Gambanteinn: Nielevä Pimeys (2014)

"Gambanteinn" seems like it would be kind of a badass word.  Apparently though it means "magic wand" in old Norse and appears in Norwegian mythology.  So, not the most thrilling of explanations.  The band Gambanteinn though is a Finnish blackened thrash metal band.  Much more entertaining.  This is the band's only release so far and it is a five-song EP.

The music here is much closer to traditional thrash metal, but with some tremolo riffs and blackened shrieking vocals.  It is generally a much more brutal form of thrash metal, closer to the German and Swedish thrash metal sound than to the Bay Area.  The result is a whirlwind of riffs and a lot of speed.  As stated, the band does utilize some tremolo riffing as well, typically in moments when there are no vocals. 

One thing I do thoroughly enjoy about this album is the production.  In particular how well each instrument can be heard.  The bass is the biggest reason for this because it is playing some interesting riffs alongside the guitars and it is shocking how well it can be heard. 

This release is fast.  Did I mention that?  The songs fly by at shocking speed, other than a few moments on the third track, which is the most dynamic on the EP.  Overall this is a lot of fun to listen to and will definitely leave listeners breathless when it's over.  Hopefully a follow-up is coming.