Sunday, April 6, 2014

Lost Society – Terror Hungry

The last couple of years have definitely been a bit slower for new thrash bands in terms of gaining popularity, but Lost Society is one band that seems to be the major exception. Their debut record, “Fast Loud Death” got a lot of hype, and rightfully so as it thrashed like few others. Barely a year later, the band is back with “Terror Hungry”, and this album is almost an exact copy of the last record. The songs are a bit longer this time around, but the energetic thrashing never stops throughout the 50+ minute journey. The one major difference between these two records is that “Terror Hungry” doesn’t have as many instantly catchy songs on it, but that might just be the effect of putting out 27 songs a year apart that all sound relatively similar.

As usual, one of the best tracks is the single, “Lethal Pleasure”. This song sets the tone for the entire album: 200+ BPM thrash riffs without relenting. There are so many riffs on this record that only those riffs that don’t conform to the band’s normal sound stand out. Lost Society continues to inject a substantial blues influence in both their riffs and guitar solos, and even have a full-on blues spot at the end of “Brewtal Awakening”. Another highlight is “Tyrant Takeover”. There is one riff a little while into the song that is incredibly tight, and it does manage to stand out from the other hundreds of riffs despite sounding no different from the other riffs.. Amazingly, the band goes on to inject a groove riff into this song that would put Pantera to shame. Generally, putting any form of groove into thrash will usually ruin a song or album, but this riff is so flawlessly placed that it will cause more destruction to your neck than your ears. 

From a vocal perspective, nothing on this album has changed. Singer/guitarist Samy Elbanna spits out words at rapid fire pace almost exclusively, only slowing down to unleash a crazy scream or two. Gang vocals are still rampant and are always used to further amp up the energy of every song. Guitar solos seem more frequent than on the last album, often appearing multiple times per song. The solos tend to be pretty flashy and over-the-top, but they suit the music perfectly. Even the Twisted Sister cover comes out in a thrashy fashion as Lost Society abuses their guitar necks without shame. It’s hard to criticize the band for anything on “Terror Hungry”. At worst, the sound does run a little thin so soon after the last record, but when a band manages to feel this fresh and original with little actual innovation, it’s always a good sign.

Be sure to check out and like Lost Society on Facebook!

Highlights
"Game Over"
"Lethal Pleasure"
"Tyrant Takeover"

Final Rating
4.3/5 or 86%. 

Written by Scott