Reign of Thrash and Death Metal
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All of Reign's Thrash reviews from I to P. Enjoy! If you want see your reviews here, send'em to me at the email adress that appears on the Home Page.

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KAT(EXECUTOR)-ODDECH WYMARLYCH SWIATOW(THE BREATHE OF DEAD WORLDS) '87

The other thrash masterpiece from Poland. The band was also influenced greatly by the western tharsh scene, but as with Turbo, they managed to release an album, in one of the best western thrash style, still making it their own.
First of all they are a satanic band, so they have the obvios lyrics, though, written very intelligently! Not just hailing Satan mindlessely, but putting some good questions, ideas and opinions about the whole Christianity thing, these lyrics are a thought-maker for sure.
Now to the music. As i said above, Poland, great drummers, here it isn't any different, the drummer does what he can to sound both complex, and at times, fast and densely pounding! And he makes it perfectly!
There are many acoustic parts, same as with Turbo, but here, not taking off anything of the beauty of the Turbo's ones, it sounds alot more melodic, nostalgic, and it even makes me stop for a minute, having a depressive, in a way, state of mind.
So the acoustic parts are really nice(not so often found). The thrash riffs are even greater, really crunchy, pretty technical, though not pushed towards it, and very well arranged and thought. There are some songs where it seems they have focuses on how to build up a song, from the nostalgic acoustic guitar i've been talking about, throughout a pounding, marching riff, to a fast killer pattern. It makes an impression when a band works alot on a song, combines melodies so they sound right together, and thinks of a song as a whole, with different parts having their own roles in the track. But it's far from being some calm, organized effort guys! Sometimes it seems like a big chaos, hell. Guitars, hellish vocals, and these punding at incredible speed drums.
I've said enough, you got an idea of how good this album is. All i'd ask for is a better production and the riffs to be even more technical. Though, these changes are not essential(i am a maniac of technicality, perphaps that's why).
Rating: 8/10
Marcin Michalski(Metal.666)-Admin

KREATOR-PLEASURE TO KILL '86

After the already brutal debut, Kreator striked on the scene with something even more violent and agressive. This was one of the most agressive albums at that time, there were possibly 3-4 others so brutally focused.
The vocals are great, they are really more brutal than other "standard" thrash ones in these days, lyrics weren't anything original or outstanding, but in its kind great. Kill, kill and...KILL!
Great to sing along, though it was hard to do that with Mille ;)
I have to mention one thing that really ruins a bit this record, and could be done alot better, the production, it is very muffled, the guitars are very dirty(in the bad meaning), especially in the 3 first songs, it's to get deep into the structures of teh riffs. Later on, i don't know why it gets better, on songs less oriented straightforward.
Even though, if you listen alot of times to the record, you get "familiar" with it, and you focus on it carefully you can notice very nice and well composed riffs, some, though, are simple and too little variated. The solos are good, they get in pretty good in the background of blasts of riffs and passes, and sometimes constructing interesting themes on their own.
Overally, except the production and some simple parts, it is a very good album musically speaking.
And the thrashiness of it has no low points, it's just a good headbanging work altogether with the interesting musicianship.
Rating: 8/10
Marcin Michalski(Metal.666) - Admin

MEGADETH-PEACE SELLS...BUT WHO'S BUYING? '86

I begin the series of albums, released in this best year for thrash, originally, by reviewing first this effort from the guys of Megadeth.
This was the album that really made them great, that entered them in the Big 4 Thrashers, and by listening it you quickly realize why.
7 tracks of musical beauty hidden in the folding of sheer agression combined with uncompromise.
There are two things you notice after listening to the whole record: the unmistakable vocals of Mustaine, the ones and only in the thrash scene and the abbundance of acoustic entrances in the tracks: as many as 3 have such entries.
Just to mention the musical mistakes and lacks, i dont like the middle part of the title song and My last words, they are a bit "commercial" in the chorus part, all the rest is really good, with the epitaphum in the fifth song on the album: Good.../Black Friday, all throughout a masterpiece!
The riffs are interesting and some highly technical, all pretty well aranged, although it could be done better, and nicely played.
Overall a classic, not over-rated, with minor mistakes, but mostly with good and enjoyable ideas.
Rating: 8/10
Marcin Michalski(Metal.666) - Admin

METALLICA-KILL'EM ALL '83

Of course the first album i shall review for this site is the album that started it all: Kill'em all.
The first aspect of this album that i have to discuss is the importance of this work for the whole scene, the whole metal community, and it is enormous! This is the album(along with Slayer's and Anthrax's) that created thrash and led the whole Bay area, even the world, to start playing similiar music.
Enough yapping about the symbol of this effort, let's talka about it's contenent. The lyrics aren't original that much, the subjects go around road life, violence, parties and some fantasy theme(Phantom Lord). They are written well in their goal, but nothing breathtaking.
The music: really good! I mean the complexity, the effort put by the guys in this album really shows up. The riffs are interesting and original, some technical and well arranged, which is always appreciated by me. Solos well played, some chaotic and without enough expression, but most melodic and compisitions in their own meaning.
Some complain about the vocals, i enjoy them, they show the first schreeching-screaming roots of Metallica, always good to express agression.
Overall a good album, and for a debut, even excellent with also one track worth mentioning: Anesthesia, that gives you a taste of the future progressivness and originality in Metallica's playing.
Rating: 8/10
Marcin Michalski(Metal.666) - Admin

METALLICA-MASTER OF PUPPETS '86
Just to mention one thing: it isn't the best Metallica's record. The next one is. Although it is a great and classic album.
Of course this was the big "hit" for Metallica, the sales went crazy along with their popularity, which was adequate with the music presented here though.
The lyrics are far more mature than on their debut, they showcase mostly a pacific opinion, showing the atrocities of war. Besides the dominating war topic, there are such issues as imprisoned fools, a leper mesiah and such. They are written well, both interesting and creative.
The music here surpasses all together everything Metallica did before, the first song, almost a perfect thrasher, Battery shows that up, great intro, followed by frenetic tempos.
All songs here are great except for Thing... which could be riched up more, with an emphasy on Orion, a prove of talent, good taste and a great combination of melodies on the end courtesy by Burton. Sadly his last work.
Also few parts in the album could be done a bit better, a bit more original(Master...and Sanitarium), though when comparing to the massivness of the whole record, these are minor mistakes. A last thing, this sound of guitaries...unique and uncomparable.
Rating: 9/10
Marcin Michalski(Metal.666) - Admin

METALLICA-...AND JUSTICE FOR ALL '88
I will just say shortly the sentimental side that this album rapresents for me. This is THE album that took into thrash metal, into the whole metal scene in general. A long time praised by me as the absolute greatest of all time, today has been lowered to one of the greatest of its kind. Thanks to its superb production(i don't give a shit what people say about its "bad" sound), with very heavy, thick and crunchy sonic feel i listen to what i listen now. I will review this album entirely objectively, no emotions, just the naked truth about it.
As i said i simply love the production, it gives so much to the record, it's so heavy(Lars said they made three layers of sound in the mix to make it this way) you can feel the mass of the metal of the strings Metallica used for their guitars here. James is at his vocal peak in my opinion, giving alot of bassy deepness, but also anger and sadness, and i think the loss of Cliff has alot to do with how this album sounds.
Drums are very heavy and maybe sometimes they could sound as a bit overlouded upon other instruments, but me being a big lover of pounding beats have no problem with that. One curiosity about the production is that i feel like Blackened was recorded in some other studio, or different conditions, it still sounds good, but worse than the rest of the rest of the songs.
I would like to focus here on the musicianship as i feel like it is the strongest point in this album, and it is also the best ever of Metallica's possibilities. First off i like how they mixed the heaviness, the thrashiness of this record(and its crunchy riffs) with big progressivness.
The solos have been always great from Metallica, so they are not a stand-out compared to the other albums, they are just at the same astonishing degree of knowledge upon how to handle the instruments.
The two things that make this album so special for me, and in my opinion for the whole thrash music are the riffs, with the intelligent passages between them, and the complexity of the drums.
It's hard for me to explain this great music included here with words, but i'll try. The riffs first of all, as mentioned above, are very crunchy and thrashy, but making original structures, which are catchy, yet complex and interesting. And there is a really impressive number of them for each songs, linked together by really nice, well thought, passages, they are melodic, but they never lose the main theme from either of the riffs conected by it. After this said we come to the arrangments.
I have to admit that Lars has done his job like never before, although always keeping in mind the typical tharsh rhytms, he puts in his own musical ideas, original, living their own lives, yet fitting into the rage showcased by the dual guitar attack and the shouting bass. So we get both the cathciness and and intersting layers of beats put here and there, and i always loved such a combination.
I wanted this review be concentrated more on the technical definition of the music displayed here rather than on the emotions. I always try to give the reader an idea of the music he will encouter purchasing a specific effort, and where he will take it in his heart, mind and soul, that's up to him. A non related ending of the review, but this album is special for me and this is how i try to transmit the musical content on albums through reviews.
A masterpiece, mainly not understood by many, i believe by the band itself sadly too.
Rating: 9.5/10
Marcin Michalski(Metal.666)-Admin

OVERKILL-TAKING OVER '87

New York thrashers: Overkill, after the good debut they enter the studio to release their second effort. They are respected by the scene because of releasing good thrashers very often, but never got a cult status, because of the lack of an album "masterpiece". And this is another good thrasher.
This won't be a long review, as there isn't much to say, lyrics pretty standard thrash themes, vocals and production are well done, but could be more creative.
The music is good for all the thrash lovers, the riffs aren't lame, they're not borrowed or stealed from some band just to play along. They are written on their own, they are nice, varied a bit, from fast typical thrashers to middle-paced parts concentrated more on the crunching heaviness.
Nothing complicated, nothing technical, simple, but interesting thrashing, they will have better records though.
Don't understand me bad, it is an even great thrasher, but it gets overflowed in the sea of other similiar ones.
Rating: 7/10
Marcin Michalski(Metal.666) - Admin

POSSESSED-BEYOND THE GATES '86

After releasing the biggest opus magnum of the death metal genre, not only by being the first, Possessed, to fresh up their music, switched to the popular thrash. It could seem a sell-out, from the scary and disliked brutality of proto-death, to the popular agression of thrash. If all "sell-outs" would be like this, i'd be damn happy!
Though i think they should stay with their deathy style(in the vocals departement they haven't left death metal that much, still the same old shit), this technical thrash is just...magnificant!
10 great songs, one after another, the riffs are extremely technical in parts, therefore the music on this album is alot better than on the debut.
Althought the production of Seven Churches can't be topped, this, as a tech thrash, sounds right to me, focused more on the bassiness of the sound, instead of the rawiness of the rhytm guitars.
I cannot add alot to this review, if you enjoy a complexity in music, plus riffs and solos sounding very diversified in the structures, and crunchy thrash sound at high-speed this is right for you. And still this vocal was unique at the time.
Alot of work and ideas put into this,i respect it and spread it outside if it's worth it, and this definately is!
Rating: 9/10
Marcin Michalski(Metal.666)-Admin