Thechopstickdrummer
The promotional sheet for this record was written in charming broken English, so to honor its attitude, my introduction will follow suit: SPACE CHASER is super radical Thrash metal band from great country Germany serving up a science fiction-themed album full of surprise! Their upcoming record, Razorblade Bay, is thirty minute of high-speeds thrashing from the four-piece band, forming in 2011 and has releasing three previous albums. Long-winded appreciation aside, it’s time SPACE CHASER presents another Teutonic-esque platter of speedy Thrash. The preservation of Sodom, Kreator, and other Germanic titans’ aesthetics is an act I greatly appreciate–Kreator itself succumbed to the symmetrical illness plaguing modern-day covers (Krushers of the World, 2026). This styling begs a question: can they maintain a modern feel on a new label while still paying respect to their founders?
I need a beer pronto. If not, I’ll take some ice water, but splash it disrespectfully in my face so I can exude the badassery Razorblade Bay instilled in me. SPACE CHASER is a fine-tuned trash metal band with experience that shows through their clean instrumental command, a vocalist that both sneers (“8 Minutes”) and sings (“We Are the Night”), and an indefatigable approach to album pacing and song formulas. At only thirty-two minutes, Razorblade Bay will leave you dazed with the pure, unfiltered metal they provide. Each song plays no longer than four-and-a-half minutes apiece, meaning soaring guitar solos, technical drums, and groovy riffs are all compacted and–as the overall title suggests–razor sharp. There are periods of sameness, but particular moments of identity, like the spooky synth backdrop of “Blade Serpents” or the Carl Sagan’s Cosmos sample opening the second track, enliven what could’ve been a stale LP.
What leaves its mark on the album, however, is a distinct reliance on choruses and melodicism. Many cuts, like “The Coffin,” are arena-ready and easy to sing along to once the lyricism sets in. These stadium anthems feature chanted segments with room to pump your fists to the sky, and an adherence to possessing a groove accessible in conjunction with the hyper-fast riffing. This behaviour elevates the record’s potential to strike it big with the masses, but promising a raw, tight feel from the 80s is misleading. Thrash metal for SPACE CHASER means delivering messages at lightning speed, while thrash for, say, Mekong Delta or another Teutonic thrash project means ripping someone’s head off and bathing in the blood. My head may have rapidly spun throughout Razorblade Bay, but never once was I decapitated.
I’m glad I kept my brain intact to some extent, as I couldn’t praise SPACE CHASER as much. Even though I was promised a fiercer release, I’m content with the angst I got. Razorblade Bay is a sturdy output that does even the unthinkable: successfully pulling off a reprise…
Label: Testimony Records
Release date: September 11th, 2026
Website: https://www.facebook.com/SpaceChaserBand
Country: Germany
Score: 3.5/5.0
Metal Eclipse Reviews 