Okay, we are BACK! The thrash world keeps a-turning, and so much has happened during my month-long hiatus. Let my typing fingers run off for a moment before I slice into the meat of the post.
First of all, the deal between Ultimhate Records and Norwegian thrashers TANTARA fell through for reasons unknown to those outside the band's circle. Needless to say, their debut album Based on Evil has still not been released, leaving the fans starving for new Tantara tunes (meaning they must go back and wear out those killer demos).
We're all awaiting word on the new deal Tantara supposedly has in the works. If you have read my review of Based on Evil, you know how much I love this album, and it's going to be a great day when I can either hit the store or impatiently wait for mail order to get my hands on a true-to-life hard copy of Based on f'n EVIL.
Second and third major bad ass happenstances are the releases of Overkill's The Electric Age and Municipal Waste's The Fatal Feast. Admittedly, I have yet to dive into The Fatal Feast, but it will have it's time to make my ears bleed soon enough.
The same can't be said for The Electric Age which I have been continuously blasting since the day I bought it. THIS is pure-blooded METAL. A non-stop barrage of ass-kickings that I plan to experience live at Killfest next week.
Meanwhile, many of us are tapping our feet waiting for Lich King's Born of the Bomb and Insinnerator's Hypothermia albums to surface. So while we wait for their inevitable releases to kick in our teeth, I have a ton of goodies for you all to check out. This is going to be a long-ass post, but you may as well stick around. What else do you have to do other than read about some killer thrash bands?
Let's get started!
There will always be bands out there that fly under my radar, but my internet searching skills are keen as an eagle eye, and eventually kick-ass bands from all over the world will be discovered.
One such band is Russia's HELL'S THRASH HORSEMEN. These dudes formed in 2007 and released their first ep titled …Till Violence in 2009. The debut ep is good, offering up stomping riffs that drive up your spine to put pressure on that headbanging nerve.However, on their following releases, 2010's Going Sane and 2012's "DEMO 2012" take the songwriting up a notch, mowing the listener over with furious riffage and rolling thrash tempos that brings to mind a harsh mix of Overkill and Gama Bomb.
Hell's Thrash Horsemen get meaner and better with each release. The bonus is that you can get each of their releases for CHEAP on their Bandcamp page.
Listen below and then check them out here.
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In case you didn't know, New York deathrashers LEGIONARY have finally unleashed their beast of an album titled Arcane Divisions on iTunes. I have heard it and it crushes. I will give my thoughts on this slab of killer metal in an upcoming post. Meanwhile, check out their tune below and hit them up on Facebook here.
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On the punk side of the thrash spectrum, we have Seattle, WA's THE INSURGENCE. These guys offer up a three point punch to the throat with heavy doses of rockin' punk, aggressive hardcore, and searing crossover thrash. With teeth-gritting, fist-pumping angst, The Insurgence deliver the goods on their Never Surrender EP and their self-titled full-length.
Listen below, pick up their tunes (digital or hard copy) over on their Bandcamp page, and then keep up with them on Facebook.
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Check out the thrashtastic insanity of Finland's own SAKREME. These guys take the old-school Metallica riffing and add hints of Pantera twang (minus the groove) to create some tough-as-nails metal.
The rhythm is chunky and tight, working in the essential dynamics to get the head moving. The fierce post acoustic opening to their song Statue of Imagination should get even the laziest pit to open up and destroy.
Give a listen to the tune below, check out some of their tunes on SoundCloud, and if you dig it, buy it on iTunes. Afterward, hit them up here.
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Hey! STRIKING DEATH recently released the song Save a Skater, Drain a Pool. The vocals are delivered in an old-school crossover manner, with lyrics that go from goofy to disturbing (or goofy to even MORE goofy, depending on your outlook).
In any case, this is another fine thrashing tune to stab into your ears. Listen below and check out Striking Death here!
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Austrailian thrash heavyweights 4ARM are finally dipping their collective toes into North America, so far playing three different shows…all in California. Will there be more U.S. dates coming? I don't know, but I hope so (of course)!
Check the dates here and then watch the video for their killer tune Raise a Fist below.
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From Belgium we have the band PREMATORY, featuring a batch of young dudes who know how to thrash it up! Formed in 2007 when the members were all within the same age of 15! In 2010, after a well-recieved demo, they released their first full length album titled Suiciety.
Prematory fits most of their tunes around mid-paced rhythms and riffs that would mix well with traditional metal as well as thrash. Vocalist Simon Duson belts it out with a style similar (although not identical) to Lemmy with hints of Mustaine.
Suiciety is a damn good start for Prematory and I can only imagine that these guys will get better and better with age and experience, so needless to say, I am hyped to hear their next offering.
As for you, check out the tune below and then go like 'em on Facebook.
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Now to go off the charts a bit and check out a band that weaves all kinds off aggressive genres into their music. Thrash, groove, rock, death, and bits of NOLA riffage twists throughout each of WESTERN DEAD's tunes, working them into worthy slabs of pure bad-assery.
Vocalist Robin Stevens summons a mixture of Al Jourgensen and Joel Grind, using his gravelly vocals to roll out with spot-on dynamics to effortlessly fit the songs, making them even better than they already are.
Western Dead may not be a thrash purist's cup of tea, but for those who like heavy music in general definitely need to check these guys out.
Listen below and head over to their Facebook page to say "Howdy".
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Another kick-ass Australian thrash band HEAD IN A JAR released their new video for for the song based on the band's name. If that wasn't cool enough, they have also made their Atomic Circus EP available as a FREE freakin' download! It's like a double gift of pure awesome.
Watch the vid below, get Atomic Circus here for free, and then keep tabs on Head in a Jar here!
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Speaking of FREE metal, I have a handful of bands that are offering up their hard work for your thrashing pleasure.
EXERCIUM from Portugal have risen up to destroy society with their 3-song EP (aptly titled) Destruction of Society! These thrashers wallop the listener with galloping riffs and harsh hooks. Is the music reinventing the unicycle? No, but who cares? Exercium set out to write some tight, pit worthy thrash, and they succeed on all counts. Besides, the rhythms these guys come up with are pure gold - not overtly complex, but just enough to get the metal juggernaut moving full force.
Did that make sense?
Anyway, listen below, go download Destruction of Society for free, and then Facebook 'em here.
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SEWERCIDE have been making the blog rounds lately, and they rightfully SHOULD. These guys are yet another Australian thrash band that utterly rules. Their 2-song EP titled Severe Trauma is unbelievably harsh and catchy, bringing forth an onslaught of searing thrash that could give Warbringer a run for the money. Scoff if you will, but go download Severe Trauma here for FREE and let the bludgeoning begin!
After that, go here to ask them for more!
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You have to admit that Brazil is no slouch when it comes to metal. So when I came across Brazil's own deathrashers BONEBREAKER, I was hyped to see that they have compiled all their demo songs into one kick-ass download…for free! How these guys manage to sound so unbelievably evil while singing about a beer tsunami is beyond me, but it works to the most ass-kicking degree. I love the riffs these guys string together mixed with the bloodthirsty angst brought forth in the vocals.
Click over to their Bandcamp page to get a free dose of thrashing insanity and then keep up with these crazy-ass Brazilians here.
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Okay, I have to stop here. I could go on and on, but then I would never get this damn post published. I have a TON of other stuff for you all, so hopefully I can get more to you within the coming week.
Stay metal!
- r. lawrence blake
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