catchy hooks and all-out energy Eradikator expels in their music brings to mind the clockwork hammering of Overkill's last two albums. Tracks such as Skeletal Steel and Overthrow display a ruthless aggression and tight-as-hell delivery that propels the killer drumming and rhythm playing to the foreground.
Eradikator's Odysseus is an instrumental that is absolutely stunning in its dynamics of blues-based emotion and hard-as-nails metal attack. It's epic. This track alone has more substance and backbone than most bands can garner in their entire careers. I've listened to Odysseus multiple times and I am continuously blown away by the mountainous array of feelings this song stirs in me. Truly, truly fantastic.
The bottom line is that Eradikator is a thrash band that should be turning the heads of thrash fans everywhere, and here's hoping that they go on to bigger and better places without changing a damn thing about what they do and who they are. Just…bad ass.
Listen and devour the available streaming songs below and then hit them up here.
The New Wave of Thrash Metal Blog is proud to present "Lich King IV (Born of the Bomb)", an all-new track from the mighty LICH KING! This tune comes from the brand-spankin' new album titled Born of the Bomb, to be released tomorrow (Friday, September 28th).
To help forge the new track into the stellar piece of bad-assery that it is, Lich King IV (Born of the Bomb) also features Jay Visser and Patrick Lind of the legendary MORBID SAINT!
Just so you know, Lich King is debuting other tracks from the album on the following blogs:
So make sure you head their way after you get a blistering taste of pure metal right here. After you check out the tunes, go tell Lich King how much you dig 'em on their Facebook page and then order Born of the Bombhere!
Hey, let's talk METAL in an all-new info-laced THRASHLINE post!
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So we have less than a week before LICH KING drops their new album Born of the Bomb. Speaking as a fan of the King's previous albums, the new stuff they previewed has surpassed my expectations. If you've heard the tunes Combat Mosh or the already-classic-in-my-book We Came to Conquer, then you know what I'm yapping' about. Catchy, riff-tastic old-school thrash METAL! I'm really excited to hear the rest of this album.
Pre-order this beast here. Tell Lich King I said, "Hi!"
My brother-in-blog over at the GLOBAL THRASH ASSAULT is in the final stages of unleashing their first thrash compilation album titled Wreck Your Neck! The complete track listing has not been released as of this writing, but so far the project looks more than promising.
Tom Martin, of the aforementioned band Lich King provided the killer cover art.
As a side note, the love and dedication Global Thrash Assault puts into our favorite genre of metal is outstanding. Admittedly I am a little envious of the amount of posts the blog cranks out on a regular basis, and now a freakin' compilation album to help spread to word! Love it!
Keep your eye on them here and here for future details on the album (as well as an onslaught of comments and reviews on your favorite bands).
Sooooo have we all been keeping tabs on the mighty DR. LIVING DEAD and their upcoming album Radioactive Intervention? It's no secret that I'm a slobbering fan of their debut album and can hardly believe that a new one is on the horizon.
The album is supposed to drop sometime in November, so I would expect to hear a sample of the new stuff SOON, PLEASE…just to satisfy my insatiable thirst for all things Dr. Living Dead. At least we have the new album art. Nice! Other details on the new album can be found here.
If you've been living under a rock, check out their Thrashing the Law EP below and then buy their self-titled debut album!
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From what I understand, Greece's thrash titans BIO-CANCER are still on the lookout for a new guitarist. Man, I am rooting for these guys to find the right person for the job because this HAS to be done right. Why? Because I absolutely LOVE their debut album Ear Piercing Thrash. The riffage on that album has a very specific sound that gives Bio-Cancer a unique voice in thrash metal.
I know the guys in the band are serious about their music and won't just hand the guitar duties to some riffless wonder, but the guy who steps in had better understand what makes Bio-Cancer kick so much ass.
Meanwhile, I'll try not to worry about it (too much) and just put my trust into the Bio-Cancer camp.
California's ATTACKHEAD will be playing the freakin' HELL and HEAVEN METAL FESTIVAL in good ol' Guadalajara, Mexico! But instead of me wasting my precious lifeblood writing all about it, why don't I just copy and past the press release?
"Southern California thrash metal band Attackhead has announced plans to perform at Hell and Heaven Metal Fest in Guadalajara Mexico on Oct 27th. Hell and Heaven Metal Festival is currently the only open air metal festival in Mexico. The Festival is dedicated to metal, but tries to balance genders like: Heavy, Glam, Metalcore, Thrash, Speed, Death, Black and Industrial metal. The festival had its first edition in October 2010 with three stages and 40 bands. In 2011, the promoters exceeded an 20,000 audience and have confirmed 57 international performing artists. This year’s line up will include Attackhead as well as headliners Anthrax and Heathen. Additionally, Attackhead will be available in Guadalajara Mexico for a Meet and Greet on Friday afternoon sponsored by Metal Mexico. Singer and lead guitarist Mark Chapman said “This will be our first time in Mexico and we are very excited to get down there and perform for our fans”. Attackhead is promoting their latest release “Voices in the Dark – Second Attack” which was remixed/mastered and released in August 2011. The album was also released on classic vinyl in February 2012."
Well, that's awesome, right? For more details check out Attackhead here and H&H Fest here.
Hey! Listen to some Attackhead songs!
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Yeah! Luuk H. reminded me that NUCLEAR DEVASTATION have a couple new songs available for your listening pleasure! If you don't know about these guys, here is where I gushed about 'em on this very blog. The new tunes, MetalPunkDeathSquad and Stench of Death are from Nuclear Devastation's split 7" with PRIMAL ORDER, and both are raw and sick as hell.
Check out the songs below (together in one vid), and then check out the band here.
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I don't know what they scream about and I can't read anything on their Facebook page, but Indonesia's FRAGOR kicks all kinds of ass. Plus, their two available songs are posted for FREE download! Check them out here and grab their tunes.
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Those sick bastards VIOLENTOR are getting closer to the November release of their new album titled Rot. As a big fan who has Violentor's debut consistently in my album-listening rotation, I have high hopes for the new one (which I assume will also be released via EBM Records).
The band has graciously released a few song previews for us all to enjoy. Check them out below and keep up with the band here.
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Tennessee's own PARALYZER are on the search for a new drummer. They have been looking for quite a while, and apparently nothing has gelled, so how about any of you thrash drummers out there looking for a gig? Local to the area? Willing to relocate? Living in Antarctica? Whatever! Check out their stuff below and hit them up here.
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I know I pimped out the new Sewercide track off the upcoming 7" split they are doing with RANDOMORDER. So let's flip the album over and listen to Randomorder's tune Resurrection! Great band, great song!
The Teutonic Terror Attack concert with ACCEPT and KREATOR. Man, I was so close to not going to this concert.
The answer as to "WHY?!?" is rather stupid, considering I have never seen either Accept or Kreator live in concert, and living in Kansas, I figure there might not be too many other opportunities to see these bands…especially at the same show.
So, the reason I almost decided to forgo a night of pure metal insanity stems from the fact that I hate going to concerts alone.
Boo-hoo.
But dammit, this IS the Teutonic Terror Attack concert, so I had to man up and not allow the fact that all my former concert-going sidekicks either moved away or no longer go to concerts deter ME from having a good time. Man, getting old might suck, but I ain't gonna let it TOTALLY suck, you know?
The place had a healthy crowd, and by the time Accept hit the stage, the audience was ready to freakin' ROCK. Accept did not disappoint, crushing us with Hung, Drawn and Quartered, Stalingrad, Bucket Full of Hate, and Up to the Limit, among many others.
These guys were have FUN, and I love watching a band enjoy themselves on stage. Accept kicked my ass hard, and I was rocking out even though I knew I had to save some energy for Kreator (I told you getting old sucks).
So then it happens.
Accept finishes and then at least a quarter of the audience clears out of the club and goes the f*ck home. Argh! Now I know that some of the old-school Accept listeners come from a different world than the underground extreme thrash scene, but come ON. I just hated to see the crowd thin out like that before Kreator, a legendary metal band in their own right, hits the stage.
Mille and company probably took a peek at the crowd while Accept was on and thought, "Ah, zis is goot!" Then they hit the stage and said, "Was fällt dir denn eigentlich ein? Vat happen to all ze peoplez?" (I write a German accent just as well as I speak actual German).
However, the thinned audience didn't thin the skin of the Kreator crew. Also, I must boast, that the thinning crowd didn't bother me once Kreator started considering I was right up front, nearly 20 feet from Mr. Petrozza!
A photo I took with my really, really crappy phone.
When they hit the stage, they went all-out. Pure, blistering, sweaty, loud as hell METAL! Ninety percent of the show you get a nice silhouette of the band members as Kreator seem to really like the combination of fog and backlights. Mille displays pure bad-assery when he does his "metal dramatic" scream-betweens - "The Kreator has RETURRRRRNED!"
Freakin' awesome. Period.
They hammered the audience with an arsenal of old and new favorites including Phantom Antichrist, Phobia, Hordes of Chaos, People of the Lie, Violent Revolution, and Pleasure to Kill.
By the end of the show, I was freakin' HYPED that I can finally check Kreator (and Accept!) off my "need-to-see" list. I was also hyped that I didn't wuss out and actually went to the show. I'd be kicking myself now if I didn't.
Here are a couple new thrash videos for all you freaks who require a little eye candy to go with your metal!
First we have Toxic Terror from the Greek thrashmasters EXARSIS! This tune comes out with all guns blazing, kicking out a full-throttle thrash assault that should bring pleasurable pain to the ears of thrash fans everywhere.
Alex's vocals might be an acquired taste, but I think he is freakin' awesome as he simple KILLS it here. Look for Toxic Terror to be included on Exarsis's upcoming album The Brutal State!
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Next we have the riff-hammering thrash of Brazil's ownJackDevil. Their song Under the Metal Command is a speedy mass of blazing guitar hooks and headbanging bliss! JackDevil has a knack for writing some catchy and brutal thrash metal.
Watch and thrash out to the video below and then keep up with them here and here.
I haven't had a new Weekend Breakdown post in a while, so let's kick one out early this time.
Also, let me add that if you have some time, make sure to comb through the rest of this blog and check out the ton of bands I have featured over the last couple of years. Sure you might not like all of 'em, but I guarantee there will be a couple gems in there that are destined to grab you by the throat. That's why you're here, right?
Right! Let's get on with it!
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Eeriness abound, we have the three piece thrash-influenced metal outfit called SERPENT CROWN. This San Francisco based band boasts a terrifying sound built from the driving riffs and otherworldly screams from guitarist/vocalist Dara Santhai. Current Death Angel drummer Will Carroll keeps the mass of fuzzed-out thrash rock on track.
Serpent Crown may not be traditional thrash metal, but they definitely have the thrash DNA weaved into their music, which also blends in small amounts of hardcore over the outpouring of heavy, atmospheric rock. Completely bad-ass.
Dara's vocals are both harsh and spectral at once, injecting a haunting characteristic into the music that carries her voice like a magic carpet that is destined for the abyss.
Heavy, fast, and at times, unearthly, one must check out more than one song to get a grasp of what they are offering.
Listen to their tunes below and then hit them up here.
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Now let's head on over to San Antonio, Texas to check out the brutality of old-school thrashers AGGRAVATOR! Influenced by Kreator, Venom, and Slayer (aren't we all?) these guys hammer out blistering thrash with traces of death metal.
The songs are well thought out with bursts of speed and pure headbanging fury. Vocalist/rhythm guitarist Derek Jones is freakin' killer, spewing forth a sound like a thrashier Schuldiner/John Tardy mix.
Jesse Lopez's guitar solos are well-placed, sounding clean, killer, and purposeful to the music.
Well done! I'd love to see these guys live.
For now, however, I have to jam out to their tunes below and you should, too! Afterward, go tell 'em hi on Facebook.
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Let's get into some Canadian crossover with the thrashin' styling of MEATHOOK!
With their album Hymns of the Divine Drunks, we are treated to unabashed party/beer/pizza thrash that has no problem kicking the asses of fans that dig this spectrum of the thrash machine.
The music is fast and loose, with some kicking metal and punk riffage throughout. Beyond what one would expect from Meathook's brand of thrash, there are definitely bursts of sick genius to be found, such as in the songs Scumbum and Fat Kid on the Toilet.
Check out their tunes below, have some drunk, thrashing fun, and then visit Meathook here.
