BAT - Primitive Age

Tracklisting:

1. BAT

2. Total Wreckage

3. Code Rude

4. Rule of the Beast

5. Primitive Age

Band Members:

Ryan Waste - Bass/Vocals

Felix Griffin - Drums  

Nick Poulos - Guitars

Imagine if Ryan Waste from Municipal Waste decided to star a band where he played Venom style proto-black thrash with Felix Griffin from D.R.I./Blunt Force Trauma. Doesn't that sound awesome? Yeah, that's BAT. Hailing from Richmond VA, BAT is a force to be reckoned with.

The first track which is also the title track has everything you'd want in a release like this. The production has a low budget quality to it, but everything is still clear and mixed well. It sounds like Venom, if they learned to play their instruments a bit better, upped the production quality a little, and threw in more noodley solos.

Then Total Wreckage comes on smashes you in the back of the head with a half empty beer bottle. This song is fast and unforgiving. My only complaint for BAT's Primitive Age demo is that it's too short, but then it IS a demo, so I suppose I can overlook it. Definitely can't wait to see what these guys do next.

Follow them HERE

Get the demo HERE

Six In Line - Even Though We Go Way Back, This Ain't Like Old Times (Though We've Gone Back In Time)

Track Listing:

1. Even Though We Go Way Back, This Ain't Like Old Times (Though We've Gone Back In Time)

2. Prison Rules

3. When All Is Sad and Done

4. Happy Again

Band Members:

Kaptain Nuke - Vocals

Jonathan Von Swaan - Guitar

Adrian Seifi - Guitar

Daniel Hate Crew Arvidzone - Bass

Hampuss Hansson - Drums

Sick thrash from Sweden. I could end the review right there, but I won't. Six In Line are back with their best release to date, and possibly my favorite release name ever. Hell, even the abbreviation (ETWGWBTALOTTWGBIT) would be a mouthful. These guys are fantastic and this release really shows it better then their previous two releases.

The title track is everything you could want in a party thrash band. Sick riffs, mosh beats, and angry screaming complete with party gang vocals. Not much more I can say, you just have to listen! Their single, When All is Sad and Done, is every bit as good. Instead of talking about it though you can watch their video for it:

I was lucky enough to see these guys play with Sonic Pulse about a year ago and I got to interview Adrian and Daniel, along with my buddy Dave from Sonic Pulse. I learned that Swedes love cheeseburgers. Check it out:  

Awesome thrash from Sweden. Eat cheeseburgers, thrash hard, stay laid.

Support the band HERE

Download their music HERE

Razormaze - Annihilatia

Tracklisting:

1. Something Like A War

2. The Slowest Death

3. Worshipping the Void

4. Sink Below

5. Demagogue

6. Electric Deception

7. Terminal Escape

8. Without Words

Band Members:

Alex Citrone - Guitar, Vocals

Sam Nevin - Bass, Vocals

Joe Gettler - Guitar

Nick Lazzaro - Drums

This album was actually released a while back but I'm late to the reviewing party so here we go!

Thrash metal is making a comeback; that's a fact. Whether you're one of those people who think it's a tired and dated genre (fuck you) or you're like me who can't get enough of the shit, you can't deny that there are gems among the new wave of thrash metal that stand above the rest in terms of unique and impressive musicianship and songwriting. Bands like Havok, Lich King, and Revocation come to mind quickly to most, but for me there's one band that has a special place in my heart, and that's Boston's thrash heroes Razormaze.

The long awaited Annihilatia is finally out and it's amazing! Released on Slaney Records it's a lot heavier than their previous releases. Razormaze brings a lot more complexity to their songwriting this go around, and it definitely shows in both song structure and riffs.The production has been kicked up, the riffs are more plentiful and more intricate, the lyrics are deeper then before, and the vocals have more of a Chuck Billy feel to them instead of the almost cheesy vocals from True Speed of Steel (although I must say, I'm a big fan of cheese.) This album is also the first to feature new guitarist Joe Gettler, who, in scientific terms, fucking brings it. The solos are phenomenal and the guitar tone used for them is perfect.

My favorite song on the album is, without a doubt, Terminal Escape. From the bouncy intro riff to the circle pit inducing verses and gang vocal inspiring choruses. I mean, lets be real, its thrash metal, describing it won't do it justice, it'll just make it seem like every other thrash band, but if you hear it for yourself you'll feel differently. Buy this album and become another slave to the maze! (I don't give a fuck about how cheesy that sounds.)

Buy the album HERE

Follow the band on FACEBOOK

Death of Kings - Knifehammer/Beneath the Obsidian 7"

Tracklisting:
1. Knifehammer

2. Beneath the Obsidian

Band Members:

Matt Matson - Guitar, Vocals 

Scott Price - Guitar, Vocals

Ash - Bass

Amos Rifkin - Drums

Death of Kings is a thrash metal band from Atlanta GA and they play metal in every sense of the word. Blistering fast, full of awesome riffs, blazing guitar solos, aggressive in your face vocals that aren't quite screams but definitely aren't clean, and lyrics about wolves and war and shit. These guys just released a 2 track 7" and it's by far the best produced and best written thing they've put out so far. I mean, how can you go wrong with a track called Knifehammer? You can't, because that song will literally hammer you with a knife. The 7" is being printed on glow in the dark vinyl and is available for digital purchase on bandcamp.com, so you have no reason not to own these two fantastic songs! And if you want to wait to buy the vinyl, Death of Kings will be playing here in Columbia at New Brookland Tavern on November 17th!

Download the 7" HERE

Follow Death of Kings on FACEBOOK