BLACKENED
“UNDERGROUND ATTACK”
LAST SLAUGHTER / OBSKURE CHAOS / WITCHES BREW
A young band coming out of Brazil, submitted for your approval here, is BLACKENED
and their mini CD “UNDERGROUND ATTACK”. Being released on a plethora of
different labels (LAST SLAUGHTER, OBSKURE CHAOS, WITCHES BREW, not to
mention being released independently as well), this EP’s worth of material, clocking in at
just under 20 minutes, coincides with their full length debut on WITCHES BREW,
earlier in 2015. From minute numero uno, its blatantly obvious these guys are influenced
by the golden age of American Thrash Metal as the members of BLACKENED are also in
other bands specializing in Thrash Metal like MURDEATH and PORRADA. I specify
“American” Thrash Metal because BLACKENED remind me instantly of second and
third tier Thrash Metal bands from the late 1980s, like VIKING, “VIOLENT
TERMINATION” era DEVASTATION and DEFIANCE. Thinking a little outside of the
box however, the vocals are a dead ringer for a more recent act out of Holland that I like a
great deal, T.C.F.. The aspect I like most of “UNDERGROUND ATTACK” is the
authenticity, this trait becoming most clear from the LACK of over-polishing their
production. Thrash Metal, in my estimation anyway, ISN’T supposed to be overly
polished and in the 1980s, most of it surely wasn’t. Doing this, the band avoid the pitfalls
of sounding merely like a studio conglomeration, and illicit that “chills down your back”
sort of wistfulness for those of us who grew up and sorely miss those hallowed glory
days of yore. Another aspect that deserves mention is the soloing. No Yngwie wannabes
here. These guys maintain melody, but don’t overshoot the mark. I think for any kind of
guitar based music, OVER playing is as undesirable as UNDER playing, Personally I’d
much rather have a band like this who sound true to the original concept than some act
masturbating with electronic production enhancement and super fast, overly technically
adept soloing. Think of the difference between OVERKILL and early NUCLEAR
ASSAULT, guess who wins, hands down? All in all, BLACKENED fall in that meaty
part of the curve, not lagging behind but not over-selling it either. It always surprises me
when a band full of younger Thrash dogs, who weren’t even born when this genre and
sound were originally being created and were flourishing, follow through so authentically
and with such seeming ease. Fans of Thrash Metal who miss the likes of NUCLEAR
ASSAULT, DEVASTATION (TX) and the more hardcore influenced Thrash bands from
way back should take heed of this review.
www.facebook.com/BLACKENEDthrashcwb
- Reviewed by Keith Dempe
“UNDERGROUND ATTACK”
LAST SLAUGHTER / OBSKURE CHAOS / WITCHES BREW
A young band coming out of Brazil, submitted for your approval here, is BLACKENED
and their mini CD “UNDERGROUND ATTACK”. Being released on a plethora of
different labels (LAST SLAUGHTER, OBSKURE CHAOS, WITCHES BREW, not to
mention being released independently as well), this EP’s worth of material, clocking in at
just under 20 minutes, coincides with their full length debut on WITCHES BREW,
earlier in 2015. From minute numero uno, its blatantly obvious these guys are influenced
by the golden age of American Thrash Metal as the members of BLACKENED are also in
other bands specializing in Thrash Metal like MURDEATH and PORRADA. I specify
“American” Thrash Metal because BLACKENED remind me instantly of second and
third tier Thrash Metal bands from the late 1980s, like VIKING, “VIOLENT
TERMINATION” era DEVASTATION and DEFIANCE. Thinking a little outside of the
box however, the vocals are a dead ringer for a more recent act out of Holland that I like a
great deal, T.C.F.. The aspect I like most of “UNDERGROUND ATTACK” is the
authenticity, this trait becoming most clear from the LACK of over-polishing their
production. Thrash Metal, in my estimation anyway, ISN’T supposed to be overly
polished and in the 1980s, most of it surely wasn’t. Doing this, the band avoid the pitfalls
of sounding merely like a studio conglomeration, and illicit that “chills down your back”
sort of wistfulness for those of us who grew up and sorely miss those hallowed glory
days of yore. Another aspect that deserves mention is the soloing. No Yngwie wannabes
here. These guys maintain melody, but don’t overshoot the mark. I think for any kind of
guitar based music, OVER playing is as undesirable as UNDER playing, Personally I’d
much rather have a band like this who sound true to the original concept than some act
masturbating with electronic production enhancement and super fast, overly technically
adept soloing. Think of the difference between OVERKILL and early NUCLEAR
ASSAULT, guess who wins, hands down? All in all, BLACKENED fall in that meaty
part of the curve, not lagging behind but not over-selling it either. It always surprises me
when a band full of younger Thrash dogs, who weren’t even born when this genre and
sound were originally being created and were flourishing, follow through so authentically
and with such seeming ease. Fans of Thrash Metal who miss the likes of NUCLEAR
ASSAULT, DEVASTATION (TX) and the more hardcore influenced Thrash bands from
way back should take heed of this review.
www.facebook.com/BLACKENEDthrashcwb
- Reviewed by Keith Dempe