Death Angel – “The Evil Divide” [Album Review]

Let’s take a step back in time… it’s the Fall of 1988 and Death Angel are on the “Frolic Through the Park Tour” and just had their amps and PA shut off by venue management near the end of their set in Phoenix, Arizona. Death Angel DGAF and continue to play their instruments acoustically while running around and mocking the stage manager as he tries to shoo them away to no avail. This is the attitude of thrash metal. FUCK YOU, we don’t care that we went over our set time! These kids paid to see us and we will continue to play! We were all much younger then and had piss and vinegar running through our veins. Almost 30 years after the release of their masterpiece, The Ultra-Violence, Death Angel is releasing their 8th full-length album, The Evil Divide.

The Evil Divide consists of 10 tracks boasting the same attitude the group had at that above-mentioned show. A lot has changed in the Death Angel camp since their inception in 1982, but you still get Mark Osegueda’s signature vociferous vocals and Rob Cavestany’s rapid-fire riffing and ripping leads. The rest of the unit has been stable for three albums now and it shows on The Evil Divide. They sound tight, focused and locked in with each other. There are also a couple of guest guitar solos with Andreas Kisser of Sepultura and famed record producer Jason Suecof sharing some licks. A couple of the stand out tracks include “Hatred United / United Hate” for its groove-laden rhythm and “Hell to Pay” for the punk-inspired riffing.

If you’re hoping for The Ultra-Violence part two, then you’ll be disappointed. If you listen to The Evil Divide at face value and with no reservations, you’ll enjoy it for what it is; a very good thrash metal album released by a veteran thrash metal band. Death Angel are older and wiser in 2016 but still have piss and vinegar running through their veins. The Evil Divide is proof of that.

Track Listing:

01. The Moth
02. Cause for Alarm
03. Lost
04. Father of Lies
05. Hell to Pay
06. It Can’t Be This
07. Hatred United / United Hate
08. Breakaway
09. The Electric Cell
10. Let the Pieces Fall

Run Time: 45:13
Release Date: May 27, 2016

Check out the song “Hatred United/United Hate”