“The same week I meet Flames for the very first time I’m also tasked with reviewing Germany’s long-running thrash/death act Protector. Formed way the Hell back in 1986, they’ve been seasoning the obese for decades with a style that grabs equally from thrash and proto-death metal. If you imagine Morbid Saint smashed into a thick romesco with Kryptos and Sodom, you have the basic idea of what Protector is aiming for.” Protector or tormentor?
“As a dedicated teenage metalhead in the 80s, I lustily sought every new act I could get my greasy ape paws on. Few bands escaped my iron sights and I was willing to try pretty much anything out there to see what struck a nerve. Somehow, someway, Greek speed/thrash act Flames evaded my metal detector then and in all the years thereafter up until this last month. Formed in 1984, Flames spewed out a series of platters that transitioned over time from classic speed metal to technical thrash with slight death elements, culminating in 1996s In Agony Rise. This means they’ve been in some kind of deep cryonic state for 25 years, but they’re out now and seem very pissed off, so we get their seventh album Resurgence.” Greek fire burns forever.
“Ah, who doesn’t like a hellish blast of blackened thrash mayhem? While it may not top my list of metal drugs of choice, nor do I claim the expertise or passionate dedication to the style as our resident Z-man, it regularly delivers a refreshingly crude, ragged, riff-ready charm that goes down easily. Best served raw and unpolished, Finland’s Disembody, um…. embodies, the retro characteristics often found in the subgenre, pulling influences from the darker corners of ’80s thrash and imbuing these fast, fiery traits with ample doses of vitriolic blackened mayhem and grim first wave crudeness.” Disnuance.
“I miss the 1980s. There’s a special place in my heart for bands that foreshadowed the development of extreme metal while keeping one foot firmly planted in their thrash or NWoBHM roots, like Sodom, Venom, and Slayer. German first-wave black metal enthusiasts Blood Torrent agree. We get lots of promos that cite early-90s second-wave bands as influences, but it’s rarer that albums purport to revive their mid-80s ancestors.” Blood and olde treasure.
“You’ve heard of rock ‘n’ roll. You’ve heard of black ‘n’ roll. You’ve heard of death ‘n’ roll. But, have you ever heard of drunk ‘n’ roll? Sure you have. If you’ve heard Motörhead, then you know exactly what to expect from a band that says they play drunk ‘n’ roll. It’s the kind of music every party deserves. The kind of music to whip your cock out to and blackout on hobowine filled with shards of broken swords. That’s the kind of “roll” Gunjack plays.” Ride the drunk train to the hobo yard.
![Take Over and Destroy – Fade Out [Things You Might Have Missed 2021]](https://www.angrymetalguy.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/Take-Over-and-Destroy-Fade-Out-01-768x768.jpeg)
“Like many of you, my allegiances are with my local scene. With Covid taking over bars and venues, it’s been challenging to keep up with the ever-changing scene as new basement bands emerge, and veterans call it quits. Thankfully, my fellow Phoenicians, Take Over and Destroy, didn’t let the pandemic get them down—quite the opposite, really. Earlier this year, they were a band that’s been quiet for almost five years. Later in the year, they surprised the entire metal community by materializing a new record out of the fucking ether. With a kickass, old-school vinyl cover and a straightforward attitude to doom and sludge, Fade Out is the Covid album we all wanted. Drop the needle, and let’s get mad.” Healthy destruction.
“Some bands are infuriating. I don’t think that comes as a surprise to anyone who reads a blog called “Angry Metal Guy,” but the point still stands. Certain bands seem to have a knack for getting your blood boiling, and not in the “flipping merch tables you’re having so much fun” kind of way. Often, this can be put down to one simple, rage-inducing attribute: wasted potential. It comes in many forms: phoned-in performances, lazy writing, creative stagnation, poor production, and the list goes on. When it comes to The Warriors Awakening Brings The Unholy Slaughter, the first full-length from Stockholm-based thrash/speed outfit Eternal Evil, this abiding truism is the reason I’m seeing red (and this time I can’t blame it on a rash).” Speed kills.
“Of all the things we have reason to bitch and moan about in 2021, whether it be this goddamn pandemic, sports, politics, work, annoying neighbors or whatever frustrating societal issue is pissing you off in these turbulent times, I don’t believe thrash should be on the bitch list. Yes this timeless genre that was a gateway for many folks into the wider realms of metal, has had quite the fruitful year by modern standards. Which brings us to the latest album from unheralded German thrashers Nocturnal, entitled Serpent Death.” Snake Whacking Day.
“Sometimes you simply have to judge a book by its cover. That cover in this case? Brightly colored, hand-drawn depictions of violence. If, like me, you immediately thought that Face the Madness by Killing was an 80s or 90s extreme metal album then you would be absolutely correct. And with the one sheet’s proud boast that it is “probably the best Danish thrash metal record since Excursion Demise by Invocator and By Inheritance from Artillery,” these Danes certainly don’t lack confidence.” Killing with confidence.
“Since Steel‘s clammy, hairy hand forced me to write for this illustrious establishment, I’ve noticed a trend. The trend is the inconsistency of thrash releases. It’s like the entire genre gets together as one unit of foul-mouthed dinosaurs, balding dads, and pizza-hungry horror enthusiasts to decide when to release albums. They sit around chugging Mylanta, Steel Reserve, and Truly, talking their trade and comparing solos. After evaluating the recorded material at this annual meeting, they’ll make a decision. The decision this year? No releases. Who made the decision? No one really knows. At this point, everyone’s puking from overdoing it on alcohol and stomach acid. At next year’s meeting, the verdict will flip. Or, so everyone hopes.” Thrash rebels.
