Germany’s own Blackened Thrash Metal horde returns with their striking new opus, taking us on a journey from old temples to desert planes, from deep jungles to mountain tops, and other mysterious locales beyond.

Truest of the true, Germany’s own Blackened Thrash/Speed Metal horde Cruel Force storms back with swords gleaming high on their fourth full-length opus, entitled Haneda, which translates to “feather field” or “wing rice paddy,” derived from the Japanese kanji for hane (羽, wing or feather) and ta/da (田, rice field), the worthy follow-up to their 2023 critically acclaimed album Dawn of the Axe. Recorded by Marco Brinkmann at Hellforge Studio, Bauer Studios and The Parchment Studios, and showcasing an old school artwork by Maegan LeMay, the newborn spawn by Carnivore on vocals, Slaughter on the guitars, Spider on bass, and GG Alex on drums further proves that the band is more so an old-style Speed Metal band, largely bereft of that blackened edge during their First Era. The tradeoff is that there’s a prominent mysticism coursing through that speed, and the blue-collared aspect of Dawn of the Axe is now spit-shined to a lethal slickness that makes Haneda hit that much harder, taking the listener on a journey from old temples to desert planes, from deep jungles to mountain tops, and other mysterious locales beyond.

The epic, battle-driven intro The Cross sets the stage for Cruel Force to kick our asses in Whips-A-Swinging, with the frantic, insane riffing by Slaughter adding an extra dosage of adrenaline to the band’s already demented Thrash Metal, accompanied by the crushing beats by GG Alex. There’s no time to breathe as the quartet continue their path of chaos and rebelliousness with Savage Gods, with Carnivore’s deranged vocals living up to the legacy of old school Speed Metal; whereas in Sword of Iron the name of the song says it all, transpiring classic Heavy Metal while Spider’s demonic bass walks hand in hand with GG Alex’s nonstop drums. Then we have Crystal Skull, where its 80’s action movie-like intro gradually morphs into a headbanging sound led by Slaughter’s guitar, albeit it would have been a lot better with vocals.

Warlords presents hints of the metal music made famous by Manowar, but without forgetting their core savagery and speed, alternating between sheer heaviness and the metallic madness of the riffage by Slaughter; and it’s time to put your elbows up and slam into the pit to the sound of Black Talon, with its Punk Rock attitude and its Thrash Metal vibe elevating Carnivore’s vocals to new heights. Titan’s Awakening is another song where the band wastes no time and begins distilling their frantic insanity right from the very first second, with Slaughter’s demented riffs being nicely boosted by the thunderous kitchen by Spider and GG Alex. And how about a nine-minute Thrash and Speed Metal song? That’s exactly what you’ll get in the breathtaking title-track Haneda, with their riffs and beats matching flawlessly with Carnivore’s vicious vocals, inspiring the band (and their fans) to march into the battlefield until the song’s epic and melodic grand finale.

“To us, it often feels like what Rainbow / Dio would have sounded if they’d played speed metal,” commented the band, and with its neoclassical moments plus tasteful references to Eastern European metal, Haneda locates that unique melting-pot of the thrashing rage of classic Kreator, Deathrow, Razor, Piledriver, and Powerlord meeting the grandeur of equally-classic Rainbow, Iron Maiden, and Virgin Steele. You can enjoy all that power, speed and rage from Haneda by grabbing a copy of the album from the Shadow Kingdom Records’ BandCamp or webstore, and don’t forget to also follow the band on Facebook and on Instagram, and to stream their striking creations on Spotify. Having said all that, do you have what it takes to venture into Haneda and disturb the Savage Gods on the way to the Crystal Skull?

Best moments of the album: Whips-A-Swinging, Sword of Iron and Haneda.

Worst moments of the album: Crystal Skull.

Released in 2026 Shadow Kingdom Records

Track listing
1. The Cross 1:19
2. Whips-A-Swinging 4:01
3. Savage Gods 4:28
4. Sword of Iron 4:03
5. Crystal Skull 4:52
6. Warlords 6:23
7. Black Talon 4:04
8. Titan’s Awakening 4:15
9. Haneda 9:11

Band members
Carnivore – vocals
Slaughter – guitars
Spider – bass
GG Alex – drums