Thrash Metal

Malefic – Impermanence Review

Malefic – Impermanence Review

By Andy-War-Hall on March 2, 2026 in Reviews, Black Metal, Death Metal, Thrash Metal, 22 comments

“A tabby cat is what you get when you let nature take its course. Nearly every stray is a tabby because, without selective breeding from human interference, cats just end up looking like that most of the time. Similarly, Atlanta’s Malefic feel to me what you’d get if you let the faster variants of extreme metal reach their natural conclusion. Playing a style that draws from thrash, black and death metal, Malefic formed in 2007 with the stated goal of modernizing black metal. In doing so, they’ve imbued in their slow-cooked debut Impermanence, an intensity and drive befitting a genre-forwarding record.” Maleficent.

Cryptic Shift – Overspace & Supertime Review

Cryptic Shift – Overspace & Supertime Review

By Andy-War-Hall on February 23, 2026 in Reviews, Progressive Metal, Technical Death Metal, Thrash Metal, 87 comments

“With the same swirling whammy lick opening “Moonbelt Immolator” gracing the opening minute of “Cryogenically Frozen,” Cryptic Shift have returned. Visitations from Enceladus was a monolithic record that rocked my world in 2020, taking me to the most vile reaches of the universe in a technical death/thrash expedition of cosmic horror. Six years later, the group from Leeds, UK aim to expand on their already expansive debut regarding both their sci-fi theming and musicality with their sophomore. They didn’t skimp out on us either.” Shifting to overkill drive.

Necrosexual – Road to Rubble Review

Necrosexual – Road to Rubble Review

By Mark Z. on February 23, 2026 in Reviews, Black Metal, Thrash Metal, 35 comments

“It was a day like any other at the AMG water cooler when someone mentioned Necrosexual had a new album coming out. Ha, I ought to myself. I vaguely remembered reviewing the Philadelphia band’s Grim1 debut back in 2018, which I had slapped with a 1.5 due to its sloppy execution and lackluster production. Perhaps I expected too much from a band led by vocalist, guitarist, and bassist “The Necrosexual,” whose main claim to fame was doing interviews for Metal Injection and MetalSucks while clad in corpse paint. Let someone else take their new album, I thought to myself. I’m sure someone will get enticed by that band name. But week after week went by, and Road to Rubble sat in the promo bin.” Cold and hard.

Wreck-Defy – Dissecting the Leech Review

Wreck-Defy – Dissecting the Leech Review

By ClarkKent on February 21, 2026 in Reviews, Power Metal, Thrash Metal, 21 comments

“Is a supergroup still a supergroup if the members who made it a supergroup are no longer part of the band? Last Canada’s Wreck-Defy passed through these halls, Steel Druhm was pleasantly surprised by their third LP, Powers That Be. However, the band that Steel reviewed has seen some significant lineup changes since then.” Super substitutions?

Sylosis – The New Flesh Review

Sylosis – The New Flesh Review

By Lavender Larcenist on February 18, 2026 in Reviews, Heavy Metal, Metalcore, Thrash Metal, 37 comments

“Sylosis has been quietly plugging along in the background for years, a band that, in my anecdotal experience, many have heard of, but few listen to. When I go to shout about the greatness of albums like Monolith or Dormant Heart from the highest peaks, it seems to fall on deaf ears. No more, I say! Lead vocalist and guitarist Josh Middleton has led the band since Edge of the Earth. As the last remaining original member, he became the de facto songwriter and soul of a group that has seen many members over the years and near dissolution during Middleton’s time with Architects. After returning to Sylosis full-time, the band is on their third release in this latest era, The New Flesh.” All hail the new flesh!

Teutonic Slaughter – Cheap Food Review

Teutonic Slaughter – Cheap Food Review

By Andy-War-Hall on February 13, 2026 in Reviews, Thrash Metal, 13 comments

“Becoming a fully-fledged metalhead is when you stop associating German metal with Rammstein and start with Teutonic thrash. There’s something about Germany that just makes thrash metal meaner, dirtier, and nastier than anywhere else, and without Teutonic thrash, extreme metal would likely look very different from where it is today. Knowing and loving this heritage, Germany’s own Teutonic Slaughter throws their feather-capped hat into the ring with their third album, Cheap Food, brandishing both a ridiculous album cover and a conviction to maintain the glory of old school Teutonic thrash metal.” Eat, prey, leave.

Leatherhead – Violent Horror Stories Review

Leatherhead – Violent Horror Stories Review

By Steel Druhm on February 12, 2026 in Reviews, Heavy Metal, Thrash Metal, 51 comments

“Steel is a sucker for a band trying their absolute best to bring back the bountiful glory of the 80s metal sound. Enter Greek retro fiends Leatherhead and their second full-length crusade, Violent Horror Stories. I happened to stumble upon their lead single “V.H.S” while scrolling on YouTube and mistook them for yet another thrash revival group, but I was mistaken. Though this is often speedy, high-energy stuff, it plays out more like a loving nod to the salad days of US power metal than any kind of beer and BO thrash-fest.” No sleep til leather.

Bitterness – Hallowed Be the Game Review

Bitterness – Hallowed Be the Game Review

By Tyme on February 6, 2026 in Reviews, Thrash Metal, 15 comments

“Thrash metal trio Bitterness has been riffing around Germany’s underground metal scene since 2002. And despite a twenty-plus-year career spent in a state of sustained anonymity, these thrashers three are ready to throw down their eighth full-length odyssey, Hallowed Be the Game. Marching under the thrash banner in a country that birthed not only the Big Teutonic 4, but some very endearing second-tier bands, takes guts and persistence. Luckily, Bitterness has a little bit of both.” In the game of German thrash, be bitter or be dead.

Barbarian – Reek of God Review

Barbarian – Reek of God Review

By Mark Z. on January 23, 2026 in Reviews, Black Metal, Heavy Metal, Speed Metal, Thrash Metal, 12 comments

“Sometime in the 2010s, I started disliking music with too many flourishes and began seeking out stuff that was more stripped-down, unpolished, and primitive. At this time, Barbarian were the perfect find. Depending on the album, this Italian trio has referred to themselves as “Regressive Metal,” “Absolute Metal,” or, in the case of their sixth album, Reek of God, “Retrogarde Metal” (typo and all). Led by vocalist and guitarist “Borys Crossburn,” their sound is essentially early Celtic Frost if they were fronted by a guitar-wielding grizzly bear who had a bizarre penchant for the occasional Running Wild-style melody.” Smells like God in here!