Man, I am loving this record!

Other than Mortal Infinity’s District Destruction, not much of this thrash revival has grabbed my attention, so the likes of Revocation, Havoc, Toxic Holocaust and such hasn’t really floated my boat , but here comes Canada’s Besieged to kick me in the nuts and remind me why I loved so many metal records from the late 80s.

Originally  self released back in 2010,  and now unearthed by new Dark Descent imprint label Unspeakable Axe Records, the sole album from these wild Manitobans is a gloriously old school thrash/death metal attack that rather than simply throw on a pair of white high tops and a denim vest, delivers riff after riff of tight, gritty thrash metal with a death metal tinge much like Possessed, classic Sepultura and early Slayer and man does it rock.,

From start to finish, this 31 minute gem is a rip roaring riff fest of high octane thrash. The gruffer vocals and break neck speed give it a death metal stench, but these riffs are pure old school speed/thrash metal that makes no bones about its obvious influences. Just listen to fourth track “The End”, and you’d think it was a lost, un-mastered track from the Beneath the Remains sessions. The rest of the songs all have the same hint as well as more than obvious nods to Possessed ground breaking sound, but Besieged don’t feel the need to modern it up or make it overly clean and polished. It’s rough and ready but has bite and slice contained withing the earthy, loose sound.

And none of this sounds forced or faked to get in on the retro thrash revival that appears to be on its last legs. This is as honest sounding as it gets, even for three years old material. Heck, the band even has no shame in delivering almost all the songs with the same pace and very similar riffing, but its done with such energy and truly honest and feral panache its impossible not to overlook and simply enjoy the riffs for what they are. From opener “Internal Suffering” through the aforementioned standout “The End” or classically structured thrasher  “Trapped Inside”  and  to slightly slower closer Slayer inspired  “Black”, the album is just a simple joy to listen to.

[Visit the band's website]

---

Comments