Kreator - 1985-1992: Past Life Trauma (2000)

Though Kreator hadn't been an in-house band with Noise Records for several years, they nonetheless found the inspiration to release yet another compilation CD to pad their quickly emptying pockets. It's a fucking shame, truly, both that something like this exists, and that Noise Records doesn't exist, because that was by far the best individual metal label of the 80s, putting out entire swaths of classic material by some of my favorite bands. Alas, it turns out their business practices were not on par with their ear or talent. To be honest, I was quite hopeful when I first saw this, because it has a great cover art and the fact that it was 1985-1992 gave me hope that it would consist largely of demos, outtakes and rare tracks.

But these are few and far between on Past Life Trauma, and 14/18 tracks are a mere recycling of material from the band's first six albums. There are obvious choices made, like "When the Sun Burns Red", "Pleasure to Kill", "Extreme Aggressions", "Terrible Certainty", "Tormentor" and so forth, and they're fairly evenly distributed, but let's get serious: anyone who matters will already have purchased these in their original incarnations, whether that be by cassette, LP or CD, and it's entirely redundant to recommend this to any newcomer. Just head straight for the oldies, kids, there is NOTHING to see here. The 'rare' tracks included are nothing more than some live material from Renewal, which sounds mediocre, a demo of the track "Trauma" which was on the Renewal demo, but obviously deemed too purely thrash for that album, and "After the Attack", a B-side from the Behind the Mirror single off the Terrible Certainty album. This last addition is perhaps the one thing anyone would be interested in, but despite some decent, feral riffing and a mean breakdown, it's easy to tell why this wasn't deemed good enough for the album.

Translation: Do not waste a dime on this.

Past Life Trauma comes hard on the heels of two other compilations, both of which are likewise weak, but offer marginally more of value than this one. Considering that Noise already hammered us with Scenarios of Violence a few years prior, and the 90s sampler Voices of Transgression one year prior, this feels infinitely more like someone applying a rod & reel to your wallet and less about appreciating one of the greatest German bands out there. Noise might have done right by us, perhaps by issuing a cool box set of the old albums, with enhanced artwork, rare/live tracks and demos added to each, and other perks. That would have grabbed the interest of both new and old fans alike. But instead, this is yet another waste of space, with 1-2 rare tracks that might briefly pique the hardcore devotees interest for a matter of minutes before they are consigned to the potty of perdition.

Verdict: Epic Fail [2/10]

http://www.kreator-terrorzone.de/

Destruction - All Hell Breaks Loose (2000)

With 'Neo-Destruction' flushing itself down the proverbial toilet with each new manifestation of groove and Thomas Rosenmerkel that infested the 90s, and the superb Headhunter being criminally overlooked by the metal realm at large, it was only too reasonable that Mike Sifringer and Schmier rejoin forces for a new century of the manic, biting thrash metal that carved their names in stone to begin with. All Hell Breaks Loose brings the band back to its original three-piece setup, with a new drummer Sven Vormann to complete the power trio. Complementing their rebirth, the band decided to record this at Abyss Studios, which was quite hot at the time (and still is), and they've even got Peter Tägtgren guesting on the "Total Desaster 2000" remake.

Turns out, the production choice was a wise one, because by far the strongest component of this comeback is its mix. Thick, fibrous guitar riffing brings out just about every note you could ask for. It's honestly a little loud here (they get the balance better on The Antichrist), but the evolution of studio sound would only benefit the German thrashers. Long gone is the fuzz of the Sentence of Death era and the confusing density of Release from Agony. Schmier's vocals still 'have it', thanks to a decade of kicking ass with his side band, but they're not quite so diverse, with only the occasional scream to top off the mid ranged anger. However, this really suits Destruction well, and always did, so you really don't feel as if you're missing out if you were one of the few enamored of Headhunter. The rhythm section is dynamic and frankly, brutal, with Schmier playing anchorman to Mike's rightful turn at the throne, and Vormann adapting well to the veterans' chemistry.

As for the songs themselves, most are incredibly solid, but there are very few that stand out long to memory. All Hell Breaks Loose is certainly the best thing Destruction had released since their superb live album Live Without Sense about 11-12 years prior, but it's not their most immortal in terms of songwriting. The intro is beautiful, with sparkling and eerie clean guitars, and the first few tracks "The Final Curtain" and "Machinery of Lies" herald the reunion with fits of thick, crushing anger and down to earth lyrics, but despite their frantic elevation they don't entirely pay off. "Tears of Blood" is better realized, with a mix of mid-paced and driving sections, some great Schmier screaming and melodies spliced in, and other positive evocations include "World Domination of Pain" and "The Butcher Strikes Back", the latter of which is the expected self-referential tribute, but not the 'ultimate' execution of this idea (that would come on the next album).

But outside of these 5 tracks, I can't say that I am totally feeling the album. It seems to drop off in thrust and quality the deeper in you go, with some dull grooves inhabiting "Extreme Measures" and "Visual Prostitution", the weakest here, but still possessing a few exciting hooks. I don't exactly love "Kingdom of Damnation" either, and the title track is a mixed bag. Also, while it's cool to have one remake here, "Total Desaster" doesn't really carry the same charm as the earlier incarnations, perhaps due to its excess sense of familiarity. Though it certainly can claim its peaks among the valleys, All Hell Breaks Loose is ultimately judged due to its proximity to The Antichrist, which is hands down one of the best thrash metal albums I've heard in my lifetime, and that can only dull the effect of this in retrospect. What we have here is an elaborate setup for a band to truly rediscover their muse and explode.

Verdict: Win [7.75/10] (to remember all the deadly screaming faces)

http://www.destruction.de/

Sodom - Code Red (1999)

Though 'Til Death to Us Unite took some baby steps towards returning Sodom to the rightful monarchy of German thrash, it was Code Red that would fully blow their punk deviation to smithereens and give us exactly what we wanted: unhinged, devastating war thrash, loaded with the aggression and slick, infectious guitar work the likes of which we really hadn't heard since Tapping the Vein, Agent Orange, or Persecution Mania. I actually credit this to the fact that Tom was able to hold the lineup from the previous album intact; it had been quite awhile and it really shows in the tight execution of the new material, with Bernemann rapidly growing into his position as default axe man until the present, with a slew of riffs that hearken back to the glory days when Frank Blackfire was in the lineup.

Code Red isn't perfect, but there are certain songs here which are damned close, such as "Spiritual Demise" with its excellent mid-paced plotting and waltz of grooving, precision guitars that will strain the neck of any non-poseur to the brink of vertebral collapse; and a nice fast break in there which serves as nothing more than to highlight just how good its verses and bridge are. "The Vice of Killing" is like a "War Ensemble" for Sodom, axes charging as if the business of war were about to be joined by a squadron of professional threat assessors and eliminators. But probably my favorite track on the entire album would be "The Wolf & The Lamb", in which Bernemann creates these lightning fast, cascading patterns that collide incredibly with the thick tone and echoed vocals of Angelripper. "Code Red" itself is another of the strongest tracks, but it sounds quite familiar to their previous hits "Agent Orange" and "Nuclear Winter", so it doesn't possess that same surprise as the others.

Otherwise, the tracks are just average to good Sodom fare that's about the same quality as Tapping the Vein. "What Hell Can Create" is sure to thrill fans of the band's more extreme material, while "Addicted to Abstinence" is thankfully the closest the band get to the punkish thrash they'd be engaged in for the past 6-7 years. There aren't any particularly weak tracks to be had here, though "Visual Buggery", "Tombstone" and "Book Burning" get a little lost in the shuffle. Regardless, the mix of this disc is about as pro as the band would find in their career, with the guitars thick and juicy like a human steak lying medium rare on the field of war, the bass delivered with sufficient bombast without going overboard (as on Get What You Deserve), and battering ram drums and vocals. It's kind of exactly what I look for in a Sodom record, even though a good half of the tracks are not exactly memorable. Worth owning if you enjoy the band, however, and I'd easily place "The Wolf & The Lamb" and "Spiritual Demise" on any career playlist.

Verdict: Win [8/10] (footprints on your face)

http://sodomized.info/

Fatal Embrace - The Ultimate Aggression (1999)

Fatal Embrace were another band, similar to Witchburner, who would form in the 90s and by the end of that decade begin to aggressively pursue a return to the blistering, occult roots of speed thrash metal that were originally manifest through Venom, Slayer, Possessed, Kreator and Sodom. There is less of a direct black metal imprint on this record than, say, Blasphemic Assault, but it pursues some of the same riffing trees and ultimately succeeds due to the sheer atmosphere it presents. Dirk Heiland's vocals sound like a hybrid of Cronos, King Fowley and Tom Angelripper, and I really enjoy the resonance they create through the mix, all thanks to just the right level of reverb.

As for the guitars, they do little more than blaze trails in tribute to their masters, and tracks like "Follow Your Nightmare" and "Under My Sadistic Reign" are hardly intricate. There are rarely patterns of notes here that deride the beaten path, so it's a pretty predictable listen. But the vocals, the atmosphere and the wild, sporadic leads go a long way towards appreciation, and the album is clearly capable of putting a smile on the face of any old schooler who was seeking more in the vein of the band's diabolic influences of the 80s. Even when the band slows to a morbid crawl in "The Last Rites" or the eerie, escalating "Nocturnal Anguish", they never bite off more than they can chew, and The Ultimate Aggression is ultimately paced very well, spending equal time on both the mid paced thrashers and bleeding speedsters to balance the listener's interest.

The album is produced very well, at least for what it offers. The guitars are good and thick, and as I've mentioned, the reverb level is perfect to make the material sound like it's bouncing at you from the cliffs of hell during a molten storm. Really, the only thing missing is just the actual songwriting (the cover of Exodus' "Bonded by Blood" is also disposable). It's good enough to stride in the shadows of the band's forebears, but never enough to actually make a name for itself. Thus, this is never an album I actually seek to experience of its own accords, but its quite satisfying for the duration. The band would continue on to bigger things, career-wise, later signing to Pure Steel and more recently to Metal Blade, but I feel that The Ultimate Aggression remains as one of their better albums. If you're hunting for a mesh of Welcome to Hell, Seven Churches, Fearless Undead Machines and Hell Awaits, you could do a lot worse than this debut.

Verdict: Win [7.25/10]

http://www.fatal-embrace.net/

Kreator - Endorama (1999)

St. Anger. Cold Lake. The Least Successful Human Cannonball. Risk. Diabolus in Musica. Almost all thrash metal artists of note, with extensive careers, have a black mark against them. At least one. So it says a lot for Kreator that their black mark is really not all that bad in the grand scheme of things. Not to say that this is an album worth hearing, but of all the band's 90s experimental fare, it is Endorama which deviates the furthest from the band's incredible evolution of the 80s. It is Endorama which is the 'least' thrash of anything the band would record, and yet there is still a trace of that aggression where it's needed in these compositions. Complicated this album isn't, but essentially Mille Petrozza flossing his emotional muse across the far sharper bite of the past.

Endorama places Kreator in an accessible, Gothic metal context with simple chugging guitar riffs, droves of melodies and overt rock-influenced verse chorus structures. The writing is a lot slower than one would even be accustomed to from Renewal or Outcast, but those albums do certainly hint at what's to be found here, with their minor industrial tweaks that have here been translated into subtle synthesizers. It's definitely an interesting listen, but I feel that of all their efforts, this is the one that might have better fared if branded a Mille Petrozza 'solo' album or some other project. It seems largely a waste of the talents of several of its players, in particular Tommy Vetterli of Coroner who stayed on for this, but also the rhythm section of Reil and Giesler. The mix is clean but subdued, and to tell the truth there are a few chorus elements of note here, but it's an entire different ballgame than the band's legendary beasts Coma of Souls and Terrible Certainty.

First, I'd point out the good. "Golden Age" is the opener, with a verse structure reminiscent of Megadeth's "Symphony of Destruction"; simple chugging well executed below the narrative vocal tone, erupting in a barked, but melodic chorus. Even better is "Shadowland" for its sunny but sad melodies, with some grooving outbreaks in the bridge, and a great lead which utilizes Vetterli at his strength, fluid and precise shredding. As much as it pushes the 'Gothic' on this disc to its maximum, I also rather enjoyed "Passage to Babylon", which might as well be the product of some other German band like Crematory, Dreadful Shadows or Lacrimosa (in fact, Tilo Wolff guests on this album). "Soul Eraser" produces walls of bristling harmonics and is perhaps the most thrashing, aggressive on the album, but I don't exactly love the chorus, and there are a few more pieces like "Willing Spirit" that carry the flame of "Golden Age" and "Shadowland", creating a similar effect of sweeping sunset that is married very well to the cover image. The title track, "Endorama" is half-decent, but basically feels like "Golden Age II" with a guitar line that is eerily reminiscent of Sisters of Mercy's "Temple of Love".

Outside of this, though, there's not a lot of glaring promise on this album. Some of the softer tracks like "Everlasting Flame" and the "Chosen Few" are all too forgettable, despite their uplifting atmosphere and lilting emotions. "Future King" and "Pandemonium" each have one good riff, and the latter even packs an Artillery-like punch in the verse guitar, but I just can't stand the vocal breaks, which seem too corny coming from Mille. "Tyranny" is just altogether bland, since we'd already heard the same formula executed a few times already, and it feels like something Pyogenesis might have written during their Unpop and beyond phase. Also, in general, I've found that through the years I simply never even feel the urge to visit this album, even its stronger tracks, whereas Renewal really grew on me, and Outcast has 2-3 tracks that I am often compelled to hear, despite their hardcore embellishments. Endorama might have become some lost classic, some anomaly, had its content been superior to this, but it was not and never will be strong enough.

Obviously those who could not give two shits about this German mainstay outside of their 80s period will want to stay far and wide of this album, even if they're overcoming their obstinacy to explore the band's evolution. But at least some credit must be given that Kreator, so far from home, are stilling being guided by something of a voice. You could probably share this album with your girlfriend, or your grandmother, and they might find a few of the tracks catchy, despite Petrozza's tendency back towards his barking vitriol. And the metallic components have not been abandoned, merely molded into some cross-genre tinkering. The reaction to Endorama was not one of hell and brimstone being breathed upon the band, but understandably it was not a good one, so the follow-up: Violent Revolution would steer the band back on its thrashing course, though not entirely devoid of this album's melodic charms. I would probably rank this below Cause for Conflict as the band's least impressive full-length, but unlike so many other career missteps, it's not completely deserving of anyone's chagrin.

Verdict: Indifference [5.75/10] (in a land where no love can be born)

http://www.kreator-terrorzone.de/

Kreator - Voices of Transgression: A 90s Retrospective (1999)

Kreator's previous collection, Scenarios of Violence, had been a fairly week offering released through Noise Records, involving some remixed and live material and a few unreleased studio cuts, but Voices of Transgression, through G.U.N. Records, is at best an asinine cash grab that should be melted into slag. I mean, who in their right mind would come up with the idea to try and capitalize on some of a band's least successful material? This was actually released prior to Endorama, and yet almost the entire track-list consists of material from that album and the previous three. Compilations can occasionally be worth their time when they assemble demos, rare recordings, and even covers and live material, but this is nothing more than a sampler from recent studio albums with a couple bonus carrots at the end of the stick. A half-rotten carrot.

If you despised the 90s Kreator, from Renewal through Endorama, then obviously you won't even blink an eye as you skip this recording, but for those who accepted the band's migration through various climates, there are a couple of bones being thrown. The first is a techno metal cover of the Sisters of Mercy's "Lucretia" with Mille serving both his trademark barks and a deeper clean not unlike Tiamat's Johan Edlund. It's not bad at all, if you're into this sort of thing, and further affirms the direction the band had taken with Endorama. "As We Watch the West" is another melodic piece which feels like it could have just been placed on that album, but despite the glistening atmosphere and subdued samples, I thought it was fairly forgettable, possibly best heard by those that like Pink Floyd influenced Gothic/doom metal bands like Tiamat (again) or Lake of Tears. "Inferno" is considerably heavier, with Mille's vocals taking control again, and this is perhaps the most valuable of the three, but it's not great. The cover of Raw Power's "State Oppression" is not news, it was released as a bonus track on the Cause for Conflict CD.

Aside from this, though, and an edit of "Isolation", the remainder of the content here is just lifted from the band's past and future albums. "Chosen Few", "Golden Age" and "Endorama" were from the forthcoming Endorama; "Leave This World Behind", "Phobia", "Black Sunrise" and "Whatever It May Take" from the previous Outcast, from which the paint had still yet to dry; Renewal is represented only with "Renewal" itself; and Cause for Conflict has "Bomb Threat", "Lost" and "Hate Inside Your Head". It's not a heinous selection, and it represents the band's 90s maneuvers well enough, but it's just a waste of coin. The entire effort reeks of something that is needed to fill out a record contract. It'd be far better for Kreator to just have found some way to include the Sisters of Mercy cover, "Inferno" and "As We Watch the West" with the CD release of Endorama, where they might have offered some value. A '90s retrospective' was not needed, as the 90s were not yet out of session. Avoid this at all costs, or just YouTube the unreleased tracks.

Verdict: Fail [2.25/10]

http://www.kreator-terrorzone.de/

Wotan - Children of Technology (1999)

After 1996's long overdue debut Tranquility, and due to an ailing 90s thrash scene, I was not expecting to hear anything further from Wotan, being an immeasurably obscure act to begin with. Thus it is impressive that the band was able to grind forwards and surpass itself with a sophomore album. Children of Technology doesn't break the formula of the previous album, and to be honest the riffs are not that much more memorable, but it's certainly better produced, more aggressive and tighter, almost to the point of infectious late 80s German tech-thrash, with brutal vocals that sound reminiscent of King Fowley of Deceased.

It opens with a caustic maneuver, "W.O.T.A.N.", the band's acronym namesake ("World of Terror and Nausea"), and this immediately raises expectations beyond the debut with its onslaught of jerking, technical guitars, aggressive to the point that it verges on what some tech/death bands were pushing at the time. Most of the other tracks follow this formula, with "Survive" and "Insanity" serving as highlights of explosive dynamics even if they lack durable, ear-catching notations. However, things get pretty interesting with the band's Sisters of Mercy cover, "Temple of Love" which serves as a strange centerpiece. The song is played fairly straight to the original, the primary difference found in Pusche's vocals and the increased palm muting, but it's not all that bad, even when the ethereal female vocals kick in. Another German band, Crematory, would later do a more steady, distinct rendition of the track, but this is sort of curious for a thrash album, and I enjoyed it.

Otherwise, the album continues along with a few forgettable pieces like the instrumental "Magnum-Song", which ironically features a sprinkling of the better riffs on the album and would have greatly benefited from vocals. "Squash Your Jerry" is brief, spastic thrash/grinding and nothing more than a footnote to the more structured compositions on the first half of the disc. Children of Technology sounds pretty good, with thick guitar tones and better vocals than they were able to muster on their debut. It doesn't sound like a band even remotely aware of the abyssal corner into which they were writing themselves. That's a compliment. Solid, enthusiastic and violent thrash metal here, authentic and reasonably well written, but just not enough to get the band any attention, or stand out long in the listener's thoughts. It's the band's last album, before being resigned to infinite obscurity, but if you're a fan of German thrash or perhaps even Deceased albums like Fearless Undead Machines or The Blueprints for Madness, you might want to at least check this out.

Verdict: Indifference [6.75/10]

Temple of the Absurd - Mother, Creator, God (1999)

Temple of the Absurd's debut was met with mixed reactions, as can happen when a member of a generally well regarded metal act (in this case Holy Moses) starts anew with a different project. In my opinion, the album faltered due to its close proximity to the constituent members' prior efforts, inserting only some sloppy and underwhelming psychedelic elements that were not enough to save the sub-par riffing and writing. With Mother, Creator, God, the band's second offering, the band had clearly established a distinct identity for themselves without wholly abandoning their repertoire. The sophomore incorporates a lot of groovy rock elements, wa wa guitars via Alice in Chains or Black Label Society, and they take a few more risks, some of which are sadly detrimental to the album's overall impact.

Basically, the album is an accessible grunge-a-like with the novelty of Sabina Classen's vocals. Imagine Facelift with brutal vocals instead of Layne Staley, and a couple rushes of punk and groove metal, and you might be somewhere in the vicinity of this. I realize that to many this must sound atrocious, but strangely it works in a few of the tracks. "Liebe toetet langsam" has a lot of swagger, and the slovenly vocal spatter serves well atop the stride of the guitars. The same could be said for "A Feral Creature" or the more moody "Alptraumkind". Then there's the atmospheric, folksy glint given to "Requiem for Misanthropy". But then there's another side to the album which consists of pretty dull stomping punk-groove like "The Mate" or "One Step". But what's worst of all is the decision to include several rap passages in the vocals of "Baba Yaga" and the cover of Jethro Tull's "Locomotive Breath"... I've said a number of times that I have no opposition to rap mixed in rock or metal if it's done well, but here it's used fully to the disadvantage of the music, and makes Temple of the Absurd seem like another of those branching, 'diverse' 90s failures.

Granted, we are only speaking of a few passages, and the majority of the album is void of such folly, but then, neither is any of this material really 'good'. With some further gestation, a few of the album's better tracks might have become something truly interesting, but it seems every time the band really finds their groove they insert some less appealing component into a song. And if it took four years to come up with this, well then it would have been unlikely to improve. I think in the end, despite its weaknesses, Mother, Creator, God is a superior effort to Absurd, because it's mixed better, and just sounds more cohesive and catchy as a whole. Alas, it's still got an air of scatterbrained incompleteness about it, and I for one was not surprised when Sabina decided to return to her alma mater Holy Moses and re-launch it with a new lineup.

Verdict: Fail [4.75/10]

Virus - The Agent That Shapes the Desert (2011)

While he's performed short stints with some of the most popular acts in all of Norse black metal, it is the more obscure Ved Buens Ende and Virus that will define the contributions of Carl-Michael Eide and Einhar Sjurso to the musical realm, and distend their legacy unto both eternity and oblivion. The Agent That Shapes the Desert is the third Virus album, honing in on the promise of The Black Flux, and it's hypnotic straight from the opening passages of the title track. Polished, progressive, and supremely psychedelic without ever needing to puncture an artery or send sublime smoke into the lungs of its listener, it speaks of a swerving, curving post-metal paradise that I feel very fortunate to have experienced.

The plot is not so thick as you might think. Virus accomplishes this medium with streams of dissonant, eerie guitar work that is adjoined to the incredible, fluid bass, which in itself would be trance-inducing due to its harried complexity and the deceptively dour, monotonous vocals of Eide. Where The Black Flux was largely successful at this formula, The Agent That Shapes the Desert almost never fails. It's less shining, perhaps. Less polar. But it wrests the listener from his or her perch in the wings of its alien dreaming and then drifts across the vast, empty expanse of the composers' thoughts. "Chromium Sun" and "Dead Cities of Syria" are simply astounding in their blissful bending of environment, waltzes of controlled ardor giving voice to the dry and delightful poetry of the lyrics. "Parched Rapids" another example of perfection with its thumping bass and the incandescent symmetry of its jangling, jarring guitar passages; whereas "Call of the Tuskers" creates an indie rock asylum for the paranoid post-rocking entrepreneur.

If Voivod had written a sequel to Nothingface while tripping on cactus juice in some plot of endless red sands and twisted Snake's genitalia until he had become some lurid baritone, it might sound like The Agent That Shapes the Desert. This is one of those bands and albums which openly mocks simple categorization, and yet it's appeasing; more accessible than either of their prior efforts, and one that I simply have not been able to stop listening to. The lyrics are intense, and despite their novelty, the compositions are incredibly focused. Outside of the band's own scripture, there is just nothing quite like it, and I do hope more will take the opportunity to experience both the shimmering, mirage-like highs and the muted hues of its lows. The gauntlet of the avant-garde has been thrown for the year 2011. Who dares to pick it up?

Verdict: Epic Win [9.5/10]

http://www.myspace.com/czral

Witchburner - Blasphemic Assault (1998)

The devil was obviously satisfied with this German band's 1996 debut, pleased by the screams of the heathens sacrificed in the conflagration, and thus he bade Witchburner to continue their path of late 80s revelry. Blasphemic Assault is thus quite similar to the self-titled effort, only somewhat stronger in its production values. Not out to invent or innovate, simply out for a good time, the band continued to harness their immense infatuation with early Sodom, Kreator and Slayer to new heights. This sophomore doesn't necessarily slump, and it's better than its predecessor, but a few fiery volleys of frenzied passion later and the album begins to dip in value as it peters out into some admittedly poor riffs and lazy writing.

Tracks like "Kill", "Thrash Attack" and "Grave Desecrator", while offering nothing of intellectual discourse, at least satisfy the craving for tight, blackened thrash metal perfectly suited for wrist cutting with a sharpened pentagram pendant. There's not much more than a mash-up of Hell Awaits, Pleasure to Kill, Obsessed by Cruelty and Sentence of Death, sans the timeless guitars and vocals of those legendary establishments, but it's going somewhere fast and it might be worth it to get loaded and take that trip, neck brace included. Tracks like "Blasphemic Assault" itself and "Storm of Hate" hang on to the energy, but they feel rather muted by their obvious influences, and lack anything to really say (even the titles seem like they're just re-arranged from their influences). But once we come to what should be the album's climax in "Bestial Command", there's an enormously weak, generic bridge riff turn-off, and the rockin' "Raw Energy" does not fare much better.

That said, Blasphemic Assault might seem suitable for the 'good old boys' of the occult, raw 80s thrash sect. The mix here is clean but not highly polished, and I could go one way or the other with that, but there's a genuine love for the sound of the records the band idolizes, even stronger in the composition of the guitars. Compared to the debut, I found mildly more entertainment here, but nothing bordering on the enjoyment one would derive from superior death or black thrashers like Aura Noir, Bewitched and so on. In the end, Witchburner had merely laid another bloodied brick on the road to remembrance of a legendary caste of bands that remain so today.

Verdict: Indifference [6.25/10]

http://www.witchburner.de/