What’s not to love about Hardcore/Thrash bands, they give you all the raw power and energy of hardcore with the more “refined” elements of thrash, if there is such a thing, and with Almost Dead’s latest album you get it in spades.
I will admit I had not heard of the band before this, how not I do not know as they’ve been around for twenty-odd years, but let me tell you they quickly gained a new fan. “Destruction Is All We Know” is the band’s sixth album and it is amazing, it’s full of rage and pent-up aggression that is released in a scintillating fashion giving you the ultimate listening experience.
Opening with “Warheads In The Sky”,a tone setter if ever there was one, blistering drums and a crushing bass lay the foundations that pair off nicely with the cutting riffs put out by Weed as Rolandelli destroys it with his amazing vocal range, from gruff to high pitched in an instant, leaving you breathless like a kick in the throat. “Commandments Of Coercion” keeps the intensity up with another brutal track led ostensibly by Glick on the drums, the power he generates is unnatural, and the screaming vocals of Rolandelli, Portillo’s monster bass line and Weed’s mastery on the guitar are brilliant, his solo is so melodic in a maelstrom of insanity that it’s ridiculous, cracking track. The Panteraesque groove on “Eight Eyes Black” is killer, not that you’d think it from the smash mouth opening but when the intro drops the slow heavy beat just permeates every pore and you feel the groove washing over you in an intoxicating nostalgia rush, everything seems dialled up to eleven with an extra dose of heaviness, a monster track one of the best on the album. “Nightmare Coming” is the epitome of relentless, it’s like a multiple combos that repeatedly punches you in the face; from the thumping drums to the savage riffs and thick bass it never stops, add in Rolandelli’s screaming vocals and Weed’s cool solo giving you a kickass track.
“Within The Ashes” has a melodic death metal feel to it with its eerie opening and guitars on the higher end, Rolandelli shows some nice versatility on the vocals as he goes from a deeper snarl to the high pitch, the synth and guitar solos are brilliant and the mesh well with their airy melodies playing out to a close. The opening of “Agent Of Chaos” belies what is to come; a heavy track with a killer groove tuned down this hits like a sledgehammer that explodes into a frantic thrasher with a savage bass line, this is another contender from the track of the album. “Brutal Devotion” is possibly the heaviest track on the album, an animal with grinding riffs, and a drum and bass line that reverberates right through you as Rolandelli brings his vocals to the next level. “Selfish Suicide” is a powerhouse that runs right over you, gnarly riffs and a pummeling drum beat drive the track big time, but one of the best things about this track is how the band keep it heavy and fast until the backend of the track where they slow it right down to make it even heavier.
The final track on the album is “Where Sinners Cry”, and much like the rest of the album this one batters you relentlessly with a wall of sound that crushes, from Rolandelli’s savage vocals to Glick’s and Portillo’s monster beats and Weed’s killer guitar work both riff and solo wise, this track caps an outstanding album.
Review: Connor
“Destruction Is All We Know” is out now via Innerstrength Records.
Pre-order:
innerstrengthrecords.bandcamp.
Track Listing:
1. Warheads In The Sky [Official Video]
2. Commandments Of Coercion
3. Eight Eyes Black
4. Nightmare Coming
5. Within The Ashes
6. Agent Of Chaos
7. Brutal Devotion
8. Selfish Suicide [Lyric Video]
9. Where Sinners Cry
Album recorded, mixed and mastered by Zac Orhen at Sharkbite Studios Oakland, CA
Album cover and art work by Gragoth at luciferiumwargraphics.com
BIO:
ALMOST DEAD have released five full-length albums to date: Almost Dead (2007), Internal Chaos (2008), Mindfucked (2012), Lay Me Down To Waste (2018), and Brutal Onslaught (2021).
In a 10/10-rated review, Jennytate.wordpress.com called 2018’s Lay Me Down To Waste “a slab of steel driven rage and blood spurting horror, like you’ve never heard before. Atmospherically dense, with visual assault and gothic mind terror. Almost Dead are masters at brevity of power. ‘LMDTW’ multiplies the energy and strength of even the heaviest of metal albums. Leaving you terrorized, traumatized and gagging
for more.”
Metal Hammer Spain called 2021’s Brutal Onslaught “one of the best metal releases of the year…for the faithful of American thrash metal,” referring to it as an album that demonstrated “incredible virtuosity” and “characterized by the great variety of riffs and the power it has from beginning to end.”
In early 2021 ALMOST DEAD signed a worldwide deal with Art Gates Records, looking to take their unique blend of metal music and intense live performances and share it with the rest of the world. In partnership with the Flaming Arts Agency, ALMOST DEAD embarked on the “Black Rituals Tour 2021″ in Europe, alongside co-headliners Batushka (PL) and Belphegor (AT), as well as fellow support Diabolical (SE) and Warhammer (GR).
ALMOST DEAD continues to play all across California, as well
as internationally.
Line-up:
Vocals: Tony Rolandelli
Guitars: Zach Weed
Drums: Ryan Glick
Bass Guitar: Felix Portillo
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