Blood Oath – The Line Between

Blood Oath is a relatively newer Chilean death metal band that just recently released their first EP “The Line Between”. The EP was first put out on tape, but is now being re-released on CD by Unspeakable Axe Records, and therefore has the mark of quality before even hearing it! After a short atmospheric intro, the band immediately begins laying waste to your ears with their brand of classic death metal. The intro to this first full track, “Lobotomy”, sounds like the musical descent into hell, as it clearly takes great influence from Slayer and their tremolo-bar abuse. But this is a death metal record, and it isn’t long before the other classic death metal elements come into play.

Blood Oath’s sound is fairly predictable, but that’s a good thing. They occasionally try to change it up on “Lobotomy” by introducing a couple of off-kilter drumbeats, but truthfully, the band is better at playing straight-ahead death metal. Their vocalist in particular is a major strength of the band. Though he has a deep voice, his screams sound more like a ghoul than the guttural beasts that dominate death metal. The best comparison would be to a slightly more untamed version of David Vincent’s vocals on “Altars of Madness”. This is partly because the vocals almost emerge from the background; they aren’t completely at the forefront of the music even though they’re very clear. The result is that they don’t overpower the rest of the music. 

This description is true of the rest of the band as well. This EP is perfectly mixed to make each element pop up at just the right time, with no one instrument dominating. The bass in particular is always easy to hear, and makes this dark release sound even murkier. Part of what makes “The Line Between” so great is that it exudes evil. Every single track is an exercise in atmosphere, and the band doesn’t ruin it by overdoing elements like blast beats or even double bass. They use plenty of both, but only when necessary. Much to my surprise (and delight), there are tons of thrashier moments on this record, especially from the drumming. As a result, this EP sounds like something from the late 1980s rather than the years that followed. Overall, “The Line Between” hits all the right spots for my admittedly narrow tastes in death metal. It isn’t as good as the classics, but is unique enough to stand on its own, and as a result, is well worth a purchase!

Be sure to check out and like Blood Oath on Facebook!

Highlights

"Lobotomy"

"Rites of Cruelty"

Final Rating

4.25/5 or 85%.

Ripper – Experiment of Existence

Ripper is a relatively new thrash band that hails from Chile, and is set to release their second full length album, “Experiment of Existence”, on Unspeakable Axe Records in early 2016. There are few band names in metal history as apt as Ripper’s. From start to finish, this album is like a fist in the face. Similar to the hyper-speed thrash of bands like Sadus, Hypnosia, or even labelmates Besieged, Ripper is a band that just doesn’t let up. When they do relent slightly, it’s because they’re unleashing monolithic breakdown riffs that are just as potent as the faster stuff. Additionally, the band’s singer comes from the school of Mille Petrozza, as he shreds his vocal cords with each word he yells out. This style is particularly effective given the consistently high speed the band plays at throughout the record.

Perhaps the biggest surprise on “Experiment of Existence” is the bass playing. The comparison to Sadus was no accident; Ripper’s bass playing is the second coming of Steve DiGiorgio. His playing is both active and audible, culminating in the bass interlude that is appropriately titled “Chromatic Fantasy”. “Anatomy of the Galaxies” even features a full-on bass solo that stands out amongst the thrashing fury provided by the rest of the band. The ending of “Stellar Evolution” likewise closes with some impressive bass playing. The other slight oddity about this record is the spacey tech-thrash approach. Voivod may have been first, but Vektor popularized this sound. Ripper is a little less overt with these influences than those two bands, but there is no doubt that some of the these songs have some incredibly dissonant riffs, and the wandering bass lines add to this effect. 

On the whole, “Experiment of Existence” is exactly as advertised: violent, whiplash-causing tech thrash. There’s not a moment on this album that doesn’t absolutely rule. It isn’t the most memorable album, but it also doesn’t fall prey to having every song sound the same, which is usually the only flaw these absurdly fast bands have. The band’s bassist is the differentiating factor that puts them ahead of many of their peers, but even taking that element away, this is still a killer death/thrash record.

Be sure to check out and like Ripper on Facebook!

Highlights

"Magnetic Solar Storms"

"Anatomy of the Galaxies"

"The Alpha Orionis"

Final Rating

4.5/5 or 90%. 

Written by Scott

Conflicted – Under Bio-lence

“Under Bio-lence” marks album two for Chilean thrashers Conflicted. This release is a short but sweet ode to old-school thrash, as it prominently displays the vast majority of the subgenre’s traits. In fact, one might even say it is too true to the subgenre. Conflicted doesn’t inject any elements of speed, death, black, crossover, or power metal in their sound, making “Under Bio-lence” a very pure sounding record. This means that bands like Exodus or Vio-lence are the primary influences on this album. Of course, this acts as a double-edged sword. On the one hand, it’s hard to mess up this style, which is why this is a serviceable record that is loaded with awesome riffs, gang vocals, and other thrashy moments. On the other, it’s also hard to stand out. The only real way to do it is to write truly great songs, and that is unfortunately where Conflicted falls short. Despite having listened to this album numerous times, nothing has stuck yet.   

To be fair to the band, this album has perfect execution. The production is huge, meaning that the guitars manage to be both thick and crunchy. The single-axe attack means that the bass playing can be heard loud and clear, particularly during a guitar solo (“Legal Emptiness” and “Public Privacy” having the best examples; some other songs have added rhythm guitar backings while these ones forego it). The drums are balanced to perfection, meaning that you’ll never miss a cracking snare. Even the singing on this album is exactly what you’d expect. The vocalist’s accent is minimal, perhaps even non-existent. He’s also very clear, and doesn’t resort to growling at all. On the whole, “Under Bio-lence” is an album that delivers on its premise. While not offering anything unique, you can be sure that this record will fit as well in your thrash collection as the album artwork does.  

Be sure to check out and like Conflicted on Facebook!

Highlights

All of it

Final Rating

3.5/5 or 70%. 

Written by Scott