As far as newer thrash bands go, Greece’s
Suicidal Angels is quickly becoming one of the most prolific groups. “Division
of Blood” is the band’s 6th album in the span of a decade, and shows
the group continuing their thrash onslaught with absolutely no compromise. If
you enjoyed their last record (or any of the others, for that matter), this one
will keep you satisfied as well. Put simply, Suicidal Angels know exactly what
they’re good at, and they beat you over the head with it until it sinks in.
This means “Division of Blood” is an album overflowing with riffs, each somehow
more potent than the last. Even though there is little variation in the band’s
general sound, nothing on this album sounds uninspired. In fact, the band has an uncanny ability to write absolutely crushing and memorable mid-paced sections (see the breakdown in the brutal opener “Capital of War”,
where frontman Nick Melissourgos shouts out “fire” over and over again). Often times
these riffs feature numerous gallops, which only serve to increase the rhythmic
complexity of the band’s sound. These sorts of riffs are flying all over the
title track, which is upbeat in nature, but not overly quick.
As great as the band is at making grooving
mid-paced sections, thrash is about speed, and Suicidal Angels delivers that. In
fact, this is when they’re at their best. “Image of the Serpent” is the fastest
song on the record, and that naturally makes it the most enjoyable. The speeds
the band reaches on this track are almost unfathomable, and the tightness of
their playing (aided by the sharp production) truly adds to the experience. It
isn’t just the rhythm guitars that make this album great; the band’s drummer is
similarly well equipped for high tempos. He has an impressive amount of
virtuosity in his ability to get around the kit and create interesting fills. There
are a lot of straightforward thrash beats on this record, but more than enough
variety for the drums to remain compelling. He often sounds completely out of control, yet he remains perfectly in time on every track.
One strange decision about this record is
the last track, “Of Thy Shall Bring the Light”. After completing yet another
competent thrash effort in a few minutes, there are several minutes of silence,
followed by a short one minute outro. As with every time this has been done in
the history of metal, it feels pointless. If you cut the fat on this track, you’re
left with a 35-minute record that thrashes just as hard as anything else. It
certainly doesn’t ruin the album, nor will it prevent me from putting it on,
but it’s one of those head-scratching moments where you wonder if the label
requested 40 minutes of music. Ignoring this bump in the road, “Division of
Blood” is another impressive addition to the band’s legacy. If you are a fan of
thrash, this record needs to be in your collection because it a pantheon of
great riffs!
Be sure to check out and like Suicidal Angels on Facebook!
Highlights
"Capital of War"
"Eternally to Suffer"
"Image of the Serpent"
Final Rating
4.4/5 or 88%.
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