Thrash Metal – Page 2 – Metal Eclipse Reviews

Ursawrath – Emergence

Metalcatto

Ursawrath has the kind of name that reminds me of the good old days of the Soviet Union (you know, during the Great Purge and so on). That’s obviously not meant as praise, but it certainly grabbed my attention. Emergence seemed promising to me. It’s been a good year for Thrash—especially for young, hungry bands proving that the most politically subversive of all Metal subgenres is alive and well. Now the real question is whether Ursawrath can break the cycle and offer something truly its own, or if I’m just staring down the barrel of another nostalgia trip I never signed up for. Stay with me and find out.

Mouth of Madness – Event Horizon

Metalcatto

t’s been a while since I looked into a German band that wasn’t making some weird and sad Post/Black. Mouth of Madness is hard to define. Sometimes it feels like a Black/Thrash band, and other times like dirty Death Metal. What I’m sure of is that Event Horizon isn’t an album that’s going to leave anyone indifferent. The band might have been quiet for a long time, but this new release is clearly aiming to put them back on the map. Time to unfairly judge whether it succeeds—or if it’s just talking crazy (see what I did there? Don’t hit me!).

True kvlt: Vyr Muk, Electrocutioner & Obšar

Metalcatto

It’s that time of the week again, when I take the most polite emails I’ve got and give them a few words of encouragement—and maybe some constructive feedback—because we all know most readers are feeling down and miserable, so why should I kick them even more? Okay, okay, enough of getting personal, let’s get to it!

Five good albums you probably never heard of (’90s edition)

Vicky

To make this introduction brief, I am just going to say that I realised these days that the ’90s as a decade had marvelous music, both Rock, and in Metal. Given that there were so many great albums released during that time, I’ve decided to make a short list containing five of my personal favorites – that are also sometimes overlooked. Let’s dig into these five underrated masterpieces.

True kvlt: Putrescent, Metal Charm, & Antiquus Scriptum

Metalcatto

It’s time again! Your submissions are starting to pile up, and I should take a look before my patience runs out and I click “delete all” in my inbox—but for now, one can only dream. Believe it or not, there’s no Black Metal this week. People are actually coming up with other things to show me. Anyway, let’s get to it!

Releases that almost fell through the cracks

Metalcatto

Lately, I’ve felt in control of the mess release dates can become. However, great albums from the underground still escape my grasp here and there. In an attempt to do justice to bands that we were either too late or too busy to explore deeply, we’re back with this section where we try to make this unjust world a little fairer in our own low-budget way. Let’s check out this unique bunch, ok?

Patchwork – Scars

Metalcatto

Traditional wouldn’t be the way I’d describe our approach at MER Industries. If anything, I make sure our writers review things that sound new and fresh simply because I hate the past. However, sometimes you have to stop and see how far we’ve come in time. Enter Patchwork, a band that tries to bring a Heavy and Thrash approach from the 80s into our era with Scars. Are you ready for some nostalgic riffs? I’m not, but I can be soon! Let’s do this.

Executionist – Sacrament of the Sick

Metalcatto

It’s been a while since we checked out some Thrash. I must say, this year hasn’t been all that bad in that area, but Thrash comes and goes in waves, and this one hasn’t impressed all that much yet. Yes, Stargazer liked the new Warbringer, but I was just OK with it. However, Executionist is debuting with Sacrament of the Sick, and I’m always in the mood to give young bands the opportunity to surprise me—even if it rarely happens. The real question is: will this project have anything novel to add to one of the most explored styles in Metal?

Eleventh Ray – Reviving Tehom

Metalcatto

Perhaps it’s the rage against the Central European Bank, but it’s already been decades since Greece became a Black Metal powerhouse. However, old school wouldn’t be the first term I’d use to describe that scene, which is why Eleventh Ray got my attention. Its upcoming album Reviving Tehom promises a strange return to an era when Black Metal wasn’t too filthy nor too clean—but let’s find out if there’s anything original to blast here.

Warbringer – Wrath and Ruin

Stargazer Scholar

Thrash Metal is important. Few other subgenres of heavy music could boast the same historical significance, and it is undoubtedly Thrash Metal that we have to thank for all things Black Metal, Death Metal, and extreme Metal. Thrash metal is overcrowded. Let’s face it, since the pioneers of the eighties and early nineties gave way to multitudes upon multitudes of nostalgic acts, the highest achievements of the movement came from its fusion with other subgenres like Prog or Groove.