Tag

thrash metal

Browsing

Echidna I have long been a fan of the thrash metal scene but over the years so many lackluster acts have flooded the scene and in my opinion ‘watered down’ the genre. Every once on a while though a band comes along that stands out from all the others, injecting new life and hope into the scene. So it was with great pleasure that I stumbled across the Portuguese thrash metal band, Echidna and their new release, Dawn Of The Sociopath. This is a record that packs a punch and will have you snapping your neck and begging…

Perhaps it’s time we started calling this new thrash metal revivalism movement “new school thrash metal”. After all, with excellent bands like Havok and Revocation manipulating the old school style of thrash metal into something so creative and fresh, they deserve to be the next batch of “thrash pioneers” since they have pretty much redefined what it means to be playing “thrash” in the modern era of metal. “Havok” is sure to replace the ubiquitous “Slayer” comparison in metal album reviews from now on!

This is Hell come out the box swinging on their fourth full-length release, Black Mass. The first thing I noticed when I began listening to this disc was the slight change of direction in the band’s musical style. While they still have a solid hardcore base, Black Mass seems to incorporate more metal elements into the mix. This is especially evident on the tracks, “Black Mass” and “The Wars: Part Two” which in my opinion are more all-out thrashers than hardcore punk tunes. No matter how you categorize these guys though, this is a really good effort and one fans are sure to dig.

Recently I recently had the opportunity to speak with Masaki Murashita, guitarist and vocalist for the Arizona-based extreme metal band, Hemoptysis. Their latest release, Misanthropic Slaughter, has garnered the band critical acclaim from press around the globe and with their recent signing to Rock It Up/IceWarrior Records Hemoptysis is poised to make their mark on the metal world. Here’s what Murashita had to say.

I thought California had cornered the market on thrash with bands such as Testament, Death Angel, Exodus, Metallica and other greats. Then, I heard Canadian band Hero’s Last Rite’s album Inevitable Is The End. They have all the components of a great thrash metal band: speed, heaviness and tough vocals. With this combination Hero’s Last Rite released 11 tracts of crazy, thrash metal that will pummel any fan’s ear drums.