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.
Highlights
"Game Over"
"Lethal Pleasure"
"Tyrant Takeover"
Final Rating
4.3/5 or 86%.