Thrash Metal

AMG’s Unsigned Band Rodeö: Mindrazer – A Thing of Nightmares

AMG’s Unsigned Band Rodeö: Mindrazer – A Thing of Nightmares

“AMG’s Unsigned Band Rodeö” is a time-honored tradition to showcase the most underground of the underground—the unsigned and unpromoted. This collective review treatment continues to exist to unite our writers in boot or bolster of the bands who remind us that, for better or worse, the metal underground exists as an important part of the global metal scene. The Rodeö rides on.” Welcome to the Garden State!

Sadus – The Shadow Inside Review

Sadus – The Shadow Inside Review

“The late 90s may have seen Sadus wandering too deep into (then) modern, groovy, and progressive sounds, and the 2006 offering Out for Blood leaning further into weird synth intros, drop-tuned guitars, thrash heresy. But, at the core of their most beloved outings, the backbone of Sadus was always a neck-snapping, zig-zag riffcraft.” Unsung but vicious.

Kill the King – Kill the King Review

Kill the King – Kill the King Review

“Emerging as an underdog in the budding Indian metal scene, upstart thrashers Kill the King come armed and ready to unleash a self-titled, self-released debut thrash platter. Formed in 2016, Kill the King have done the hard yards toiling in the underground, sharpening their tools in readiness for the five-piece outfit to put their skills to practice and rumble with the big dogs of the modern thrash scene. It certainly isn’t easy to stand out in the crowded field of modern thrash, a scene that splinters off into various offshoots such as retro thrash, blackened thrash, death-thrash and modern thrash territory.” Rabid Regicide.

Eternal Evil – The Gates Beyond Mortality Review

Eternal Evil – The Gates Beyond Mortality Review

“Swedish upstarts Eternal Evil seek to plant their flag along the spectrum of modern thrash, a genre that has become a surprise hot-button issue around the AMG universe. Their 2021 debut album The Warrior’s Awakening…Brings the Unholy Slaughter! garnered a less than enthusiastic reaction from our resident pointy-ear Felagund, citing a sacrifice of “essential memorability for monotonous haste”. Apparently undeterred, the Stockholm quartet have swapped out their battle axes for a box of tapered candles and a nice hooded robe and unleashed a new platter of blackened thrash, The Gates Beyond Mortality.” Evil never dies.

Xoth – Exogalactic Review

Xoth – Exogalactic Review

“When the Elder Gods finally turn their dread gaze on this flake of cosmic dandruff, Xoth will be there to pass out beers. “Party Lovecraft” is a tricky vibe to nail and also possibly an oxymoron, but this Seattle tech/thrash/black/melodeath/whatever act makes it their own. Over the course of two excellent albums, Invasion of the Tentacube and Interdimensional Invocations, Xoth filled a void that only Xoth knew was there. Few who listen can resist their charms, and now the band drops third long-player Exogalactic.” X marks the Xoth.

War Curse – Confession Review

War Curse – Confession Review

“I’d be lying if War Curse’s new offering didn’t take me aback. It is so different from anything they’ve done before that it took me a few spins to grasp. Like many bands before them, Confession will either be a stroke of genius or their weakest album.” Curse of evolution.

Owdwyr – Receptor Review

Owdwyr – Receptor Review

“The “for fans of” line in any given promo is a true test of character. While most bands crank out their faves, there are intriguing blends that grab attention. Most of these are disappointments, often running the gamut of extreme metal buzzwords only to be the latest act to sound exactly like In Flames, but there are others whose combinations are pretty accurate, like the tantalizing combination that the California-based Owdwyr boasts in its debut Receptor: from Car Bomb, Human Remains, and Fleshgod Apocalypse to composers like Bach, Allan Holdsworth, and Heitor Villa-Lobos. In essence, Owdwyr may be genius or not, but this trio is always batshit crazy.” Owdwyr812.

Electrocutioner – False Idols Review

Electrocutioner – False Idols Review

“Long Island’s Executioner also thinks El Cuervo is an idiot as they reveal their debut album, False Idols. An album that doesn’t give two fucks about being unique, trendy, or even famous. False Idols feels like a band playing a gig at the bar down the street. There’s no talking to the crowd, complete with short interludes for other band members to switch guitars or chug Jager. False Idols ain’t gonna win any awards for originality or change the face of the scene, but that’s not its purpose. This is how thrash should sound.” High speed or die.