Abraxxas – The Killing Fields

Australian thrash group Abraxxas has recently put forth their second release a little over a year after their first demo. “The Killing Fields” shows the band taking a step forward in every aspect: production, songwriting, and performance. Though it features just two tracks, “The Killing Fields” single is an impressive effort. The title track kicks things off with plenty of speed, power, and aggression. While the song has some twists and turns throughout it, much of its runtime is spent moving at full speed and thrashing everything in its path. The riffs may be somewhat standard, but they do feel more inspired than most other thrash these days. The verses in this song sync up the vocals with the riff that accompanies them, and this makes these sections especially potent, though the entire track is an immense thrasher.   

The other song on this release, “Grendel”, feels a little bit more calculated. While it also can reach some impressive speeds, the first minute or so of the song is spent on slower, headbanging-inducing riffs that incorporate plenty of trills before launching into huge power chords. Later in the track, the band makes use of very twisted leads underneath the vocals, which helps to keep things interesting. Though “The Killing Fields” comes out firing on all cylinders, it is actually “Grendel” that leaves the bigger impact. Perhaps more importantly, however, this single forges a much more positive impression of the band than their already solid demo. If Abraxxas could put together a full-length of this quality, they’d shoot to the top of the modern Australian thrash scene alongside Harlott.  

Be sure to check out and like Abraxxas on Facebook!

Highlights

"The Killing Fields"

"Grendel"

Final Rating

3.9/5 or 78%. 

Written by Scott 

Omery Rising – Lady Snow

Omery Rising hails from California and plays relatively standard traditional heavy metal. “Lady Snow” is their second release, and is a two-track single featuring Joseph Michael (ex-White Wizzard) doing guest vocals for both songs. Though I’m unfamiliar with the band’s other release, the choice of songs for a single is a bit surprising. Both tracks open with slow clean guitars, and generally don’t provide that fast burst of energy you’d expect in a single. Nevertheless, the title track picks up quite a bit, and proves to be very catchy after repeated listens. Though this song has some great riffs, it is the interplay of the vocals and the riffs that make “Lady Snow” particularly memorable. Whether the vocals melodies or the riffs on this song were written first, it is clear that both elements were written to complement the other in a way that most bands don’t pull off.   

Joseph’s vocal performance on this release is not quite as impressive as it was on “The Devil’s Cut”, but the fact remains that he’s an incredibly talented singer, and still has a pretty unbelievable range. Production wise, this album mirrors a lot of other current heavy metal albums. The bass is up front and noticeable most of the time, but the guitars always take precedence. No instrument manages to drown out another, which is always a positive. The ending to “Lady Snow” has a relatively uneventful guitar solo in it, but I would love to hear the guitarist go to town and shred non-stop. His solo on “Road To Sleepy Hollow” is better and more fitting of the song, but still doesn’t have any shredding in it. This may be a consequence of the mid-paced tempo used on the album, because traditional heavy metal bands typically overload us with solos. 

Overall, Omery Rising shows a lot of potential with this single. Both songs are pretty good, though the title track is definitely stronger. I think they hurt themselves a bit with the song choice given the format of the release, but these songs would definitely strengthen a full-length album. Even if Joseph Michael isn’t on the band’s next release, I will definitely check it out as “Lady Snow” shows the band is able to write pretty solid material.

Be sure to check out and like Omery Rising on Facebook!

Highlight

"Lady Snow"

Final Rating

3.8/5 or 76%. 

Written by Scott 

Death of Kings – Knifehammer

With a few releases under their belt, Atlanta, Georgia’s Death of Kings set out to record a single that would provide a thrashing good time to all. While it can sometimes be hard to make an impact with only a couple of tracks, “Knifehammer” shows the band selecting their best material to get your neck raging. The single kicks off with the title track, and it is by far the stronger of the two songs. The opening riff immediately gives off a ton of aggression that is only amplified when the vocals come in. Death of Kings’ singer leans more towards death/thrash, but is still pretty understandable. Fans of more brutal thrash will be pleasantly surprised once they hear his voice. Throughout this opening track, the first riff returns again in the chorus and shows the band effectively utilizing gang vocals (though those shouts show up non-stop during the first song). Where this song gets even more interesting is when it breaks for a guitar solo. It’s fast and frenetic like you would expect, but it is contrasted by a dueling bass solo. The two instruments trade back and forth a few times, but the bass undoubtedly steals the show as the bassist is playing more like a guitar player during his solo. After this flurry of technical display, the band quickly returns to their aggressive brand of thrash for the remainder of the song. 

“Beneath The Obsidian”, the second track, is less impressive, but only because “Knifehammer” is so great. This song is not quite as fast, and shows a bit of a punkish flair in the way that some of the guitar rhythms are constructed. Overall, however, it is still likely to be quite enjoyable to anyone who found themselves headbanging during “Knifehammer”. In terms of comparisons, Death of Kings is a breath of fresh air in thrash. They don’t reinvent the wheel, but unlike seemingly every other thrash band out there, there isn’t a single identifiable band that they are simply copying. Sure, there are elements of Motorhead, Slayer, and Exodus, but Death of Kings delivers considerably more. Don’t wait for these guys to do a full-length, check out “Knifehammer” immediately!

Be sure to check out and like Death of Kings on Facebook!

Highlight

"Knifehammer"

Final Rating

4.2/5 or 84%. 

Written by Scott