Terrifier: Metal or Death (2013)

And we finally come to the end of the VladPromotion stuff that has been sent to me over the last year.  It was a huge number of thrash metal, and the occasional traditional metal release, from a variety of countries.

This is Canada's Terrifier.  I have heard a little bit from this band through the stuff that has been sent to me.  They used to be called Skull Hammer which I remarked that I would have stayed with as it is a little bit more of an unusual name than Terrifier.  But to each their own I guess.

This is a short three-song EP that sounds even shorter due to the fact that it is so fast.  In fact it's too short.  The music is surprisingly good so that it made me want to hear more.  Unfortunately that just is not possible.

The bass is definitely an important instrument here.  We have come a long way since Metallica turned Jason Newsted's bass way down in the mix on ...And Justice for All.  The bass is playing a lot of the riffs alongside the rhythm guitar and is so high in the mix that it gives the sound a thundering, rumbling feel.

This is definitely a fun, fast-paced thrash EP that is just too short.  Looking forward to more, Terrifier.

Sanity's Rage: You Are What You Swallow (2012)

Belgium is not a country well-known for its metal scene.  I had to look back at my post from 2011 to find what I listed as my favorite band because I could not think of anyone off the top of my head.  Enthroned and Aborted have been the only metal bands I have had much exposure to.  Which brings us to the thrash metal band Sanity's Rage, just the third Belgian metal band I have heard.

I'm not really sure of the album title.  Sounds like something that could be a little juvenile, disgusting, or something.  The album cover though has little or nothing to do with the album title, so maybe I'm wrong.  It's never happened before, but I suppose anything is possible.

Sanity's Rage is a fairly impressive mix of Bay Area thrash, Iced Earth-style galloping power metal, and a little bit of German biting thrash thrown in for good measure.  The music is very fast with lightning-fast riffs, jackhammer-style drumming, and impressively fast staccato vocals, somewhat similar to Sabbat's Martin Walkyier.  The riffs fluctuate naturally without feeling forced, which is noteworthy given how fast these songs move.  It is amazing how much you can cram into a five minute song when moving so quickly.

This is Sanity's Rage's first full-length album even though the band has been around since 2002.  You wouldn't know it was a first album based on the crisp production and the tight instrumentation.  This is a band that sounds like seasoned veterans of the thrash metal scene.

If fast-paced, relentless thrash is your thing, this fits the bill.

Mad Agony: Chernobitch (2013)

Mad Agony is another of those bands that have recently re-formed even though precisely no one was clamoring for a return.  They previously released a demo in 1992 before disbanding in 1993 and then returned in 2011.  This is their first full-length album.  I do not really know what lead to the re-formation of this long-dead Italian traditional metal band.  All I know is that they have re-formed.

The album starts off with the intro track, "Industrial Waste" building into the title track "Chernobitch", which I think misses the point of what Chernobyl was.  Musically, Mad Agony bears a strong similarity to German heavy/power metal bands such as Primal Fear, Sinner, Accept, and others.  The songs are melodic, but the riffs definitely have a heavy, razor-sharp edge to them.  Vocalist Max Zanetti has a powerful, wailing voice that furthers the comparison to Matt Sinner.  It fits the music very well and calls to mind metal vocalists from the early 1980's.

The big problem with this release is that a lot of the songs tend to drag at times.  Mad Agony is trying to do a little too much musically at times and the band loses focus and the songs suffer.  There are a few songs that could be a minute or two shorter and would be much better for it.  They are at their best when they are playing fast and heavy, loud and proud.  The straightforward material is the best material here.  Mad Agony even succeed with the much slower and acoustic-driven "Eclipse of a Friend", particularly during the remarkable guitar solo work.  The ultra fast, thrashy section in the middle of "The Poetry of Rage" is another triumph.

The album is a tad on the long side, but it is interesting and entertaining enough.  For those looking for some real 1980's-style German heavy metal, Mad Agony fits the bill.  Or you could just turn on those well-worn Accept albums instead.  Your choice.

Lightning Lord: All Father Death Stalkers (2013)

This is going to be a really short review, because this is a really short EP.  You see, there are a couple of things people may think of when they think EP.  One is a short, four or five song album that does not exceed thirty minutes in length.  The other is short enough to fit on a 7" vinyl record.  Guess which one this is?

There are just two tracks here, so not a whole lot to go on.  Lightning Lord is a band that came from New York in 2012, yet sound like they came from England in the late 1970's or early 1980's.  Yep, NWOBHM is the sound here, specifically groups like Angel Witch, Diamond Head, Satan, and Hell.  The music is melodic, yet heavy with fast-paced speed metal riffs and soaring vocals.  Both tracks are almost anthemic with fist-pumping choruses and catchy hooks.

The vocals on second track "Children of the Night" are a little difficult to stomach on initial listens, but it gets better on repeated listens.  Other than that the problem I have with this is it's too damn short.  Looking forward to some proper material.

Iron Kingdom: Gates of Eternity (2013)

I covered an Iron Kingdom album earlier in the year when I was throwing together a bunch of albums into one post.  That album was the band's 2011 debut and I noted that the musicianship was impressive and the band was clearly influenced by Iron Maiden, but I was having problems enjoying it much because of the vocalist's high-pitched voice that was grating on the ears.  This album was released just last year and I guess we will see if they reined in the vocalist or not.

With the first song it is very clear that Iron Maiden is still the principle influence.  It starts off with a galloping riff and a melodic guitar lead.  The vocalist comes in and it is still obvious that he is attempting his best Bruce Dickinson, but he just does not have quite the range.  It sounds a lot closer to Cirith Ungol's Tim Baker than Dickinson, which would not be bad, but he is clearly trying very hard to be Dickinson.

Besides the more obvious aspects that show the Maiden influence, there is also the bassist.  Maiden's Steve Harris is one of the more dynamic bassists in all of metal, alongside Geezer Butler and others.  So it is only natural that a bass player who wants to get noticed would emulate that style.

Most of the songs on this are quite long.  There are a couple of seque tracks that are shorter, but otherwise every single song on here is longer than five minutes in length.  Which would be okay if that band was consistently interesting.  Unfortunately that is not always the case.  The band tends to slow things down at times and drag for long periods of time.  At moments like that, the album seems interminable.  I get that the idea is to combine their Maiden influence with early doom metal bands like Trouble, Cirith Ungol, and the like, but it just does not really translate well on the recording.

The musicianship on this release is still very impressive.  Unfortunately musicianship is not everything if the band in question can not write interesting music.  There are some good ideas here but they just do not really work out.  The vocalist is a little more bearable this time around though, so maybe there is still time for Iron Kingdom.

HI-GH: Night Dances (2013)

Yeah, you can probably tell some things about this band from the cover of the album and their band name.  If you guessed that they enjoyed pot on occasion, you would probably be pretty accurate.  HI-GH also has a little bit of a weird sense of humor, best shown by their name for their style of music.  They play a combination of punk and speed metal that they refer to as "spunk".  Yes.

The Rome-based HI-GH plays a fast-paced, energetic brand of metal that bears a very strong resemblance to the early days of Metallica, Slayer, and Overkill.  Yes, I named three bands that are well-known for thrash metal.  But I am referring to the early recordings of those groups, back when the punk influences were more pronounced and they were just playing a faster brand of heavy metal (that's really all speed metal is in reality).  Think "Hit the Lights", "Rotten to the Core", and other tracks along those veins.

That being said, some of the songs are much closer to punk than the speed/thrash described above.  Tracks like "Zig Zag Shaped" definitely have a lot more punk than metal in it, with the simple, repeating riff and standard chord progression.  Real punk though, not the pop punk shit that most associate with it.  Dirty and raw-sounding punk.

It becomes pretty clear as the album goes on that this is a very light-hearted band.  Songs are a little humorous at times without a whole lot of heavy themes.  The songs are fun.  Tracks like "Let Me Know" which has a very bouncy and peppy feel to it.  Many of the songs in the middle of the album are a lot more light-hearted than expected.

The final track, which is twelve minutes of experimentation and random noodling, could be lost without any effect on the rest of the album though.  It does not match the rest of the album at all and is pretty tedious to listen to.

Overall I enjoyed this album.  It is not anything terribly special.  It's a bunch of songs that sound like the early days of thrash metal, when most of the bands were playing a combination of punk and speed metal.  It's an interesting retro-sounding album.  Not bad.  Not terrific, but it is a lot of fun.

Gorefield: As Dawn Bleeds the Sky (2013)

Thought experiment time.  What would you expect a band named Gorefield to sound like?  You would probably think it would say it would be a death metal band.  You almost certainly would not expect a power/thrash metal band.  And yet here we are.  Australia's Gorefield is a thrash metal band with some power metal influences.  Not at all expected.

This release kicks off in an impressive fashion with a soft guitar melody building into some nice crunchy riffs.  The songs are melodic and powerful with catchy choruses and hooks, particularly on second track "Love Thy Enemy".  I found myself singing that chorus over and over while out feeding my wife's horses.

Gorefield does a very good job at switching up the tempos and melodies.  The band will play some faster, heavier riffs, then immediately drop into a slower gear with some softer moments.   "Playing with Fire" is definitely the biggest highlight on the album with the engaging opening bass riff that comes damn close to resembling funk.  A little unusual for thrash metal.  

The vocals are definitely interesting.  Much more power metal-influenced with a lot of emotion and some impressive harmonics.  It is a bit of a different take on thrash metal vocals.

I enjoyed this album quite a bit.  The songs are all very catchy.  This is not particularly brutal, heavy thrash.  It is much more appealing to people looking for something that is infectious and fun, not someone looking to break their necks headbanging.  And there is nothing wrong with that.  Ultimately, they would probably be better served re-naming themselves though.  Gorefield is a misleading name.

Eternal Judgment: Fatal Virus (2013)

I have been doing a lot of these short, international thrash metal EPs lately.  It is good to see the thrash metal scene alive and well, and not just the bands aping the style of the Bay Area in the mid to late 1980's.  Fatal Embrace is a Canadian band that owes its existence to Sacrifice, Razor, and the highly underrated Canadian thrash metal scene.

Eternal Judgment is not a technical band.  Most of their riffs are fairly straightforward and simple, but heavy and razor-sharp.  The goal is just to rock and have fun.  The songs are centered around the verses and choruses.  There are not many long, drawn-out musical sections.  The band just rips through the songs without a whole lot of filler.

This is a fairly short EP, with just five songs.  The songs are typically on the shorter side and well-crafted, they are more moderately-paced, nothing too fast or too slow.  What is impressive is how mature these songs sound.  For a band that has only been around for a few years, these songs sound like they are performed by seasoned veterans.  The production is also crisp and clean.  This really does sound like a very professional job.

I was impressed by this EP, as I usually am by Canadian thrash metal.  Eternal Judgment is another band to keep an eye on in the future.

Deathinition: Art of Manipulation (2013)

This is a very short four-song EP from Poland's thrash metal act Deathinition.  Previously the band has released a single and a demo in their short career so far.  But Deathinition gets a lot of stuff packed into this 16+ minute EP because they play very fast.

Deathinition plays lightning-fast riffs with an incredible amount of precision.  The riffs are razor-sharp with some impressive melodies in the lead guitars and solos.  The vocals are interesting in that a very obvious accent can be detected.  That is somewhat unusual in a lot of music.  I have not noticed much of an accent in Vader or Behemoth, two other Polish metal acts, so this is kind of unusual and makes the vocals really stand out.  There is also a bass solo in the second track.  When is the last time you heard one of those?

This is largely a retro-sounding thrash metal album that is influenced by a variety of thrash metal styles thrown together.  Early Destruction seems to be the biggest influence with the fast riffs and ferocious vocal style, but there is quite a bit of Bay Area thrash in there as well.

I liked this release quite a bit.  It has a power and energy that is captivating.  It is just 16 minutes long, but it is a highly enjoyable 16 minutes.

Besegra: Infortunium (2013)

First off, let's talk about the album cover.  What the hell is going on here?  We have the band members rendered as some kind of armored medieval battalion taking on what looks like goblins or demons or something.  It's pretty ridiculous.

Besegra is a Canadian thrash/melodic death metal band releasing their first recorded material on this six-song EP.  I will give the band credit for their energy on this release.  The band typically plays fast-paced thrash metal with a lot of enthusiasm and winding riffs.  Leads and solos twist and turn throughout the EP.  The vocals are consistently delivered in a rougher style.  They do not really have much in the way of dynamics throughout the EP.

Besegra does slow things down once in awhile.  It is there that they play a softer melody, usually by the lead guitar before leading back into the heavier, faster sections.  However these slow sections come across as largely unnecessary.  Perhaps if the band was a little bit better at making the segue not feel as jarring, it would work a little better.

Besegra are very talented musicians, but they have a little bit of trouble making cohesive musical choices.  They are a young band so the chance is there that the band will improve over time.  

Bane of Bedlam: Monument of Horror (2013)

Ah, Australian thrash metal.  I should be more clear.  This is not a band that would fit in with Destroyer 666, Abominator, or the rest of the war metal scene.  No, Bane of Bedlam is a fairly straightforward thrash metal band.  No black metal influences here, though there are some death metal influences based on the extremity of the sound.

Bane of Bedlam is a very rhythmic thrash metal band.  Their riffs are not terribly melodic, nor is there much melody to be found here at all.  There are a few guitar solos, but not as many as other thrash groups, and typically the riffs are a little lacking in dynamics.  Nevertheless, this is absolutely brutal for thrash metal.  The songs speed by like a runaway locomotive, but with a surprising amount of precision in the riffing style.  The vocals are reminiscent of early Mille Petrozza, only a little more gruff (that's saying something).  They are far more closely related to melodic death metal than thrash metal.  The band seems to draw most of their thrash metal influence from the German scene, it is a far more brutal and intense form of thrash metal.

The songs on this release are typically longer, with only one track clocking in at less than five minutes.  This leaves plenty of time to throw in as many riffs as possible.  And Bane of Bedlam certainly excel at that.  Like the best albums from Dark Angel, this is a non-stop riff-fest from start to finish.

The most impressive moment is toward the end of "Atrocity Divine" where the band really switches things up.  This is one of the few moments where the melody really comes through.  The band goes into a brief acoustic interlude then transforms into a guitar melody reminiscent of early Iron Maiden with some classical-style picking and a driving drum beat.  It is an incredibly pretty moment in an otherwise rough and brutal album.  One that really stands out because of how unexpected it is.

Bane of Bedlam is yet another band just now releasing their debut album.  But I have to say, this is one hell of an impressive one.  If you like thrash with a lot of riffs, this is for you.

Animator: Blacklisted (2013)

In the pantheon of possible thrash metal names, "Animator" is somewhere near the bottom, especially when considering the fact that they used to go by the name Heresy, which is cliche, but more appropriate.  I am not sure of the meaning in regard to a metal band name.  "Re-Animator" would make sense, after the Lovecraftian movie.  "Animator" does not.  Nevertheless, there have been bad band names before and there will continue to be bad band names.

Animator is an Irish thrash metal band.  Ireland does not have a real large metal scene, but the country has developed some decent groups, including Gama Bomb, a pretty good thrash metal band in their own right.  Animator is a bit more underground than Gama Bomb, without nearly the exposure that that band has.  But that does not mean anything with regard to quality.

The sound of Animator is typically fast-paced and energetic, bearing a strong similarity to East Coast thrash metal acts like Anthrax and Overkill.  There is a highly infectious punk rock energy to the band's songs.  There are some pretty strong riffs on here as well.  Animator slows things down once in awhile, particularly on "In God We Trust", which is more of a mid-paced cruncher.  The band is a little bit better when they are playing balls-to-the-wall fast.

The vocals are really nothing to write home about.  Typically shouted without a lot of dynamics or range.  The band does make use of gang vocals on occasion, another obvious punk influence.

I enjoyed this release.  It was not particularly groundbreaking, but it was a fun listen.  Not bad for a debut.

44Mag: Outlaw Psychosis (2013)

Hmm.  My first thought looking at the band's name, logo, and the album title was that this would be some kind of Southern rock/groove-Hellyeah-style-whatever.  It would appear to be hard-rocking, beer-swilling dumbed-down music.  Some of the song titles don't really help with that.  Just look at "Brain Douche", "D.U.I.", and "Rock Smoker".  So I was prepared to hate this.

Despite all of that, the band is much more of a thrash/groove metal band, though one with a definite swagger that you would expect from a band fitting the description above.  There is a rather large amount of other influences in this, including straight-up hard rock, such as on "50 miles" which sounds like Guns 'N Roses gone a little more metal.  Other times they pull off the tough-guy groove metal sound of later Pantera, complete with Phil Anselmo-esque vocals.

It is pretty clear from the lyrics and song titles that this is a band that likes to party, get drunk, and have fun.  "D.U.I." is fucking stupid though and we don't need some meatheads glorifying driving drunk.  I have images burned into my mind from an alcohol-related motor vehicle homicide case that I had to defend.  It was a terrible case, and the two that died were not the drivers of the car.  I just don't care for this song at all because of it.

This is not a band that takes themselves too seriously.  Sometimes that is just fine.  We don't always need something that is overly thought-out, sometimes simple is just fine.  I did not hate this like I thought that I would.  It is fairly simplistic and the intentions of the band are very clear, it's dumb party metal.  Overall this is probably not something I would revisit often.  But others may like it a lot more than myself.

VladPromotion Quick Reviews Pt. 3: The End is at Hand

Finally, this is the last post from the stuff sent to me from Vlad Promotions.  Most of these bands have been thrash metal bands from a variety of countries.  I always like discovering new thrash metal.

MAD MAZE: NO TIME LEFT... (2010)

Mad Maze is Overkill-worshipping thrash metal from Italy.  This is a fairly short release, with just four songs on it, but it was Mad Maze's first release.  The band has the same attitude and swagger as the famous New Jersey thrashers and the vocalist even attempts the sneering vocals of Blitz.  The only thing missing is the speed.  Mad Maze does not play nearly as fast as Overkill.  But this is just their debut and there is something here.  I would be willing to check back on them.

ROARBACK: FACE THE SUN (2012)

Changing things up a bit here, as we take a break from Italian thrash metal and get a Danish death/thrash band.  This is also Roarback's first release and the music sounds most like a combination of early Death, when they were still basically thrash metal, with a little bit of Demolition Hammer thrown in.  It is definitely heavier thrash, but the riffs are a little too simplistic.  The songs do not really go anywhere terribly interesting.  It is a decent attempt, and since it is a first release there is a learning curve.  They have their debut full-length coming out this year.

RUSTED BRAIN: HIGH VOLTAGE THRASH (2013)

Polish thrash?  With a name like Rusted Brain, I would expect kind of silly party-thrash/crossover.  Something like Municipal Waste or D.R.I.  It starts off silly with what sounds like a sample of war sounds over classical music, I think it's a sample from Apocalypse Now.  The music kicks in and it is very fast and intense, and yes, fun.  It is just a frenzy of riffs and pounding drums, and it is simply relentless.  This is the kind of energy Metallica had on Kill 'Em All.  The Metallica reference also fits because the singer sounds like a young James Hetfield.  This is probably my favorite of the releases I have reviewed for Vlad Promotions, by a long shot.  It is definitely the most refined.

SKULL HAMMER: DESTROYERS OF THE FAITH (2012)

Alright, Canadian thrash!  This one was listed as Terrifier, so I had some difficulty finding anything about it until I found out Terrifier were originally called Skull Hammer.  I would have stuck with Skull Hammer personally, because Terrifier is too common.  As would be expected there is a fair amount of Sacrifice, Razor, and Slaughter in Skull Hammer's sound.  This sounds like something you would expect to have been released in the mid to late 1980's.  It is very authentic-sounding Canadian thrash, and there is definitely something to be said for that.

WOSLOM: TIME TO RISE (2010)

Finally, we have Brazilian thrashers Woslom.  Woslom has been kicking around for a few years, releasing a series of demos prior to this release.  In that time they have refined their fast and furious brand of thrash metal.  There is no clear-cut influences on this one, the band seems to take their ideas from a variety of bands.  The singer sounds a little like Chuck Billy of Testament when the band used more clean vocals.  The riffs are very impressive and the songs interesting enough to retain attention.  This is a very impressive release.

VladPromotion Quick Reviews Pt. 2

Last year I was sent a bunch of promos from one individual that I just did not get around to.  Seriously, there were a lot.  So I am now tackling them.  No time to do individual reviews, just a quick and dirty look will have to do.

ERADICATOR: MADNESS IS MY NAME (2012)

Eradicator is a fairly young, German thrash metal band that plays a style that bears more of a sonic similarity to the earlier, more melodic style of Destruction when speed metal was still a major part of their sound.  In other words, this is not the type of proto-black/death metal that Sodom and Kreator, um, created when they first started recording.  It is more of Motorhead on steroids, mixed with Testament and Megadeth.  The riffs drive the music, which is what good thrash metal does, and make no mistake, this is definitely good thrash metal.  It is decidedly old-school in sound, but manages to sound fresh at the same time.

H.O.S.:  THE BEGINNING (2011)

Alright another acronym!  Is it Hogs of Steel?  Hell on Skis?  Horatio Octavio Sanchez?  Nope, apparently it is Harvester of Sorrow, a Metallica reference for those of you who don't know.  The title of the album is helpful because this is the Italian band's debut album.  And despite the Metallica reference in the name of the band, they do not really show a ton of Metallica influence in the music, apart from being a thrash metal band.  The vocals resemble Mille Petrozza of Kreator, particularly after taking over full-time vocal duties, and the riffs sound closer to other Bay Area bands such as Heathen and Forbidden.  Italy is not really known for thrash metal, other than Bulldozer and Necrodeath, so it is not much of a surprise that a band from that country would take influences from both the Bay Area and Germany.  The combination works well for H.o.S.

IRON KINGDOM: CURSE OF THE VOODOO QUEEN

Taking a break from the thrash metal of the last couple of reviews is Iron Kingdom's debut album.  Iron Kingdom is much more of a traditional metal band with roots in the music of the NWOBHM and the American power metal scene.  I kind of like the music to this one.  It's strong traditional-sounding metal, but I absolutely cannot get past the vocalist.  His voice is high-pitched and ridiculously annoying.  As the album goes on, it gets a little better, but that might just be getting used to it.  It's unfortunate that something like that would detract from an album that otherwise is interesting from a musical standpoint, but that's the way it goes.  They do pull an Iron Maiden with a historical epic at the end of the album, this one about Montezuma.  So points for that I guess.

KAOSMOS: KAOSMOS (2012)

Huh.  Apparently Italy is developing a thrash metal scene.  This is the second band just in this group of bands from this promoter.  This is just a five song EP, but a couple of the tracks are more than seven minutes in length so it is a worthwhile length.  This one is much more similar to the Bay Area thrash metal scene with an emphasis on melody over brutality.  It also utilizes a bit more experimentation and progressive structures, with some similarities to Anacrusis, Heathen, and others from when thrash was expanding their sound.  The buildup to the second track "Walking in the Rain" is incredible and once the vocals kick in, it is even more impressive.  The vocals soar over the riffs like air-raid sirens and are incredibly powerful for this genre.  In the third track they are even joined by some death growls, creating an unusual dichotomy.  Kaosmos is definitely impressive.

KUAZAR: WRATH OF GOD (2009)

And now we check in with Paraguay.  And not shockingly, Kuazar exists on the more brutal end of the spectrum.  Not surprising when South America's most well-known thrash metal bands are Sepultura and Sarcofago.  Kuazar takes their sound from the early blackened/speed/thrash of Sodom and Kreator with a little of their South American brethren thrown in for good measure.  Speed and intensity are the name of the game with Kuazar.  It is not particularly brutal for this type of thrash, relying instead on the precision of the riffs and the manic vocal style.  Very impressive as well.

VladPromotion Quick Reviews Pt. 1

I have a ton of Reader Submissions to slog my way through.  So in an effort to catch up, I am going to do some of these together in kind of a quick hits sort of way.

BETRAYER F.T.M.:  No Life Till Fury (2010)

I have no idea what "F.T.M." means.  Fuck the Mormons?  Full Throttle Mongooses (Mongeese?)?  Forging the Mississippi?  No idea.  But it does not really matter.  Betrayer F.T.M. are a thrash metal band with some punk influences shining in.  It is more of a retro sound.  Think early Exodus, Suicidal Tendencies, etc.  The vocals are a little too high in the mix and threaten to take too much focus away from the music.  Musically, this is pretty decent.  If you are a fan of early party-thrash-type stuff, this is definitely for you.  It is a fast and intense record that I found myself tapping my foot to quite a bit.  Tough to bang my head when I am at my workdesk.  I love the cover art too.

D.A.M.:  Human Wreckage (1989) and Inside Out (1991)

England actually had a decent thrash metal scene in the late 1980's/early 1990's.  It is mostly overlooked these days and Sabbat is probably the best-known band from that scene.  D.A.M. also produced a couple of albums in this time period.  D.A.M. was mostly forgotten, even on their own label due to the presence of standouts Coroner, Helloween, Voivod, Celtic Frost, and others.  So it is not shocking that few people remember them.  These two albums are another example of the oversaturation of re-releases into the metal market.  Not every single metal album really deserves to be dug up and resurrected.  These albums are okay in their own right, but they are certainly not exceptional.  These are not exactly lost gems.  They are fine, but there are a lot of other bands with a similar sound out there.

Demise Awaits: 2009 EP (2009)

Demise Awaits is a newer group without a lot of recorded material to their name yet.  This is their first EP and they also have a demo out.  The Pennsylvania band plays a 1980's-sounding hybrid of thrash and heavy, American power metal.  They have a very raw and primal sound, helped out significantly by the lower quality of the production.  What results is something similar to the early Metallica recordings prior to Kill 'Em All.  I am not going to come out and say this is the next Metallica or anything like that, but they have a decent sound.  It's not one we have not heard over and over though.  A good effort.