Tag Archives: hardcore punk

Album Review – Man Must Die / The Pain Behind It All (2023)

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This Scottish Death Metal institution returns with their most aggressive album to date, once again bringing the fight but in a bigger way than ever.

Having already released four furious records and having toured with the likes of Kataklysm, Aborted, Misery Index, Machine Head, Hatebreed and Decapitated, to name a few, Glasgow, Scotland-based Technical Death Metal entity Man Must Die is back in action with their most aggressive album to date and their first full-length album in almost ten years, The Pain Behind It All, following up on their 2019 EP Gagging Order and their 2013 full-length opus Peace Was Never an Option. Known and praised for their highly energetic music style, with early releases containing elements of Technical Death Metal, Melodic Death Metal and even influences from old school Hardcore Punk, but currently showcasing much more melodic elements coupled with a Deathgrind-based sound, the band formed of vocalist Joe McGlynn, guitarists Alan McFarland and Mike Allan, bassist James Wright, and drummer Tony Corio is once again bringing the fight but in a bigger way than ever armed with their new album, always dealing with religion, murder, death, hate and warfare in their lyrics, usually written in a very violent fashion.

The sinister and short intro O.C.D sets the stage for Man Must Die to smash our cranial skulls with Patterns In The Chaos, a pulverizing display of Death Metal with Deathcore nuances with Tony going berserk behind his drums while Joe roars and gnarls nonstop for our vulgar delectation, whereas the title-track The Pain Behind It All brings forward sheer heaviness directly to our faces, with the band’s guitar duo Alan and Mike sounding visceral armed with their axes, not to mention the song’s eerie background ambience. It’s pedal to the metal with the band being on fire in In The Hour Before Your Death, a frantic, heavy-as-hell Death Metal extravaganza led by the always demolishing beats by Tony while their guitars keep exhaling absolute hatred, followed by Clickhate, another boisterous tune by those Scottish death metallers where the level of fury and animosity flowing from all instruments is gargantuan, with Joe bursting his lungs growling like a beast.

After such intense first half of the album, it’s time for a darker song entitled Enabler, a decent mid-tempo feast of Technical Death Metal spearheaded by the piercing riffage by Allan and Mike; and back to their most vicious mode, the band will pulverize our ears in Bring Me The Head Of The King, taking their violence to a whole new level while Joe vociferates the song’s catchy lyrics in great fashion. Get ready for six minutes of anguished passages, thrilling riffs and endless obscurity in War Is My Will, with James blasting his rumbling bass while Tony completes their evil kitchen with his pounding drums, followed by the instrumental interlude Alone In A Crowded Room, soothing our souls for a little less than two minutes before the band comes ripping with their final sonic attack entitled Who Goes There?/I.F.F, a lecture in Death Metal infused with elements from Deathcore, Hardcore, and even hints of Punk Rock. Put differently, it’s impossible to stand still to this venomous sonic hurricane, inspiring us all to slam our damned bodies into the circle pit.

The ruthless squad of Man Must Die is waiting for you on Facebook and on Instagram with news, tour dates and other great information about the band and their music, and of course you can stream all of their pulverizing creations on Spotify. The Pain Behind It All, available for purchase from the Distortion Music Group’s webstore as a CD or a vinyl, as well as from Apple Music or Amazon, is as aforementioned Man Must Die’s strongest and most obscure album to date, positioning the band as one of the torchbearers of the current Scottish metal scene and, therefore, leaving us eager for more and more of their flammable music in the coming years.

Best moments of the album: Patterns In The Chaos, In The Hour Before Your Death, Bring Me The Head Of The King and Who Goes There?/I.F.F.

Worst moments of the album: Enabler.

Released in 2023 Distortion Music Group

Track listing
1. O.C.D 0:33
2. Patterns In The Chaos 4:38
3. The Pain Behind It All 5:01
4. In The Hour Before Your Death 4:11
5. Clickhate 4:07
6. Enabler 5:57
7. Bring Me The Head Of The King 3:33
8. War Is My Will 5:57
9. Alone In A Crowded Room 1:45
10. Who Goes There?/I.F.F 4:13

Band members
Joe McGlynn – vocals
Alan McFarland – lead guitars
Mike Allan – guitars
James Wright – bass
Tony Corio – drums

Album Review – Nunslaughter / Red is the Color of Ripping Death (2021)

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Cleveland, Ohio’s own infernal squad returns with another bestial display of their trademark “Devil Metal”, their first album in seven years.

3.5rating

nunslaughter-red-is-the-color-of-ripping-death-2021Cleveland’s own infernal squad Nunslaughter requires no introduction. Since their inception in the distant year of 1987, those Ohio natives have prolifically perfected their own brand of what they like to label as “Devil Metal”, an evil blend of classic Death and Thrash Metal with Hardcore Punk, and now in 2021, at long last, the band is back in action with Red is the Color of Ripping Death, their first album in seven years. Recorded, mixed and mastered by Noah Buchanan, the album is a lesson in savagery, speed and sulfur by vocalist Don of the Dead, guitarist Tormentor, bassist Detonate and drummer Wrath, proving Nunslaughter are far from calling it quits even after so many years on the road. Furthermore, many are still mourning the loss of legendary drummer Jim Sadist (RIP), and while Red is the Color of Ripping Death is their first full-length without him playing on it, some of the 14 songs contained herein are unfinished or unrealized music that Jim and founding frontman Don of the Dead wrote years ago, giving the whole album an even more special feel and taste.

Wrath begins hammering his drums manically in the opening tune Murmur, a lecture in fast and heavy Death and Thrash Metal by the band to properly kick things off, not to mention how vile Don’s growls sound, whereas in Broken and Alone they speed up their pace and add a good amount of Hardcore and Punk Rock to their core sonority, with Tormentor treating us with his incendiary, slashing riffage. Then it’s time for a darker and more venomous tune by the quartet named To a Whore, once again inviting us all to slam into the pit to the Stygian riffs and bass jabs by Tormentor and Detonate, respectively; followed by Banished, not as infuriated as its predecessors but still showcasing the band’s trademark heaviness and spearheaded by the deep roars by Don, and the title-track Red Is the Color of Ripping Death, a hurricane of Death and Thrash Metal tailored for admirers of that beautiful sound from the Bay Area, with Wrath once again hammering his drums nonstop. Tormentor continues to extract sheer violence from his guitar in Eat Your Heart, while Don vociferates rabidly amidst a very melodic but at the same time brutal sonority, and in Annihilate the Kingdom of God the unrelenting Don beautifully declaims the song’s austere words while his bandmates keep delivering endless aggression, with Detonate and Wrath sounding bestial with their evil kitchen.

Living up to the legacy of old school thrash the likes of Slayer and Overkill, the quartet fires the absolutely infernal Beware of God, with Don leading his demented horde with his sick growling and screams, whereas another round of deranged roars, classic blast beats and flammable riffs comes in the form of Black Cat Hanging, keeping the album at a high level of animosity for our total delight. And are you ready to be smashed like an insect? Because that’s what will happen to you in Dead in Ten, spearheaded by the fulminating drums by Wrath and the wicked riffage by Tormentor in a superb display of extreme music by Nunslaughter. Then let’s all “calm down” a bit and enjoy a headbanging extravaganza entitled The Devil Will Not Stray, where the band adds hints of Black and Doom Metal to make things even more devilish, while they get back to a more ferocious sonority in The Temptress, with Wrath kicking ass on drums once again supported by the metallic bass jabs by Detonate. Casket Lid Creaks is another slower-than-usual song that albeit displaying the band’s heaviness and obscurity, it doesn’t really take off. Detonate still showcases a great job with his low-tuned bass, though. Lastly, less than one minute is everything the band needs to crush anyone that’s still alive in Below the Cloven Hoof, putting a beyond demonic ending to such awesome album.

nunslaughter-2021In case you want to join Nunslaughter in their quest for metal, depravity and evil, you can start following the band on Facebook and on Instagram for news, tour dates and other nice-to-know details about them, stream more of their savage creations on Spotify, and above all that, purchase the awesome Red Is the Color of Ripping Death from their own BandCamp page or from the Hells Headbangers Records’ webstore in CD or cassette format. As Jim Sadist would say, “red is the color of ripping death,” and I’m sure he’s truly proud of his bandmates for their new album. Long live Jim Sadist, and long live Nunslaughter.

Best moments of the album: Broken and Alone, Red Is the Color of Ripping Death, Beware of God and Dead in Ten.

Worst moments of the album: Banished and Casket Lid Creaks.

Released in 2021 Hells Headbangers Records

Track listing 
1. Murmur 1:33
2. Broken and Alone 1:50
3. To a Whore 2:34
4. Banished 2:48
5. Red Is the Color of Ripping Death 3:34
6. Eat Your Heart 2:41
7. Annihilate the Kingdom of God 2:48
8. Beware of God 1:49
9. Black Cat Hanging 2:13
10. Dead in Ten 3:39
11. The Devil Will Not Stray 2:51
12. The Temptress 2:01
13. Casket Lid Creaks 3:04
14. Below the Cloven Hoof 0:52

Band members
Don of the Dead – vocals
Tormentor – guitars
Detonate – bass
Wrath – drums

Album Review – Lucifuge / Infernal Power (2021)

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The full moon is nigh, and all the witches are about to dance to the infernal fusion of NWOBHM, Punk Rock and early Thrash Metal crafted by an unrelenting beast hailing from Germany.

3.5rating

lucifuge-infernal-power-2021For the past five years, Bremen, Germany-based Black/Thrash Metal beast Lucifuge has been perfecting an addicting fusion of NWOBHM, Punk Rock and early Thrash Metal, all guided by the iron fist of mainman Equinox. Starting in 2018 as a one-man wrecking crew inspired by Venom, Bathory and Hellhammer, Lucifuge have expanded to a full-bodied quartet comprised of the aforementioned Equinox on vocals and guitars, Berenjenix also on the guitars, Matorralix on bass and Dominatrix on drums, taking the band’s signature greasy n’ galloping riffs, locomotive rhythmic (dis)charge and twisted n’ pissed vocals, and spit-shining them with the dirtiest motor oil known to man, resulting now in 2021 in their brand new and fulminating opus Infernal Power, a breathtaking album of unrelenting metal music highly recommended for fans of bands the likes of Exciter, Warfare, Running Wild and Onslaught, embraced by the old school warlike artwork by Italian painter Paolo Girardi.

Rev up your engines as their feast of frantic and dirty sounds is about to begin in Infernal Power, blending old school Heavy Metal the likes of early Running Wild with Punk Rock, with Equinox and Berenjenix being on fire with their lancinating riffs. Put differently, what a bestial way to kick off the album, and they keep slashing their stringed weapons mercilessly accompanied by the furious blast beats by Dominatrix and the in-your-face bass punches by Matorralix in Leviathan Arise; followed by Black Battalions, where its lyrics reek of violence and rebelliousness (“Destruction, Disorder and Desire / They cling to him who braves the gale of high / They rush upon him like a wave and break / in fiery foam against him and they shake / They Open Hell”) while the music is a beautiful, galloping fusion of Heavy, Black and Speed Metal. And putting the pedal to the metal the quartet sounds like a demonic version of the early days of Megadeth in Temples Of Madness, with Equinox delivering his trademark raspy roars nonstop.

Let’s keep slamming into the pit and raising our horns and beers high in the name of metal to the sound of Heresy Shall Remain, with Equinox and Berenjenix once again sounding hellish on the gutiars, whereas in Beneath the Eyes of the Black Flame we face another round of their wicked lyrics (“Solemn dusk descending from the East / Demons rise around us in the mist / Deep beneath the Eyes of The Black Flame / Rise the One whose name shall not be named”) amidst a hurricane of metallic and sulfurous sounds. Then investing in a more melodic sound while maintaining their core essence intact the band offers us Black Light of The Evening Star, not as demented as its predecessors but still extremely enjoyable; and they’ll make your head tremble to the sound of the Speed Metal and Punk Rock hybrid entitled The Doors of Hell May Shake, where Dominatrix is once again insane behind his drums. After such pulverizing tune, it’s time for their own rendition of Good as It Is, from the legendary Japanese Hardcore Punk band G.I.S.M.’s cult second album M.A.N., released in 1987 (and you can check the original version HERE), with Lucifuge’s tribute sounding and feeling beyond stunning and vibrant. And lastly, sounding more epic than usual, Equinox and his henchmen fire the neck-breaking Midnight Sun, with the bass jabs by Matorralix making the earth tremble while the music remains utterly venomous until the very last second.

lucifuge-2021After all is said and done, it’s quite easy to join Equinox and his henchmen in their quest for metal music. All you have to do is stream Infernal Power as many times as you want in its entirety on YouTube and on Spotify, follow the band on Facebook and on Instagram for news, tour dates and other nice-to-know details about such talented horde, and above all that, purchase your copy of their scorching new album from their own BandCamp page, or from the Dying Victims Productions’ BandCamp page or webstore (in CD or LP format). As the band itself likes to say, the full moon is nigh, and all the witches are about to dance. Prepare to feel Lucifuge’s Infernal Power!

Best moments of the album: Infernal Power, Black Battalions and Beneath the Eyes of the Black Flame.

Worst moments of the album: Black Light of The Evening Star.

Released in 2021 Dying Victims Productions

Track listing  
1. Infernal Power 2:52
2. Leviathan Arise 2:55
3. Black Battalions 3:36
4. Temples Of Madness 2:54
5. Heresy Shall Remain 3:05
6. Beneath the Eyes of the Black Flame 2:55
7. Black Light of The Evening Star 3:08
8. The Doors of Hell May Shake 3:48
9. Good as It Is (G.I.S.M. cover) 5:20
10. Midnight Sun 3:59

Band members
Equinox – vocals, guitars
Berenjenix – guitars
Matorralix – bass
Dominatrix – drums

Album Review – Onslaught / Generation Antichrist (2020)

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These Bristol, UK-based veterans are ready to set the world on fire once again with one of the most ferocious Thrash Metal albums of the year.

Synonymous with the brilliance and endurance of today’s Thrash Metal movement, Bristol, UK-based veterans Onslaught are ready to set the world on fire once again with one of the most ferocious Thrash Metal albums of the year, the excellent Generation Antichrist. Their long-awaited new album was recorded at Dugout Productions in Uppsala, Sweden, with Grammy Award winner Daniel Bergstrand (Behemoth, In Flames, Meshuggah) at the helm, capturing Onslaught’s classic sound with a pristine modern production. Not only that, Generation Antichrist is the first album to feature new vocalist David Garnett, replacing longtime frontman Sy Keeler, delivering a vocal performance on par with the brutal musical attack crafted by guitarists Nige Rockett and Wayne Dorman, bassist Jeff Williams and drummer James Perry. Influenced by second-generation Hardcore Punk bands and inspired by a world full of hatred, megalomaniacs and political madness, Onslaught are eager to unleash the new beast that is Generation Antichrist, one of their best efforts since their inception in the distant year of 1983.

Tune in to an old school Thrash Metal intro titled Rise to Power, starting in a visceral and heavy-as-hell way with James demolishing his drums while newcomer David showcases his growling abilities, setting the tone for Strike Fast Strike Hard, bringing forward modern thrash the likes of Exodus during their Rob Dukes-era that’s more than perfect for slamming into the mosh pit like a maniac, with Nige and Wayne being unstoppable with their shredding and wicked solos, making the song’s electricity and aggressiveness go through the roof. And they keep hammering our heads without a single drop of mercy in Bow Down to the Clowns, with Jeff firing sheer thunder from his bass while James’ drums dictate the song’s headbanging rhythm. In addition, the song’s backing vocals provide an amazing support to David’s sick screams in great Thrash Metal fashion.

The title-track Generation Antichrist couldn’t have sounded darker and more austere than this, a brutal and high-octane extravaganza tailored for diehard fans of Thrash Metal showcasing a fantastic job done by both Nige and Wayne with their axes while James continues to pound his drums manically, and get ready to crush your skull into the pit together with Onslaught in the modern-day thrashing tune titled All Seeing Eye, where David’s vocals match perfectly with the message from the song’s lyrics and the band’s vicious sounds, proving why he was the chosen to be Onslaught’s new frontman. Following such devastating tune we have Addicted to the Smell of Death, a great title for a frantic display of Thrash Metal led by James’ machine gun-like beats accompanied by a demented riffage, also bringing to our avid ears classic backing vocals and endless stamina, with David once again going berserk on vocals.

Then it’s time to break your neck headbanging to the sound of Empires Fall, again presenting elements form the current thrash blasted by Exodus, Testament and Death Angel, proving why Thrash Metal doesn’t need to be played at the speed of light to sound infernal, whereas the demolishing hurricane titled Religiousuicide is an ode to 80’s and 90’s Thrash Metal that will make your blood boil without a shadow of a doubt, all spiced up by its acid, blasphemous lyrics (“Sacrament or Sacrifice / Holier than thou / Anti cult or Antichrist / Messiah take a bow / Hanging on the Holy Cross / Judicious parasite / Religion takes it up the ass / Is Jesus Fucking Christ”) barked by David while Nige and Wayne are on fire with their strident solos from start to finish. And last but not least, the band offers a new version of A Perfect Day to Die, originally released in 2019 as a single still with Sy Keeler on vocals, sounding just as incendiary and visceral, with Jeff and James making sure Onslaught’s kitchen remains rumbling and metallic.

In summary, the reinvigorated old school Thrash Metal platoon known as Onslaught are simply kicking some serious ass throughout the entire Generation Antichrist, with newcomer David bringing a huge dosage of adrenaline to the band with his raspy vocals and, therefore, pointing to a bright future in their already awesome career. You can find more details about Onslaught, their music and their tour dates (whenever this COVID-19 madness is over, of course) on their official Facebook page and on Instagram, listen to more of their crushing thrash on Spotify, and purchase your copy of Generation Antichrist from the AFM Records webstore or by clicking HERE. I’m sure all fans of classic and modern thrash like myself are going to be truly impressed with the high quality of the music found in Onslaught’s new effort, urging us all to slam into the circle pit even if we have to do it by ourselves while isolated in our homes.

Best moments of the album: Strike Fast Strike Hard, Generation Antichrist and Religiousuicide.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2020 AFM Records

Track listing
1. Rise to Power 2:05
2. Strike Fast Strike Hard 4:38
3. Bow Down to the Clowns 4:50
4. Generation Antichrist 5:43
5. All Seeing Eye 3:50
6. Addicted to the Smell of Death 3:55
7. Empires Fall 5:34
8. Religiousuicide 3:29
9. A Perfect Day to Die (2020 version) 3:50

Band members
David Garnett – vocals
Nige Rockett – guitar
Wayne Dorman – guitar
Jeff Williams – bass
James Perry – drums

Album Review – Atomçk / Every Room In Britain (2017)

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A 17-minute nonstop head crusher of cacophonous chaos, furious, catchy riffs and inhumanly ape-like shrieking vocals. That’s how good primeval Grindcore should always sound.

When the total running time of an album with 21 songs is only around 17 minutes, you know those 17 minutes will be as intense as hell. Founded in 2006 in Bristol, a city and county in South West England, Grindcore/Hardcore Punk trio Atomçk has evolved from their primitive noise roots into a uniquely eccentric and offbeat brand of Grindcore, culminating now in 2017 with the release of the full-length album Every Room In Britain, a nonstop head crusher of cacophonous chaos, furious, catchy riffs and inhumanly ape-like shrieking vocals, as if Cornelius, the son of Caesar from Planet of the Apes, decided to rebel against his father in his teens to form a Hardcore band.

Most probably the shortest intro of all time, the quick sonic havoc Rot Induction wakes our inner monsters up for the boisterous one-minute tunes Full Of Sell and Fuck Off Back To London, both presenting a solid Grindcore devastation with brutality flowing from all instruments. Furthermore, just try to follow the lyrics of the latter with the band (“Graffiti tours / Fuck off back to London / Moustache barbers / Fuck off back to London / Bad film clubs / Fuck off back to London / Cultural erosion / Fuck off back to London now”). In Back Office Savings we have the ultimate shrieking and slamming feast, courtesy of the demented “apes” Linus, Luke and Carl, and then you might wonder how they could possibly sound more violent than this in less than a minute, right? Well, their answer comes in the form of the songs Preston Slayer Fans and Young Professionals. And when you least expect, you’ll begin to deeply enjoy their primate-inspired screeches.

Every Room sounds slightly more rhythmic than its predecessors, but still insanely brutal, with its demonic guitars going along really well with their demented gnarls; followed by the incomprehensible, anarchic chant titled Community Payback, the thunderous bass lines of the “bridge” Bare Minimum Customer Service, and the amazingly violent, fast-paced tempest named Robot Cannibal. What about those lyrics, can you follow them (“What to do / I’m not sure / Might as well / Kill something / Didn’t work / The last time / Never mind / We have to / Do something / Someone must / Be murdered / Blind idiot god / Demands meat”)? Or should I ask if you’re still alive after so much savagery?

Misery Trance presents menacing low-tuned sounds accompanied by their trademark monkey-frog-hybrid screams, while in Waiting For Junko they speed up their pace and offer more of their Grindcore dementia. And the slamming party goes on with Two Grand Bro and Glass Floor, showcasing Mike Patton/Barney Greenway-inspired vocals in a turbulent manner, which is also the case in the demented Pro Area 1. Then after four seconds of noises in Micro Aggressions we’re treated to Self Defeater, with its fun lyrics (“No tolerance / For dogma / But be careful / With the use / Of language / Or thou shalt / Be cast out”) and deranged drumming. In Purged the trio proves why they’re the masters of sick Grindcore, destroying everything and everyone that crosses their path in less than one minute, whereas Another Nails In The Coffins brings forward more of their insane Mike Patton-ish vocals. How can Linus screech like that during their live concerts? That should be an interesting event to watch. Anyway, there are still two more minutes of pure aggression and wicked growling in Every Room In Britain, starting with Fastard and followed by Anguish Champion, closing this berserk and totally crazed album on a high note.

Portraying an elegant artwork by Luke Oram, Every Room In Britain can be relished in full on Spotify and purchased at several different locations such as the SuperFi Records BandCamp or webstore, the WOOAAARGH! Records BandCamp or webstore, and the Rip Roaring Shit Storm Records BandCamp or Big Cartel, as well as on iTunes, on Amazon, at the Boomkat webstore or at Discogs. It definitely feels like there are more places where you can buy the album than minutes of music in it, don’t you agree? Now please get up from that couch, stretch your muscles and get ready to jump up and down and slam like an ape to the hurricane of extreme sounds blasted by Atomçk, because that’s what entertaining high-end Grindcore is all about.

Best moments of the album: Fuck Off Back To London, Preston Slayer Fans, Robot Cannibal and Waiting For Junko.

Worst moments of the album: Misery Trance and Bare Minimum Customer Service.

Released in 2017 SuperFi Records

Track listing
1. Rot Induction 0:04
2. Full Of Sell 0:54
3. Fuck Off Back To London 1:07
4. Back Office Savings 0:49
5. Preston Slayer Fans 0:46
6. Young Professionals 0:53
7. Every Room 0:51
8. Community Payback 0:34
9. Bare Minimum Customer Service 0:09
10. Robot Cannibal 1:48
11. Misery Trance 0:55
12. Waiting For Junko 0:55
13. Two Grand Bro 0:55
14. Glass Floor 0:38
15. Pro Area 1:01
16. Micro Aggressions 0:04
17. Self Defeater 0:38
18. Purged 0:56
19. Another Nails In The Coffins 0:53
20. Fastard 0:42
21. Anguish Champion 1:11

Band members
Linus – vocals, machines
Luke – guitars
Karl – drums

Album Review – Next Bullet / Zero (2017)

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Are you ready to thrash to the debut album by a trio of Italian insurgents who take no prisoners in their quest for heavy music?

In case you don’t know what Thrashcore means, let me do a quick introduction to you of this electrifying style of heavy music. Thrashcore, also known as Fastcore, is a fast-tempo subgenre of Hardcore Punk that emerged in the early 1980’s, being often less dissonant and metallic than Grindcore, but still making good usage of blast beats. Thrashcore songs are usually short in duration, with the lyrics typically emphasizing youthful uprising or anti-militarism, being aligned with the skateboarder subculture in many ways. Having said that, are you ready to thrash to Zero, the debut album by a trio of Italian Thrashcore insurgents who together go by the name of Next Bullet?

Formed in 2016 in northeast Italy by members of Groove Metal act Overblood and Deathcore group Awake The Secrets, the trio comprised of Marc1 on vocals, Paske on guitar and bass, and Tom KT on drums takes no prisoners in their quest for heavy music, delivering ten ruthless compositions that exhale rebelliousness with the hardcore attitude of Grindcore, but also presenting the more melodious lines of Metalcore. Zero is already a pretty good album by itself, but if you take into account the fact that it’s just their debut release, I wonder how far those Italian metallers can go in the world of underground heavy music with this new endeavor.

Next Bullet, the track that carries the name of the band, is a precise depiction of what this power trio stands for, locked and loaded with pure heaviness and a hardcore attitude, where Marc1 begins explaining their “mission” through his deep growls while Tom KT sounds like a machine gun on drums. Following that intense start, we have All I Have Earned, a faster and more melodic Thrashcore song with elements from traditional Thrash Metal and Punk Rock, with Marc1 continuing his vocal attack and Paske delivering metallic, sharp riffs perfect for banging our heads nonstop; and Not Allow Them, where the trio keeps hitting us with their hardcore sounds. Moreover, pay attention to the drumming by Tom KT as it’s an interesting blend of the traditional Thrash Metal played by Exodus with the demented beats by old school Punk Rock drummers.

In Antiparasitic they once again unite the aggressiveness of American Hardcore with the melody found in European metal music, resulting in one of my favorite tracks of the album due to its high level of electricity, with all three members being in total sync generating a truly belligerent sonority; whereas in Unrelenting Will, another solid composition that showcases all the band’s anger and defiance, the musicality is led by the guitar lines by Paske while Marc1 bursts his lungs with his sick screams. After an eerie bridge named 2015: Mission Accomplished, we face more of the destructive music by Next Bullet titled Born On The Wrong Side, a mid-tempo, dark composition showing a more visceral side of the band. Not only that, Paske and Tom KT make a great duo with their heavy-as-hell riffs and demonic beats, therefore increasing the song’s punch and taste.

As I hate hashtags from the bottom of my heart, I have to say the furious The New Hashtag puts a smile on my face with its less than two minutes of sheer craziness, in a well-balanced fusion of Thrash Metal, Hardcore and Punk Rock. And bringing a lot of groove to their sonority, Kill The Maniac Pedophile is another short and sweet creation by Next Bullet that overflows rage despite being a bit bland, with its the last part getting a lot more dynamic (which unfortunately doesn’t last as long as it should), before the supersonic Remember! concludes the album in great fashion. The sound of the guitar by Paske is truly exciting, as if he is cutting our flesh with his riffs mercilessly, while Tom KT continues to pound his drums manically and Marc1 gets more and more insane on vocals.

Now that you have a pretty good understanding of what Thrashcore stands for and its purpose in heavy music, you should definitely give a try to Next Bullet and their berserk music by visiting their Facebook page and purchasing your copy of Zero at their BandCamp page. As mentioned before, Zero is a beyond solid debut by this angry power trio, having all the necessary qualities to become a reference in underground Thrashcore and a great source of energy for the band to keep moving forward in their career.

Best moments of the album: Next Bullet, All I Have Earned and Antiparasitic.

Worst moments of the album: Kill The Maniac Pedophile.

Released in 2017 KT Records

Track listing
1. Next Bullet 3:20
2. All I Have Earned 3:20
3. Not Allow Them 2:00
4. Antiparasitic 2:18
5. Unrelenting Will 3:04
6. 2015: Mission Accomplished 0:38
7. Born On The Wrong Side 2:38
8. The New Hashtag 1:30
9. Kill The Maniac Pedophile 1:34
10. Remember! 2:40

Band members
Marc1 – vocals
Paske – guitar, bass
Tom KT – drums