Evil Army is a name I've heard thrown around a bit in thrash circles, but I never actually listened to them. Then, their name came up in a promo from Hell's Headbangers, a label that doesn't really release any subpar material, making this EP automatically worth my attention. "I, Commander" isn't groundbreaking and it isn't anything remarkable, but there is some potential found on it that leads me to believe that they can get a lot better, because it's hard to judge them on three tracks that clock in at a little more than eight minutes (especially since I haven't heard their previous full-length).
The three songs are all relatively similar in structure - they're short in length and feature midpaced to fast thrashy riffage, akin to bands like Nuclear Assault, Overkill and the German giants Kreator. Rob Evil's vocals sound like a young Angelripper, which is perfectly suited for the war-themed thrashers. The title track isn't anything special, but the other two songs "Ashes of the Nuclear Fire" and "I Must Destroy You," both have some awesome moments (the kickass break in the former track, and the riffage in the latter) that show why they attracted the attention of a lot of metalheads in the underground, as well as Hell's Headbanger's. Overall, "I, Commander" makes for a fun listen and it shows that Evil Army can produce some quality thrash in an oversaturated scene. This EP basically sounds like a lost thrash band of old from the eighties, which old-schoolers and new fans can equally enjoy, making the band's conquest closer to complete.
Be sure to check out and like Evil Army on Facebook!
http://facebook.com/evilarmyofficial
Highlights
"Ashes of the Nuclear Fire"
"I Must Destroy You"
Final Rating
3.75/5 or 75%.