Tankobot/Demo 2015 Review

  Tankobot  are  a  band  from  Germany  that  plays  a  Teutonic  style  of  thrash  metal  that  also  has  a  touch  of  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2015  demo.

  A  very  heavy  and  aggressive  and  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  demo  along  with  some  high  pitched  screams  and  the  music  goes  for  more  of  an  80's  style  of  German  thrash  metal  and  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  decent  of  blast  beats  and  you  can  also  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  the  recording.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  hear  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  while  the  solos  and  leads  also  remain  true  to  an  old  school  thrash  metal  style  while  the  riffs  also  use  a  decent  amount  of  melody  and  a  lot  of t he  music  sounds  like  it  could  of  easily  been  recorded  and  released  30  years  ago  while  some  modern  influences  are  utilized  at  times and  there  is  also  a  brief  use  of  growling  vocals  which  also  add  a  touch  of  death  metal  to  the  bands  musical  style  and  the  whole  demo  also  remains  very  heavy  from  beginning  to  ending  of  the  recording. 

  Tankobot  plays  a  style  of  thrash  metal  that  is  very  true  to  the  80's  German  style  and  also  bringing  in  a  slight  touch  of  death  metal,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  for  being  a  self  released  recording  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  and  real  life  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Tankobot  are  a  very  great  sounding  Teutonic  thrash  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out t his  demo.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Nightmare  Bastard  Child"  and  "Day  Of  Fear".  8  out  of  10.

Raze/Mankind's Heritage/Suspiria Records/2015 CD Review

  Raze  are  a band  from  Spain  that  plays  a  very  old  school  form  of  thrash  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2015  album  "Mankind's  heritage"  which  was  released  by  Suspiria  Records.

  A  very  hard  and  heavy  thrash  metal  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  some  melodic  riffing  and  technical  guitar leads  that  also  use  a  decent  amount  of  melody  and  the  music  is  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  80's  while  the  vocals  are  very  aggressive  yet  melodic  at  the  same  time  and  alos  add  in  a  touch  of  power  metal.

  Back  up  gang  shouts  can  be  heard  quite  a  bit  throughout  the  recording  and  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  while  the  music  is  rooted  in  the  past  the  production  makes  the  songs  have  a  more  modern  feeling  along  with  some  progressive  touches  and  there  is  also  a  brief  use  of  spoken  word  samples  and  some  of  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  bring  in  a  small  amount  of  blast  beats  along  with  one  song  being  all  instrumental  and  one  track  also  brings  in  a  brief  use  of  clean  playing  and  the  last  song  is  very  long  and  epic  in  length. 

  Raze  plays  a  style  of  thrash  metal  that  is  very  aggressive,  melodic  and  old  school  while  also  mixing  in  a  touch  of  power  metal,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  themes.   

  In  my  opinion  Raze  are  a  very  great  sounding  melodic  thrash  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  recording.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Evil  Waits"  "The  Church  Is  On  Fire"  and  "Streets  of  Wickedness".  8  out  of  10.

Reactory/Heavy/FDA Rekotz/Soulfood Music/2016 CD Review

  Reactory  are  a  band  from  Germany  that  plays  a  very  heavy  and  aggressive  form  of  thrash  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2016  album  "Heavy"  which  will  be  released  in  July  as  a  joint  effort  between  FDA  Rekotz  and Soulfood  Music.

  A  very  heavy  yet  melodic  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  sounding  very  powerful  and  the  solos  and  leads  also  use  a  great  amount  of  melody  and  after  awhile  the  music  starts  going  into  more  of  a  thrash  metal  direction  and  when  vocals  are  added  into  the  recording  they  are  aggressive  screams.

  Blast  beats  can  be  heard  in  some  of  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  along  with  a  great  amount  of  back  up  gang  shouts  and  the  music  almost  brings  in  a  death  metal  heaviness  at  times  and  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  most  of  the  music  is  rooted  in  the  80's  while  also  taking  advantage  of  modern  technology  and  the  whole  album  remains  true  to  a  very  heavy  musical  style  and  they  close  the  album  with  a  cover  of  Motorhead's  "Eat  The  Rich".

  Reactory  plays  a  style  of  Teutonic  thrash  metal  that  they  also  update  for  the  modern  era  while  still  having  an  80's  style,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  mythology  and  nuclear  energy  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Reactory  are  a  very  great  sounding  Teutonic  thrash  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "To  Thanatos"  "Shrines  Of  The  Forgotten  Gods"  and  "Let  Me  Rage  Before  I  Die".  8  out  of  10.  

War Curse/Final Days/Static Tension Recordings/2016 EP Review

  War  Curse  are  a  band  from  Ohio  that  plays  a  mixture  of  heavy  and  thrash  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of their  2015  ep  "Final  Days" which  will  be  released  in  June  on  cd  by  Static  Tension  Recordings.

  Air  raid  sirens  start  off  the  ep  along  with  a  heavy  thrash  metal  style  kicking  in  a  few  seconds  later  along  with  some  vocals  that  are  very  aggressive  yet  melodic  at the  same  time  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  the  music  is  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  mid  80's.

  While  the  music  is  rooted  in  the  past,  the  production  gives  the  songs  more  of  a  modern  feeling  and  the  solos  and  leads  also  remain  true  to  more  of  an  old  school  thrash  style  while  also  having  their  melodic  moments  and  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  the  whole  ep  also  remains  very  heavy  from  beginning  to  ending  of  the  recording.

  War  Curse  plays  a  style  of  thrash  metal  that  is  very  aggressive  and  heavy  sounding  while  also  mixing  in  a  touch  of  traditional  metal  style  melodies  to  create  a  style  of  their  own,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  war  themes.

  In  my  opinion  War  Curse  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  heavy  and  thrash  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Dawn  Patrol"  and  "Final  Days".  8   out  of  10.   

Warfield Interview

  1.Can you give us an update on what is going on with the band these days?
1. We just played a couple of shows with our session bassist and now we're looking for a good studio to record our full lenght very soon. Also we're looking for new gigs to play.
   
    2.So far you have released a demo and an ep, how would you describe the musical sound that is present on both of the recordings and also how do they differ from each other?

2. First of all the demo was more like trying out stuff, also the sound isn't very professional, but still it was our first recording experience. When you listen to the EP, it's a big change and we've developed. On the "Call To War" EP there's a lot aggression and anger, the sound is better, even though we were still not that happy with it, and it's just pure teutonic thrash! Also it was very cool to record that one so we think this EP shows pretty much what we stand for. But still, it's been a time since we recorded that and we developed since then, so the full lenght is going to be even better!
   
    3.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores with the music?
3. In our lyrics we criticize politics and everything that's wrong with society. Actually, we don't even have to search for a topic, the current situation gives us the aggression automatically.
   
    4.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Warfield'?
4. Acutally, we just took it from the Slayer-War at the Warfield DVD. But the name also fits into what we're doing, when we play live and when you look at our lyrics, it's pretty much a Warfield because we get angry when we see the capitalistic society and the politics' actions. And of course it fits because of the mosh pits.
   
    5.What are some of the best shows that the band has played over the years and also how would you describe your stage performance?
5. One of our best shows was the release-show for our EP. We were happy that it finally came out and the people at the show were pretty crazy too. Also a couple of the best shows for us have been the ones we did over the last weeks and months with our session bassist, for example the shows at the Newcomer Metalnight in Tübingen or at the Taunus Metal Festival, what was one of the biggest stages we've played on so far. Also there were a lot of awesome bands that played with us. Our stage performance is exactly what you expect from an old school thrash band, it's wild, aggressive and there are a lot of hair flying in the pit.
   
    6.Do you have any touring or show plans for the future?
6. We're actually looking for gigs all the time. Now we're searching a studio to record out first album and afterwards we're playing shows again.
   
    7.Currently you are unsigned, are you looking for a label or have received any interest?
7. Yes, of course we're looking for a label in the moment!
   
    8.On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of thrash metal?
8. The worldwide feedback has been very good so far. It's just awesome to see that people like what we're doing because we ourselves love it as well! We get great feedbacks from different countries and that's really fuckin' amazing!
   
    9.Are any of the band members also involved with any other bands or musical projects these days?
9. Yes, actually two of our members. Our drummer Dominik helps out in another band called Redgrin who play death metal and our session bassist Marc plays guitar for the black-thrashers Nekkromaniac. We just can't get enough.
   
    10.When can we expect new music and also where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?
10. We planning to release our full lenght next year and it's going to be full speed, aggressive and dirty teutonic thrash metal that will kick all posers out!
   
    11.What are some of the bands or musical styles that have had an influence on your music and also what are you listening to nowadays?
11. Our influences are of course the german thrash legends like for example Sodom, but also the bay area bands like Exodus, Testament or Slayer. Also, we're influenced by new bands like Suicidal Angels or Legion of the Damned. Generally, we listen to a lot of different stuff, also to bands like Immortal, Midnight, Exciter, Razor, Enforcer or the german Wifebeater just to mention a few.
   
    12.What are some of your non musical interests?
12. Football and beer drinking!
   
    13.Before we wrap up this interview, d you have any final words or thoughts?

13. If you like some old school teutonic thrash to go fuckin' wild, check us out! Thanks for your support and always keep thinking for yourselves! New album will be out soon!

Defiatory/Extinct/Black Lion Productions/2016 CD Review

  Defiatory  are  a  band  from  Sweden  that  plays  a  very  aggressive  form  of  thrash  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2016  album  "Extinct"  which  will  be  released  in  June  by  Black  Lion  Productions.

  Drum  beats  and  a  very  aggressive  thrash  metal  sound  starts  off  the  album  and  a  few  seconds  alter  aggressive  yet  melodic  vocals  are  added  onto  the  recording  and  when  the  music  speeds  up a   decent  amount  of  blast  beats  can  be  heard  along  with  the  vocals  also  utilizing  screams  at  times  and  you  can  also  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  hear  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  while  the  guitar  riffing  can  also  be  very  melodic  at  times  and  when  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  remain  true  to  an  old  school  style  of  thrash  metal  and  the  music  also  brings  in  a  slight  death  metal  feeling  at  times  and  the  whole  album  remains  very  heavy  from  beginning  to  ending  of  the  recording.

  Defiatory  plays  a  style  of  thrash  metal  that  is  very  aggressive  in  the  80's  tradition  while  also  sounding  very  modern  at  the  same  time,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  and  real  life  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Defiatory  are  a  very  great  sounding  thrash  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Reaper"  "Extinct"  and  "Furor  Unleashed".  8  out  of  10.

 

Soul Collector/Reanimator/In Union We thrash/Defense Records/2016 Split CD Review

  This  is  a  review of  a  split  album  between  Poland's  Soul  Collector  and  Canada's  Reanimator  called  "In  Union  We  Thrash"  which  was  released  by  Defense  Records  and  we  will  start  off  the  review  with  Soul  Collector  a  band that  has  been  featured  before  in this  zine  and  plays  an  old  school  style  of  thrash  metal.

  Their  side  of  the  split  starts  out  with  rain  and  thunder sounds  along  with  some  acoustic  guitars  a  few  seconds  later  which  also  leads  up  to  a  heavier  musical  direction  and  after  the  intro  the  music  start  bringing  in  more  of  an  old  school  thrash  metal  style  that  is  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  mid  80's  styl  of  the  genre.

  At  times  melodies  can  be  heard  in  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  the  vocals  bring  in  a  more  aggressive  approach  to  the  genre  while  also  having  a  melodic  tone  at  times  and  the  solos  and  leads  also  remain  true  to  an  old  school  style  of  thrash  metal  and  clean  playing  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  there  is  also  a  brief  use  of  back  up  gang  shouts  and  there  last  track  is  something  very  long  and  epic  in  length,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  demons,  death  and  war  themes. 

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Soul  Collector  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  old  school  thrash  metal,  you  should  check  out  their  side  of  the  split.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  Pledge"  and  "1968".

  Next  up  is  Reanimator  another  band  that  plays  an  old  school  form  of  thrash  metal.

  Their  side  of  the  split  starts  out  with  a  very  heavy  and  aggressive  thrash  metal  sound  where  you  can  also  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  their  side  of the  recording  and  the  vocals  are  very  aggressive  screams  and  shouts  while  the  faster  sections  of t he  songs  bring  in  a  small  amount  of  blast  beats.

  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  fashion  and  the  music  is  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  80's  and  throughout  their  side  of  the  recording  you  can  hear  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  there  is  also  a  brief  use  of  spoken  word  parts  and  some  songs  also  bring  in  a  small  amount  of back  up  gang  shouts  and  there  side  of t he  split  also  always  sticks  to  a  heavy  style,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  metal,  gore  and  hell  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Reanimator  are  a  very  great  sounding  thrash  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  their  side  of  the  split.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Beyond  That  Burning  Mask"  and  "Rush  For  The  Mosh".

  In  conclusion  I  feel  this  is  a  very  great  sounding  split  and  I  would  recommend  it  to  all  fans  of old  school  thrash  metal.  8  out  of  10.