The underground thrash legends Thrasherwolf are set to release their highly anticipated second album this coming Friday. I’ve been a fan of the band a few years now, and a huge fan of the genre since my youth, so I knew I just had to review this in full. Plus, the single we checked out already (more on that below) was amazing, so I can’t wait to hear the rest!
The album starts off with a bang with ‘Final Act of Aggression’. The lightening quick riffing brings me mentally to the 80s Bay Area scene in all the best ways. The vocals fit perfectly over the top, giving off more Kreator vibes than anything else. The chorus is also surprisingly catchy for the style of music, plenty of places for crowds to get involved and chant! Having said that, it’s rare that bands in the thrash scene feel dangerous these days, but Thrasherwolf certainly have that fantastic edge and aura to them (live too). It’s refreshing, and great to see. The quick bit around the middle mark with the vocal stabs being in time with the drum hits is incredible and so very well written. It only emphasises the speed and aggression going on in all the best ways. Honestly, this song is incredible, and such a good way to open the album. It easily makes our playlist!
We are already more than familiar with the awesomeness that was the album’s lead single. ‘G.B.H’ is a masterclass of old-school thrash, and a true demonstration of the entire band’s insane playing abilities. The tempo changes from drummer Zaq is honestly genius, while Dan’s vocals and guitaring are up there with any other thrash icon. And, on top of that, it’s another catchy track with some fun lyrics. If you want to check out me gushing over it even more, see the video below. I’ve barely stopped listening to it this week!
‘Hanging House’ of course keeps the speed and aggression turned up to 11. We’re only three tracks in and already my neck is starting to hurt from headbanging, this isn’t good… It’s another awesome Kreator/Slayer style thrash song though, the riffing being a massive highlight alongside the vocals and, of course, the blistering soloing. It’s just damn good thrash metal played to the very highest standard by the band, and another incredible song!
‘Scream Till Death’ has a bit of a slower, more stomping pace, and gives off way more Ride the Lightening era Metallica vibes than the other tracks so far. Even when it speeds up massively, there are still hints of the metal gods in there. It’s another amazingly fun thrash song, though, especially with the chorus harkening back the slower riffing. The bridge, while a touch cheesy, is also 80s thrash to a tee and is so good. Heck, we even get a drop-out to just bass, which was awesome and created such a great dynamic near the end of the track. I cannot get enough of this album, and clearly it shows in this review!
“They can all suck the massive dick that I have” is some Slipknot’s ‘Get Out’ levels of hilarious, crazy lyrics, and I’m all here for it. ‘Shameless Loser’ is yet another awesome thrash track. Most of the rest of the tracks are, tbh. Both ‘Consumed’ and ‘Inside the Sickened Mind’ are excellent examples of modern, heavy thrash metal with an old-school edge. The only reason I’m not talking about them separately is so I don’t gush over the same things over and over and make this a real repetitive, boring review to read. However, I’d recommend all three tracks as much as I possibly can! Shout-out to the latter track though, which is a whopping seven-plus minutes in length and makes full use of it. An amazing drop-out in the middle to a truly evil clean (then dirty) guitar melody, building up perfectly more and more on top. *chef’s kiss*
Before the epic title track, we get the only change/slowing of the pace of the album in ‘Haunted’. As blasphemous as it is for some thrash fans, I always like it when thrash bands slow down and do a darker almost-ballad. And this track is really no exception. The clean, simple, haunting (pun intended) guitar riff to open sets the track up perfectly, giving way to a rather epic distorted one. The dynamics of the track are perfect, with plenty of changes around each part. Daniel’s vocals fit just as perfectly over this as it does the angrier stuff; a true testament to his talents. And yet again, it’s another incredible, infectiously catchy chorus. And we still have time for a blistering, awesome guitar solo to boot, and I love it when it followed the main melody at times too. This song is AMAZING, and another massive highlight of the album.
Overall: Goddamn, what a sick album! I’m not sure how much of it is me feeling starved of old-school-feeling thrash, but fuck man, I can’t get enough of this album. Every track is amazing, and the whole thing will be making it onto my personal playlist when it’s out. I cannot recommend this enough not just to thrash fans, but just metal fans in general. The band have really come into their own with this release, showing why they should be the future of heavy music, at least in the UK, and their take-no-prisoners attitude will surely get them to that point. This is gonna be very high on our list of albums of the year come December, and I can’t give it any less…
The Score: 10/10