The UK thrash scene is one that I feel
never really got the appreciation it deserved. The biggest problem it had was a
very high proportion of the bands in that scene played more straight forward
thrash in the vein of Metallica and Testament, and for that reason, it didn’t
appeal to those looking for the next most extreme band. In modern times, the
thrash metal landscape in the UK is a bit different, but independent band News
Corpse seeks to recapture that 1980s UK thrash sound. This description might
sound a bit unappealing, but let’s be honest here: modern thrash doesn’t exist
to reinvent the wheel. In fact, News Corpse does this sound so well that you’ll
probably be replaying them over the long lost Metal Messiah, Snyper, or even
D.A.M.; “Breaking News” is the News Corpse's debut EP, and it provides a relentless
onslaught of thrash. Every single riff on this release is well crafted and
absurdly heavy (some are even pretty technical). The production suits this sound; it is definitely more modern,
but it isn’t as loud and clean as some of the earlier new wave bands.
While News Corpse does mostly stay within
the boundaries of thrash, they do occasionally deviate from this sound to add
touches of death metal. There are a few riffs that are pure tremolo picking
(see the intro of “Here Lies The Sun” for one example). Even more noticeable,
however, is the heavy use of blastbeats. Fortunately the blasting is not all
that fast (certainly not at the speeds modern death metal bands reach), but it
does create something a bit different for this style of thrash.
Frontman Rohit Bazaz has a really killer
thrash voice. The aforementioned comparisons to Metallica and Testament would be
apt for his singing as well. It’s not so much that he sounds like James
Hetfield or Chuck Billy, but rather, he has an aggressive, understandable
voice. He shows the ability to sing, as well as the potential for harsher vocals,
but ultimately, he spends most of his time in that perfect thrash barking
range. His voice is well suited to this brand of thrash, and while it isn’t
particularly distinctive, it is effective.
Perhaps the only area of criticism for News
Corpse is that the songs aren’t instantly catchy. Granted, this is thrash metal
and it’s more about snapping your neck off than it is singing along. The best
bands were able to manage both though. For a first EP, “Breaking News” shows a
lot of potential. There is no shortage of quality riffs here, nor does the band
have any trait that would really put anyone off of their music. Overall, News
Corpse is a band I’ll be revisiting often, as it is rare that a band shows this
much of a penchant for high quality thrashing with their first EP!
Highlight
"Here Lies The Sun"
Final Rating
4.25/5 or 85%.
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